I’ve been to the class A trout waters and not seeing any trout… Bushkill downtown Easton, Bushkill behind crayola, waltz creek— is September to early to find trout? I am brand new to this and wondering why I can’t see anything in the water or catch anything?? Should I head up to Jim Thorpe or Pocono area?
Northampton Co where are the trout
- Thread starter mills
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wildtrout2
Well-known member
On the Class A streams that I fish, I don't usually see trout. Of the trout I do manage to catch, I almost never see them before catching them. Not seeing them, or not catching them doesn't mean they're not there. It's all about having the right conditions on a given day. Some good wild streams in the Jim Thorpe area.
Nymph-wristed
Well-known member
What wildtrout2 said, plus they are mad spooky in low water. Not to mention, the water is pretty warm still, except perhaps for the first 3 hours of daylight. Bring a thermometer, and if it's showing mid-60s already in the morning, they are probably not going to be active.
For the rest of my response, I am going to treat this like you posted in the beginner's forum based on what you shared:
Fish where you will NOT be able to see them, and they usually can't see you. There is more oxygen in riffles, so the fish you find there could be actively feeding. If the water temps are marginal like 68, they may be in there to survive instead, so then leave them alone.
If you are brand new, you will have more success in broken water, anyway. Clear pools in low water are pretty unforgiving with wild fish. They may have run for cover when you closed your car door this time of year....
In the current conditions in that region, you have to stay WAY back from fish in pools if that is your preferred method. For example, long casts with a long leader and a dry/dry dropper, line off to the side so as to not throw a shadow or spook fish when you lift the line to recast. Wee hours are your friend. It's not even much of an ask for now with sunrise approaching 6:30 AM.
Lastly, cool mornings might mean a slow start. In that case, you can sometimes literally get a window of feeding fish from 9 to 10:30 AM and it's over. So even your best effort and intentions to be there early to give yourself a bigger window may all be for naught.
Basically, there are easier times to fish on the near horizon 🙂
I fished at least three different Northampton County cricks in August after the two rain events and the unexpected cool down. They are in there. Tighlining shallow riffles and pockets with small bugs unless you're an aspiring trico chaser. I am not (anymore).
One last observation or two with regards to Bushkill Creek. Fish can be a-holes one day and make your day the next. And if you can't even interest the holdover rainbows this time of year, it is likely none of the fish are active at that time.
For the rest of my response, I am going to treat this like you posted in the beginner's forum based on what you shared:
Fish where you will NOT be able to see them, and they usually can't see you. There is more oxygen in riffles, so the fish you find there could be actively feeding. If the water temps are marginal like 68, they may be in there to survive instead, so then leave them alone.
If you are brand new, you will have more success in broken water, anyway. Clear pools in low water are pretty unforgiving with wild fish. They may have run for cover when you closed your car door this time of year....
In the current conditions in that region, you have to stay WAY back from fish in pools if that is your preferred method. For example, long casts with a long leader and a dry/dry dropper, line off to the side so as to not throw a shadow or spook fish when you lift the line to recast. Wee hours are your friend. It's not even much of an ask for now with sunrise approaching 6:30 AM.
Lastly, cool mornings might mean a slow start. In that case, you can sometimes literally get a window of feeding fish from 9 to 10:30 AM and it's over. So even your best effort and intentions to be there early to give yourself a bigger window may all be for naught.
Basically, there are easier times to fish on the near horizon 🙂
I fished at least three different Northampton County cricks in August after the two rain events and the unexpected cool down. They are in there. Tighlining shallow riffles and pockets with small bugs unless you're an aspiring trico chaser. I am not (anymore).
One last observation or two with regards to Bushkill Creek. Fish can be a-holes one day and make your day the next. And if you can't even interest the holdover rainbows this time of year, it is likely none of the fish are active at that time.
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Wild_Trouter
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"One last observation or two with regards to Bushkill Creek. Fish can be a-holes one day and make your day the next." Man, truer words have never been spoken. This sums up exactly, the years I fished there through 1994 🤣🤘
Rainier42
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- May 26, 2020
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Was on a mtn creek the other day. On the way downstream I was swinging a small streamer and only caught two and took just a few hits. Switched out the streamer at my turnaround point and BOOM, was like a whole different creek fishing it upstream. Every time I swung the fly I was taking hits and made for a stellar day. Remember this: It's not about what we want to feed them, it's about what they want to eat.
JimKennedy
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- Feb 27, 2016
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Wildtrout2 is dead on. Wild trout, especially browns such as you find in that area, don’t want to be seen because being seen means being a meal for a bird.
This time of year, get on the creek at first light. Watch the water for a few minutes. If trout are rising, throw terrestrials. If nothing is rising, try streamers, throwing upstream and twitching down, or hopper dropper.
Slow and quiet is the key. Once the sun is on the water, your odds go way down.
This time of year, get on the creek at first light. Watch the water for a few minutes. If trout are rising, throw terrestrials. If nothing is rising, try streamers, throwing upstream and twitching down, or hopper dropper.
Slow and quiet is the key. Once the sun is on the water, your odds go way down.
