Trout Tails - July 14, 2013

Brad and I have been trying to get to the Schuylkill the last couple weeks, but all the thunderstorms have kept the waters high and off color.  Friday, we finally got our chance.  Left "bright" and early and were on the water by around 830.  The Schuylkill is a river that has historically been abused, but has made a great comeback.  We pounded fish all day...easily each caught at least 50 fish each!  Smallmouth, decent sized fall fish, rock bass, a couple sunnies, even a brown and a rainbow.  We caught just about everything except a toothy critter.  Also saw some some monster catfish and carp, but couldn't get them to eat.  It seemed like we had a fish on about every 5th cast, it was unreal.  Brad had one monster of a fish on early, that pulled the boat across the stream, but it ran him under a down tree along the bank, made one monster splash, and it was over.  All we saw was a big white belly.  Steady rain all afternoon kept the photos at a minimum, but didn't effect the fishing at all. 

The way to fish this is definitely to float it, and no one knows the water better than Jake Villwock at TCO Reading.  If you are looking to fish here, I highly recommend you give him a call (610-678-1899) and book a float!!!  Check out Jake's blog http://www.allthingsflyfishing.blogspot.com/ for some photos from a few of his trips.  Here are some shots I got from ours before the rain made me hide the camera for the day. 

Chile Presentation

For anyone in the Harrisburg, PA area who is interested, I will be giving a presentation and showing my short film from fishing in Chile at CVTU's next chapter meeting on July 17.  Details can be found here: http://cvtu.homestead.com/ 

Trout Tails - July 8, 2013

Its been a while since I've posted.  Been busy floating and chasing brookies and have not had a chance to download photos, but I needed to get this out ASAP!  Remember to clean your gear!  This really sucks!!

Announcement: First record of the invasive diatom Didymosphenia geminata in the Pine Creek watershed, Lycoming County PA.

Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Biologists have, as a result of routine monitoring, detected the presence of the invasive diatom Didymosphenia geminata, also known as Didymo, in the Pine Creek watershed, Lycoming County PA.  Representative specimens were sent to The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University where Dr. Marina Potapova confirmed DEP’s identification.

Living Didymo diatoms were obtained on June 18, 2013 from Pine Creek at a location upstream of Waterville in the vicinity of the Hamilton Bottom Canoe Access Area; Lycoming County.  This represents the first evidence of this invasive diatom in this watershed.  In fact, prior to this discovery no Didymosphenia geminata diatoms were known by DEP to exist in Pennsylvania waters except at verified infestations sites in the Youghiogheny River and the West Brach/mainstem of the Delaware Rivers. 

All Water Quality professionals should take precautions against spreading Didymo by properly cleaning and disinfecting aquatic gear prior to working in other waters. For more information, please visit PA Fish & Boat Commission website for a fact sheet and further guidance at: http://www.fishandboat.com/water/habitat/ans/didymo/faq_didymo.htm