Let it rain

[wildtrout2]

We have been blessed with some much needed rain lately in many areas. Especially the NC region! Numerous streams that I wouldn't have fished before this rainy stretch are now at, or near, perfect levels/temps. I'll be putting on the miles for the next month.

 

[Canoetripper]

It looks like Elsa rained pretty hard in the Poconos according to the USGS Gauge that I look at every day.

 

[drakeking412]

thats great news, maybe if we get some more I'll be able to sneak up to the slate area in august

 

[lycoflyfisher]

If we could only get rain in moderation instead of 2-3 in at a time. These storms really are not helping our streams. We got 2+in in an hr in my neck of the woods. Half hour break and another round is hitting us...

 

[wildtrout2]

lycoflyfisher wrote:
If we could only get rain in moderation instead of 2-3 in at a time. These storms really are not helping our streams. We got 2+in in an hr in my neck of the woods. Half hour break and another round is hitting us...

It helped the streams that were very low previously, but I agree, there isn't any moderation in our weather. It's either no rain, or too much at one time.
Those extra storms yesterday really sent stream levels up, but it has to be better than streams going dry.

 

[timmyt2]

Its called summer time thunderstorms and downpours, thats how the rain comes this time of year

 

[troutbert]

lycoflyfisher wrote:
If we could only get rain in moderation instead of 2-3 in at a time. These storms really are not helping our streams. We got 2+in in an hr in my neck of the woods. Half hour break and another round is hitting us...

Are you seeing extreme scouring from 2-3 inches of rain?

A few years ago a storm came through and dumped about 6 inches in a short time. That caused a lot of damage.

But when we've had 2-3 inches in late afternoon or evening, I've gone out the next afternoon and the mountain streams were in perfect fishing condition, using big dry flies.

 

[BradFromPotter]

timmyt2 wrote:
Its called summer time thunderstorms and downpours, thats how the rain comes this time of year

Go tell that to people in Tioga County where some lost homes & roads that were washed out.

 

[timmyt2]

The same thing happened in Bucks county closer to where i live. Of course thats a terrible thing and i feel terrible for anyone who that happens too, but its natural and it happens every year in nasty heat

 

[BradFromPotter]

timmyt2 wrote:
The same thing happened in Bucks county closer to where i live. Of course thats a terrible thing and i feel terrible for anyone who that happens too, but its natural and it happens every year in nasty heat

who said it wasn't natural?

 

[greenghost]

BradFromPotter wrote:

timmyt2 wrote:
The same thing happened in Bucks county closer to where i live. Of course thats a terrible thing and i feel terrible for anyone who that happens too, but its natural and it happens every year in nasty heat

who said it wasn't natural?

It can be argued that anything that happens in the natural world is "natural." But the climate is changing. It is getting warmer. That's a fact backed by the vast majority of scientists. (Whether or not it is caused by man is another debate.)

These summer storms we are seeing now and have been seeing for the past decade are becoming more powerful.

I remember growing up we always had strong storms in the heat of the summer. But the 2 -3 inch deluges were the exception. They are now becoming the norm.

Aside from the flooding and destruction caused by the storms, I suppose there are positives. For fishermen, things like full water tables feeding springs and lush plant and tree growth that canopy our streams help to compensate for the higher air temps. However, out west, with what they're experiencing now, there's little to be positive about.

Bottom line is that the climate IS changing. We have now entered a period of weather extremes. It's not necessarily all bad. I guess only time will tell.

 

[wildtrout2]

greenghost wrote:
I remember growing up we always had strong storms in the heat of the summer. But the 2 -3 inch deluges were the exception. They are now becoming the norm.

Bottom line is that the climate IS changing. We have now entered a period of weather extremes.

I totally agree with this observation.

 

[just_jon]

Also helped with temps. I just saw Kettle at Cross Fork us running 63. I was high 70s a week ago.

 

[lycoflyfisher]

https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?01552500

Usgs on Muncy creek in sonestown.

 

[Kevin82]

I had the thought yesterday when I checked the gauge for the Loyalsock that it looked like a heart monitor, so does Muncy creek that lycoflyfisher posted.
Imcurious what these streams will look like and how the fishing will be when I get a chance to make it out next week (if the extreme fluctuations level out a little bit) Seems like every time Ive been to the Loyalsock in the past 5 years it has changed quite a bit, same with Muncy creek and Fishing Creek. Kinda makes exploring interesting, but when ya find a decent spot one day its not there the next time.
The one thing that hasnt changed much is the debris/garbage left behind at the high water mark from these high water times.

 

[CRB]

I believe the weather has been more predictable and more sensationalized over the past 10 years. Lot of news outlets trying to out news the other as quickly as possible. In years past these events were not news worthy and slipped by the wayside.

 

[timmyt2]

CRB gets it

 

[troutbert]

I fished a Loyalsock trib on July 4, when the flows were up at a pretty nice level. There were lots of boaters on the big creek.

The fishing on the trib wasn't amazing, but it was decent. I caught mostly brookies and one wild brown.

On this stream nearly every pool, i.e. every place worth casting too, was caused by fallen trees (large woody debris).

There were more fallen trees in the creek then there were when I fished the stream stretch 20 years or more ago. I think some of these high water events, maybe the big ones in fall 2011, probably put much of that large woody debris in the creek.

Big rainfall events are going to happen. The important thing is to manage the streams, the riparian vegetation, the floodplains well, so that the streams can still thrive after high flows.

 

[pcray1231]

Today is the hottest day of the year (on average). We're doin ok this summer overall.

 

[Acristickid]

I live in the Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania, we’ve gotten a good amount of rain in the last few weeks with some heavy downpours nothing like two or 3 inches though.

Anecdotally, what I would call a decent amount of rain the streams around me and most streams are still trickles I mean some flow for sure , I’ve seen much worse, but their still trickles even with a decent amount of rain.