Help with Valley Creek?

[RTM]

I have been reading posts on this site for a few years now and have always been envious of those folks catching numerous, decent size fish in an outing. I have thought of seeking help with fishing Valley Creek for a while and my trip there a few days ago has finally made me do it. I fished for 3 hours and caught a few tiny trout on a size 18 rainbow warrior. And this was a great day. I was super stealthy, used 6x fluorocarbon, stayed out of the water for the most part, and still didn't even see a decent size fish. Could I find someone to show me how to catch a fish bigger than my hand there?

 

[afishinado]

RTM wrote:
I have been reading posts on this site for a few years now and have always been envious of those folks catching numerous, decent size fish in an outing. I have thought of seeking help with fishing Valley Creek for a while and my trip there a few days ago has finally made me do it. I fished for 3 hours and caught a few tiny trout on a size 18 rainbow warrior. And this was a great day. I was super stealthy, used 6x fluorocarbon, stayed out of the water for the most part, and still didn't even see a decent size fish. Could I find someone to show me how to catch a fish bigger than my hand there?

There are bigger fish in Valley, but they are very wary, especially in the low and clear water. The bigger fish usually hide in the deeper areas, undercut banks, around the fallen trees, rocks and any deeper areas with cover.

Try to be as stealthy as possible, don't wade if you can get away with it, stay low, try not to line the fish, and use small flies.

Most anglers that find success catching bigger trout when the water is up a bit and cloudy. At that time you can use bigger nymphs or flies like streamers or buggers

During a decent rainstorm the stream rises quickly and also falls quickly. Timing is everything.

Good luck.

 

[Nymph-wristed]

Like afishinado said, high water. I measured a legit 14 incher a couple weeks ago from the "spectator hole".... and my biggest ever from the creek was pushing 19 (a feat I don't think I will repeat any time soon!). If you have fished the creek a lot, you know where the big fish will likely live. Go back when they can't see and hear you approach. Also, the big fish are nocturnal and/or crepuscular.

You can catch bigger fish in normal or low water (one in the same there, really) but seeing that they exist in high water in certain spots will give you confidence that they are there. Also, crawl, kneel, stay out of the water as much as possible. Lose flies too, as the better fish are right in the wood....

Don't feel bad, as I have a buddy who has fished the creek for 5 years without a "keeper" size fish. He keeps ignoring my advice to fish after a good rain, saying I don't know where to cast. I say you do! All the spots you'd think. undercut banks, wood, deeper riffles, and so on...

 

[Fredrick]

With all this being said be on the look out for reds .

 

[lestrout]

^^^^^What Frederick said, about redds too. BTW, is there any regulation about not fishing to trouts on redds?

 

[Nymph-wristed]

Yes! You gents are correct. I too have let them rest. Not only are they making redds, but those yoy are voracious and needn't be caught 400 times and either die or become really educated 6 inchers (or is that a typical VC fish anyway?)

 

[SurfCowboyXX]

The educated 6" fish is the VC standard issue. Wisest little trout you'll ever see. If you look around, you'll see more herons and ospreys and eagles than you can shake a stick at. They use VC as a seafood buffet, and those little trout know it-hence the intense spookiness. Every shadow that crosses their head they figure is a heron and the last thing they're ever going to see. So when you line one, he's history.

You need to learn to spot the fish before the fish spot you. Take your time, stay low and hide behind trees. Wear colors that blend into the surroundings. Take off shiny watches, rings, etc. and tape over shiny spots on your gear. This matters. A face mask (Buff) is not too far to go sometimes. Walk softly and move painfully slow. Stand in place for 10+ minutes and wait and watch. If you're looking to catch the larger fish, you will need to find the deeper water. Only one of the big fish I've caught from VC was shallow and eating BWOs. The rest were from undercut banks or fallen trees. And yes, if you really want to catch a big one, wade out in the creek when it's up 1-2 feet and muddy and throw streamers.

 

[pcray1231]

Valley is all about hitting it right. It rises and falls REALLY fast. Like from flood stage to perfect in half a day. We can thank or curse a very heavily developed watershed for that!

When low the fish really pod up something fierce. If you're good enough to get a fly in before spooking any of them, well, your still only getting one in that hole, lol.

The real gully washers are what make me think about going to Valley. Get it on its way down as its still a touch brown. If i go to bed to heavy rain i wanna be on stream not long after daybreak! Fish are less spooky and spread out better. And cover ground. Dont grow roots. They hit well when you find them and they aint picky. Few casts and move on!

