Frederick V. C.
Active member
Was working at my late mothers house today and decided to try French Creek as it is close by. Happens to be the first stream I ever fly fished starting in the 70's. Water was off color and 67degreess when I checked it around 3pm. The flow was 51cfs when I left my house but apparently it must have rained hard further up the drainage as it was already cloudy and rising when I got there around noon. A few caddis but no real rising activity. Tight lining with bh caddis pupa and a black ant dropper.
Started out at the head of the largest pool in the creek and the water was already ripping. Hooked a good fish and lost it quickly. Went to go to my favorite pocket water up stream and it had recently been heavily posted. Forced to walk up the road and fish from the non posted side which was actually ok though fishing upstream would have been my preference. Hooked another nice fish and again quickly lost it. Worked my way through some nice riffles and they were loaded, but landing trout in the high water was definitely a challenge. Hooked about a doz. and landed better than half, all rainbows 11-14"
Worked my way back towards the truck and landed another nice Rainbow right where I lost the first fish. Took a lunch break and moved the truck downstream. The stream was getting darker and higher so I tried a deep pool that traditionally has held fish. At this point if you weren't familiar you couldn't really tell it was a pool. Unfortunately a fairly large tree had fallen across the large rock which was normally a good spot for a drift. Undaunted I leaned up against the tree which was about even with my arm pits and flipped a few cast in the now raging water. Hooked a good one and now I was in a dilemma. Only way out was to work my way onto the tree and tightrope back to shallow water; about 25'. A little scary but I carefully scaled the log with the rainbow putting a huge bend in my 10' 3/4, eventually gaining safety of shallow water. Set up for a nice picture right as the fish flopped out of my net. Oh well. Best fish of the day, about 15"
Called it a day a little after that cause it wasn't going to get any more exciting. Got home and checked the USGS gauge; 131. That explained a lot, no wonder they were escaping so often. Bittersweet day since it was my Mother's birthday and also the same day my youngest brother passed. Felt like his spirit was pushing me on through tangles, fixing leader, losing flies etc. We used to fish French together though it seems like life time ago. Lucky to be here and fishing at 72!
Started out at the head of the largest pool in the creek and the water was already ripping. Hooked a good fish and lost it quickly. Went to go to my favorite pocket water up stream and it had recently been heavily posted. Forced to walk up the road and fish from the non posted side which was actually ok though fishing upstream would have been my preference. Hooked another nice fish and again quickly lost it. Worked my way through some nice riffles and they were loaded, but landing trout in the high water was definitely a challenge. Hooked about a doz. and landed better than half, all rainbows 11-14"
Worked my way back towards the truck and landed another nice Rainbow right where I lost the first fish. Took a lunch break and moved the truck downstream. The stream was getting darker and higher so I tried a deep pool that traditionally has held fish. At this point if you weren't familiar you couldn't really tell it was a pool. Unfortunately a fairly large tree had fallen across the large rock which was normally a good spot for a drift. Undaunted I leaned up against the tree which was about even with my arm pits and flipped a few cast in the now raging water. Hooked a good one and now I was in a dilemma. Only way out was to work my way onto the tree and tightrope back to shallow water; about 25'. A little scary but I carefully scaled the log with the rainbow putting a huge bend in my 10' 3/4, eventually gaining safety of shallow water. Set up for a nice picture right as the fish flopped out of my net. Oh well. Best fish of the day, about 15"
Called it a day a little after that cause it wasn't going to get any more exciting. Got home and checked the USGS gauge; 131. That explained a lot, no wonder they were escaping so often. Bittersweet day since it was my Mother's birthday and also the same day my youngest brother passed. Felt like his spirit was pushing me on through tangles, fixing leader, losing flies etc. We used to fish French together though it seems like life time ago. Lucky to be here and fishing at 72!
