Pocono Newbie Jam - Fall Edition

[PoconoPaul]

I hear ya, I haven't fished since late August.

 

[PoconoPaul]

I think Shane is holding out for a batch of shrimp...lol

Agree with ya. Shane's a "pick and peel" kinda guy.

 

[pcray1231]

Ok, just so we're clear, how many newbies do want to do the brookie thing? I'm trying to find out whether I can attend, but either way, Swattie will be there so the option exists.

Not pushing people either way but an estimate will help for our planning purposes, and there's also considerations for you on what to bring.

The good: Each attendee is VERY likely to catch 10+ beautiful wild fish, regardless of skill level. 20+ is even likely, and 30+ isn't out of the question. This will take place in gorgeous surroundings. Deep woods, waterfalls, big rocks, seemingly far from society, and all that fun stuff. It'll be an experience you remember. Most action will likely come on dry flies, which is always fun. Even now, after doing this for years, at the end of a day I have a permanent smile on my face and a sense of wonderment that places like this still exist.

The bad: It's an all day affair, takes a time commitment and involves a fair bit of hiking. You may be tired and sore the next day. If footwear isn't ideal you can get blisters, etc. Despite success, it can also be frustrating, as you spend some time hung up in branches, etc.

If you want to do this, what you should plan: No half days, have the whole day available. Bring drinks and lunch/snacks that you can carry with you, enough to get you through from the time we split up to dinner, with heavy activity the whole time. If you have one available, a shorter rod is advantageous (7-8' would be ideal), but you can easily get away with a 9 footer if that's all you have. You may want to shorten up your leader if you have a long one on. Mine range from 6-9 ft for this type of fishing, including tippet. We can do that on site if necessary.

 

[afishinado]

Sounds like a great chance for some great fishing. Pat is a real expert on this type of fishing. You can/will learn a lot if you strap on your boots and hoof it in there with him.

This thread will be moved to the Meet-up forum later today or tomorrow.

 

[pcray1231]

Afish,

Thanks for the vote of confidence. I'm still only 50/50 on being able to make it. Leaving for a week long work trip on Sunday. My leaving is creating a mess on what to do with the baby. Probably stay with grandparents. Whether I can make it depends on WHICH grandparents. If hers, she takes him up on Friday, spends the weekend, and I have Saturday free. If mine, I travel a day early and take him to my parents in Pittsburgh on my way.

In any case, Swattie is plenty qualified and we're in touch regarding places. I don't know Pocono as well, but based on his posts he's plenty qualified as well. The brookie option is available whether I make it or not.

 

[Swattie87]

Good post Pat, thanks for the kind words too, hoping you can make it.

A few more thoughts I'll add...If Pat's not there, and anyone is interested, the stream I have in mind for Brookies is probably a healthy 45 minute drive away from the meetup point. Add another 30 mins+ for the hike in. So yea, it'll be an all day deal, figure that into your plans. Leave the morning meet-up, drive, hike, fish...eat lunch streamside, fish some more then hike out and drive back. Meet back up with the gang for some wings/beers. Round trip hike would probably be on the order of 3 miles or so, maybe a little more, depending on how far we make it. For the most part I would probably stop just shy of calling the terrain on this stream rugged, but it's borderline, and certainly not a good place to take a fall. Expect to be encountering and navigating over/around deadfalls, debris piles, large slippery rocks, and small waterfalls. It's a high gradient stream, but probably on the lower end of the high gradient spectrum. If Pat can make it, that may open up some other options I'm not quite as familiar with too, some of which may be closer to the meetup point.

Ditto to what pcray said for gear. As far as flies...and more specifically dry flies...bushy attractor dries are the way to go IMO...Wulffs, Caddis, Stimulators, Humpys, bigger Parachutes, whatever you like. Something that floats well and you can see easily. Specific pattern isn't all that important...the Brookies won't care. I'll have plenty of spares if you're short on those types of patterns.

I'll bring both my Brookie rod, and a longer, heavier rod for the Lehigh or Po if that's where everyone wants to head.

 

[Aducker]

I will do the brookie excursion if there is room. If no room I'll understand and do somthing else.
This is the kind of stuff I live for.

I have an 8' 5wt rod.
I have leaders, I have flies. I'll have food.
I'm an Eagle Scout, I can make fire if I have too ...LOL
I'm pretty sure I can do the hike. I'm 51 years old, not over wgt. I am in ok shape for my age. I do a lot of road bike riding.
My only draw back is crouching low too much at my age.

