Lehigh river--rockport-mountain bike

[rob]

I recently purchased a mountain bike and have been riding the Lehigh Gorge trail ..Has anyone ever fished these areas..Im planning on riding the bike on the trail that starts at Rockport and stopping to fish.
Also, I am new to posting on this board but have lurked for the past few years. The information I have read is invaluable..It seems everytime I have a question its already been covered.
Thanks for all of your help, Im a better fly fisherman beacuse of it.

 

[Maurice]

Hey Rob,

I know next to nothing about the Lehigh other than I drove around the rim one summer a few years ago with the family stopping at a few boat launches that connected to the trail. We were on a family camping trip and my fishing was limited so I didn't fish the Lehigh. But I fantisized about it and I would imagine the bike trip would be self guided stoping wherever you you see fit to wet a line. Knowing the releases and temperatures will help in the summer. Obviously as a wading fisherman you need to find places you can wade and if the temps are near 70 find the riffles to find fish.

I had my first bike-in during the Jam this year at Pine Creek and enjoyed it emencely. It was great to ride in casually and find a riffle to fish 4 miles in and then pick up and move to another later. Unfortunately the ride back was in a terrential downpour but even that was appreciated as a cooling effect on the hard ride "up hill" to the car. I am not a mt biker so it beat my butt pretty good but I enjoyed it.

So in short, I'd say, Ride fish, ride, fish, repeat.

I am sure some know some landmarks to make note of for the best fishing....I'd like to know myself.

Enjoy your bike-in.

Maurice

 

[LehighRegular]

Rob
On your next ride bring the gear and give the river a shot. The water from Rockport to Glen Onoko is some of the best on the river.

As Maurice indicated check the releases on the weekends. The Corps dumps water every other weekend for the whitewater rafters. This coming weekend should be good to fish but the following weekend is suppose to be a release weekend - June 23/24.

Also, check here for more information:
http://www.nap.usace.army.mil/watercontrol/resreg.htm

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/pa/nwis/uv/?site_no=01447800&PARAmeter_cd=00065,00060,00010

The USGS site will give you what the current water release from the reservoir.

Fishing has either been on or off this year fishing the river, but there are lots of fish in the Gorge stretch. The beauty itself is worth the trip.

Good luck.

LR

 

[AugustWest]

While on the subject of the Lehigh River, go to www.lrsa.org and join. It will tbe the best and most useful $15 you ever spent on fly fishing. These folks do great work.