Lehigh River, Carbon County – 15 June 2021

[Millsertime]

With the current low flows and no expected major rain for the week, I figured it would help others out by posting a LR report.

I fished 6-9 pm for the evening hatch. Flow and temp from FEW was 286 cfs and 61 degrees. Minimal bugs right away but various mayflies (including sulfurs) started hatching consistently around 7pm. Trout followed with consistent rises. I caught SMB, stocked browns, wild browns, and a couple smallish 6” brookies. All were caught on a 16 sulfur parachute dry. I haven’t caught a brookie on the LR for a few years. The brookies caught last night were picking naturals off the surface so I assumed they were browns but it was a nice surprise.

Beautiful night on the river. Low temps and humidity. Sky was majority overcast but the sun poked through a few times. No other fishermen made it even more peaceful.

I came across a slight bend and saw this on a rock. It looked like a snake from behind. Interesting….

 

[timmyt2]

Thanks for the report Millser

I saw the flows and temp on the guage last night and have been thinking about one of my favorite upper river spots ever since!!

Did you see any ISOs around?

 

[Tigereye]

I fished near white Haven last night. Sulfur, yellow Sally's, bwo, caddis, another small light colored mayfly ( lt Cahill? or grey fox?).and a few slate drakes. I did best on the drake.

Mostly rainbows, 2 browns, one about 18".

I agree with Miller, not many brookies the past few years and it seems that the browns start showing up in greater catch percentage as the year goes .on.

 

[troutbert]

I've seen iron rings in rocks on the West Branch Susquehanna.

The explanation I've heard is that they were used to tie up log rafts back in the 1800s.

 

[Millsertime]

ISOs...Yes and fish were on them. On top of tigereyes flies he mentioned, I also saw lime green sallies.

 

[PaScoGi]

Thanks for posting. So, do the stockies just stay in the areas where they are bucket dumped in? Or are they float stocked? On a river as big as the Lehigh I never understand how guys find trout. Seems they would spread out over miles and miles of river and be hard to locate, but I guess not?

Thanks for any input I am hoping to fish and learn the Lehigh much more over the next few years. Really wish they would build a bottom release dam and make it PA's top river which it could be in my opinion if it had cold water all year.

 

[Tigereye]

It is a bottom release dam. To keep it brief, the main issue is because of its flood control aspect, ACE needs to keep the pool level at a certain elevation. By mid late summer, the cold water at bottom of reservoir is expended and the water warms. Luckily the river is well oxygenated and influenced by a lot of cold water tributaries. There are tons of threads here and a Google search will bring you more info than you could digest in a month if you have the inclination. No it's not at its finest but a good fishery none the less.

The stocked fish move alot. Mostly downstream but enough go up to keep things interesting. Now is the time to explore. With hatches in full swing just walk the banks or the trail that parallels the river from white Haven to jim thorpe (~24 miles). Look for risers. Note the spot and keep moving. I know it's tuff to pass on rising fish, but you can cover alot of water in a few hours and come back and get those fish another day. By this time of year most people on the river fly fishing and catch and release.. AND it is such a large river it easily handles fishing pressure. There are plenty of fish left.

Think of it as scouting for deer pre season. Good luck.

 

[PaScoGi]

Thanks, didnt know that, always thought the water was too warm in the summer. I thought it was the release location but I guess the Army controls it all.

Thanks for posting I will check it out I love the D&L Trail and love the Lehigh too