Lehigh River - Lehigh/Northampton Counties - 4/28/2024

[tjsingle]

Hey all-

Managed to get out for an afternoon float on the Lehigh on Sunday on my buddies raft. Quite a few boats out on the river from what we observed.

Water Conditions:
Flow (Lehighton): 1000ish CFS
Weather: Warm/Sunny
Water temps: Cold enough to wear waders

Started the day throwing small streamers, although nymphing might've been more productive (and boring). Picked up one in fast water, and had a bunch of other hits.

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Around 3PM we had a solid hatch, and a quill gordon was the hot fly. We worked the bank and picked up a couple fall fish and decent brown that put up a good fight. Missed a couple other fish, presumably trout.

Switched back to streamers as the hatch tapered off, and looked for risers the rest of the float.

Overall, solid day even though we missed more than we landed. We went 2/6 or 8 on trout, but that's OK it was a good day and nice to get some dry fly action. Streamers sometimes don't have the best hit/catch ratio.

Thanks,
Tom

 

[Tigereye]

Brown #1 appears to be a holdover. Brown #2 a solid wild fish. Both very nice fish. There are no bad days on the river.

Thanks for reporting. Ive been focusing on small to medium size streams and havent the fished the river yet this year. This post and another verbal report i received has me a bit fired up.

 

[tjsingle]

Brown #1 appears to be a holdover. Brown #2 a solid wild fish. Both very nice fish. There are no bad days on the river.

Thanks for reporting. Ive been focusing on small to medium size streams and havent the fished the river yet this year. This post and another verbal report i recieved has me a bit fired up.

No problem. Bugs were definitely popping on Sunday, but the water was still pretty chilly. Another boat said they did about the same.


We went out on the 20th too, for a quick 5 mile float and it was pretty slow. But it was 39F when we were out there in the morning, and fishing was slow. Picked up one wild that morning, and lost a sizeable brown when it jumped. Should keep picking up

 

[NHFlyguy]

Any Hendricksons around? Any hatch activity near White Haven up to the FE Walter dam?

 

[Tigereye]

A spin fishing friend of mine told me alot of risers near trestle/ I80 bridge. He doesn't know flies but said they were about a size12 with tails. I interpret that as most likely Hendrickson or red quills. RQs are a bit smaller and I believe it a little late for Q Gordons. I wouldn't put too much stock in his size estimation.


I haven't gotten there yet either. Maybe next day or two. I'll post a report

 

[Millsertime]

Flows right now and temp coming from the dam/tribs is ideal currently.

 

[vcregular]

I would venture to guess the hendricksons are over. On the MBs and sulphurs. Caddis./

 

[CLSports]

We floated river on Sunday afternoon/evening and it was quite crowded. Water temp was 52-53 according to my thermometer around Bowmanstown. Not many bugs that day. We saw sporadic caddis and MB's. A few risers here and there. Caught several on dries and streamers.