That's my resume...hehe

Who ever is going to lead this thou check me over before we go. If you don't think I can do it just say so. My feelings won't be hurt. I don't want to get out there and have to hold anyone up.

 

[pcray1231]

You're in.

If I don't show, Swattie is planning on a place where the hike is long, but not all that hard. Flat, fairly open, pretty good path. Just a lot of distance.

If I show, we may instead go to a place where the hike is considerably more difficult in terms of some very steep spots, scrambling over boulders, and occasionally fighting rhodo. Casting ain't too bad, though.

Both are very good and require sworn secrecy under punishment of death to your first born, lol.

 

[Swattie87]

Aducker - I'm sure you'd be fine on the one I have in mind. The hike in/out isn't all that bad, just long, as Pat mentioned. The more difficult part is just climbing around/into/out of the stream, which although not terribly steep on the whole, can be in spots. Small streams like this often can get totally blocked by a debris dam, or downfall too, which depending on the lay of the land at the point, may require you to climb over (or backtrack quite a ways to find a way around). This isn't unique to this stream per se, just small, higher gradient streams in general. Just wanted to make sure everyone's aware it's not exactly a flat, graded path along a stream in a well populated area!

The one Pat has in mind is a real butt kicker from what I understand. I've never fished it, but know several who have and from just looking at topo maps of it, I can tell it would be a rough one. Likely well worth the effort though.

 

[SBecker]

I dunno boys, Lehigh might become blown out with this rain. We might end up hitting a few smaller streams if it does. I will keep an eye on the gauges.

 

[CathyG]

I just got in from fishing. Got totally soaked, really heavy rain up above Scranton.

What gauges should we be monitoring for Saturday?

Fished a recently stocked pond and only managed a sunny and a small bass. Trout were just beyond my reach. I know this because a tall guy wearing waders and in water up to his hips was catching them. I wore knee high boots, didn't think I would need the waders. Tomorrow I'm going back with the boat.

 

[Foxgap239]

CathyG wrote:
Fished a recently stocked pond and only managed a sunny and a small bass. Trout were just beyond my reach. I know this because a tall guy wearing waders and in water up to his hips was catching them. I wore knee high boots, didn't think I would need the waders. Tomorrow I'm going back with the boat.

Cathy I can still hear your yelling "I got the pallie". Ahhh, those were the days. :-D

 

[Heritage-Angler]

Yeah, and she caught TWO in one day!

That girl can fish.....

 

[SBecker]

CathyG wrote:
I just got in from fishing. Got totally soaked, really heavy rain up above Scranton.

What gauges should we be monitoring for Saturday?

Fished a recently stocked pond and only managed a sunny and a small bass. Trout were just beyond my reach. I know this because a tall guy wearing waders and in water up to his hips was catching them. I wore knee high boots, didn't think I would need the waders. Tomorrow I'm going back with the boat.

There are a few gauges to monitor. The first would be the release from FEW. The next gauge would be the Lehighton one and then Walnutport. If FEW is blown, the whole river is blown. If just Lehighton and Walnuport are up, we could fish up towards the dam.

 

[SNJChef]

Hey becker I think you should wade in the lehigh and we will give it a few minutes and see if you head down stream. It will be like kayaking out west we will have a few people down stream with ropes to throw to you.

 

[SBecker]

We will be good tomorrow. I have an area that I really want to hit. It will be about a mile walk, maybe less, but it will be on a bike path with no hills. Look forward to it!

 

[daman1277]

I might able to go but will have my 7 month old son so no wading. He loves watching people fish including myself.

 

[docsab]

Should we bring a lunch to eat on-stream or is there a local place to go to?

 

[SBecker]

Doc there is a local place we plan on eating if you are coming me. If you plan on doing the brookie thing, I would suggest bring some food.

 

[Swattie87]

Yep, the Brookie group(s) will probably need to eat a streamside lunch to avoid a lengthy walk/climb back to the vehicles, so plan to pack a lunch. I'd also recommend at least 32 oz of water/Gatorade/non-alcoholic beverage of choice/etc. It's not gonna be all that hot, but we'll be hiking a good bit.

Becker - still planning on an early evening meetup after the fishing for some wings/beers too?