Weather: Partly cloudy and cool, wind calm. Water was a little high but fairly clear. No thermometer ,but water was still pretty cool for all the warm weather we've had. Fished the mid section of the stream from 5:30 til dark. Saw some scattered egg laying caddis about a size 14 when I arrived. Fish rising sporadically. Tried an elk hair caddis for awhile with no success. Soon I began to see a few sulphurs hatching. There were the big #14's as well as some smaller #16's. Also some yellow craneflies flying around. Left the elk hair caddis on and tied a #16 sulphur emerger on about 15 in. behind it. Immediately started catching fish. Caught some on a dead drift, some as the flies made the swing at the end of the drift and a couple pulling them slowly upstream after they had completed the swing. Caught a couple of stocked browns, several bows and two small wild browns. Been catching several wild browns each trip to the Manatawny this year including some in the 10 to 12 in. class. They seem to be pretty much scattered throughout the entire stream and not just in one area. Caught a total of 10 fish and missed several more. All but two took the sulphur emerger. Should have switched to a spinner right before dark as they were taking them pretty well ( the naturals) but it was really too dark to see to tie one on. Next time I'll put one on while I can still see. Talked to a bait fisherman who said he had lost a huge rainbow right before I got there. Probably a breeder from the recent stocking.
Manatawny, Berks Co., 5/7/10
- Thread starter RRR
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