Brodhead Creek, Monroe County, 4/19/2019

[blueheron]

Fished from 11 to 3 in the Forevergreen Park, water flow was near perfect. It's been 2 years since I fished this section and I was glad to see the creek is doing well. Olives, caddis and a few larger mayflies, I guess March Browns, were in the air, didn't need a water temp, its still cold. No risers but I found some browns where you would expect them to be. I find my joy in knowing where the trout are without them announcing their locations and fooling them with a self weighted fly presented on the swing. I didn't stick any brookies this trip but the browns were as beautiful as I remembered. Oh, I had the entire section to myself, air temp was comfortable and I beat the rain.

 

[Out4Trout]

I have to learn that water. I have mostly fished smaller streams and have troubles learning to read bigger waters. This one is on my list. Thanks for the report

 

[JackM]

Little streams are like big streams only littler. And, conversely, big streams are like little streams, only bigger.

 

[blueheron]

JackM , the Casey Stengel of PAFF.

 

[blueheron]

Or conversely, Yogi Berra.

 

[outsider]

Like deja vu all over again.

 

[Jsnyder7]

Hendricksons were most likely the larger mayfly

 

[SurfCowboyXX]

They were Hendricksons. I was up there the day prior. Water was 215 cfs at Anolomink, decent amount of Hendricksons, some Blue Quills, and a fair caddis hatch, but nobody looking up other than a couple one-and-dones.

 

[timmyt]

Anyone been up that way since? Thinking about going up Friday

 

[SurfCowboyXX]

It's at 340 at Anolomink right now. I don't know if that gets you to a decent level by Friday. I would suggest that creek is pretty tough for fly fishermen above 275 cfs. Water is too swift for many risers, and way too swift for safe wading in most spots. That creek is a broken ankle just dying to happen.

 

[timmyt]

Yesterday .25 inches of rain predicted so i took off Friday. Wake up today now its an inch of rain predicted, guess thats what i get

Thanks for the info Surf Cowboy, i am new to the stream so every little bit of info helps.

Its a tough wade there tho eh?

 

[Millsertime]

Forevergreen, where the OP fished, is tough wading in 300 cfs+ flows (Analomink gauge). You could wade safely in town along the HWY 191 parks but you'd have to add a lot of weight right now but I'm sure you could catch some stockers. I would wait for flows around 100-200 cfs, especially if you are looking for dry fly action.

 

[timmyt]

Ok thank you

 

[Nymph-wristed]

It was about 265 yesterday. Clear but sporty. Still the big mayflies around, no one looking up, but caddis marching upstream too. It should be good after this latest flood subsides. I like 200 CFS or less, but I am not as young as I used to be. Even in 265 yesterday, I grabbed a stick or two for assistance a couple times.

 

[SurfCowboyXX]

I hadn't fallen in a stream in so long that I can't remember the last time it happened, and I went to the Brodhead for the first time in October 2018 with a friend who wanted to turn me on to it. I fell in but good trying to cross some crazy bouldery water. I was uninjured, but I took about a pint of the cold and wet down the right leg as a result. Later that day, I sprained my ankle and had to get off it. When I went last week, I didn't fall, but I did sprain my ankle again, and it wasn't an acute injury. It just started aching from all the twisting and sliding between rocks. That stream and the Lehigh Gorge are serious wading challenges, particularly when the water is up even a little bit.

 

[Canoetripper]

I think that the Tobyhanna is difficult to wade as well. I have clips on my vest for my fly rod and use two wading staffs. It isn't that the rocks are slippery, it is just tough to get good footing.

 

[blueheron]

I generally don't go swimming but the new rubber bottom wading boots have made things difficult. I really miss my studded felts. There is nothing as bad as the Lehigh for slimy basketballs, that's a fact. I don't find the broadhead as hard to wade probably because I don't need to go as deep.

 

[Nymph-wristed]

I used to strap on my jetty Korkers. Now I keep a pair of spiked felt boots around just for the Brodhead! The Korkers thick rubber soles with the big carbide spikes work, but I got tired of losing two or three spikes a trip...