 

[NickR]

Some very good advice given in previous posts. Watch out for spawning fish and redds. I really don't see how someone can avoid stepping on redds when they are wading through a Creek that is 5-15 feet wide in most places? I stopped by the other day and saw 5!guys wading right through the middle of the Creek. The redds are there for a considerable amount of time after thenfiah spawn on them and become harder to spot as time passes. Those Valley Creek fish never really get a break and that's why they are so finicky.

Legend has it that Valley Creek trout won't eat a fly if you present a fly from upstream of the fish. That would be false. Casting down allows you to present your flies first so your not putting a fly line over the fishes head. I get a lot of strikes on the swing or right when the line starts to tighten up and the flies start to rise in the water column...see Leisenring lift.

 

[shakey]

NickR wrote:
Some very good advice given in previous posts. Watch out for spawning fish and redds. I really don't see how someone can avoid stepping on redds when they are wading through a Creek that is 5-15 feet wide in most places? I stopped by the other day and saw 5!guys wading right through the middle of the Creek. The redds are there for a considerable amount of time after thenfiah spawn on them and become harder to spot as time passes. Those Valley Creek fish never really get a break and that's why they are so finicky.

Legend has it that Valley Creek trout won't eat a fly if you present a fly from upstream of the fish. That would be false. Casting down allows you to present your flies first so your not putting a fly line over the fishes head. I get a lot of strikes on the swing or right when the line starts to tighten up and the flies start to rise in the water column...see Leisenring lift.

yes! i only fish valley down,unless i have to use a dry.

also,i use pretty big flies there.

i do not crawl.

i don't stay out of the water.

i don't wear camo.

so,i fish valley pretty much the opposite of how most people suggest you fish it.

good luck!

 

[BradyS]

Last fall I took a pic of this dead brown at Valley which had to have been at least 22". It was by far the biggest fish I've seen or caught there.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/151318593@N07/38449745792/in/dateposted-public/

 

[NewSal]

Speaking of dead fish, found this on spring creek last year. By far the biggest fish I've ever seen on that stream, I didnt measure but it has to be damn close to 30" or over.

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[shadspoon]

As of 11/16... there are active redds throughout the stream. I do not fish now but I spend more time walking and watching. The redds will be active until December usually. As for easy success in Valley those days are over. I earn all my fish these days. Just think about how lucky we are to have a stream with only wild trout so close. We are very lucky!!

 

[jacob]

Reiterating the posts on redds. I was there a few weeks ago and there were a ton of redds and a ton of fish on them- leave VC alone for a while as others have said.

For the OP - lots of good suggestions above. I subscribe to the thought of staying low, moving slow, and hell I wear a camo shirt- why not! As for flies, try some non-beadheaded flies in sizes 16-20+.
Hares ears and als rat have always been good to me (most days). Also, try fishing from the opposite bank of the easy access points- it may be harder to cast and get to, but with VC fish having PhDs, approaching them from alternative positions from all the other guys could give you an extra edge at fooling the wary fish. Also if you are using indicators, leave your thingamobbobers at home and go with a half of a foam stick on or yarn. Anything that splats is gonna spook em unless for some reason they don't care that particular day. Some days they spook a lot easier than others I find.

 

[TYoung]

I use to fish Valley Creek a lot. After a while I realized that it's just too difficult under normal stream conditions. Now I only fish it when the flow is above 30 cfs. I do most of my fishing now in the Lehigh Valley. I really like fishing the Saucon and Little Lehigh Creeks. Those streams have better flows that allow me to catch fish more consistently.

 

[Fredrick]

I know its a bit of hike for a few of you but staying away from spawning browns in the fall is one of the many reasons that I start to fish the salt this time of year . If you live to far away its also a great time of the year to target Essox and stocked trout on streams with no reproduction .

Honestly strictly trout fisherman in allot of ways are their own worst enemies in trout conservation . Just my two cents .....

 

[jacob]

^^^ absolutely

 

[afishinado]

Fredrick wrote:
I know its a bit of hike for a few of you but staying away from spawning browns in the fall is one of the many reasons that I start to fish the salt this time of year . If you live to far away its also a great time of the year to target Essox and stocked trout on streams with no reproduction .

Honestly strictly trout fisherman in allot of ways are their own worst enemies in trout conservation . Just my two cents .....

I agree with Fred. Give wild trout a break around spawning time.

Speaking of Valley in particular, every year around this time of year I try to make it my business to walk along the stream. My observations have been that the peak of the spawn most years is around Thanksgiving and lasts well into December. Also, through the winter into the early spring the redds should be left undisturbed.

There seems to be a bumper crop of YOY trout from the last spawn in Valley. Those little guys are all over the place! Good to see.....keep that going!!

 

[foxtrapper1972]

"Honestly strictly trout fisherman in allot of ways are their own worst enemies in trout conservation . Just my two cents ....."
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Yep

 

[foxtrapper1972]