Newbie Brookie Expedition/Jam?

[PoconoPaul]

SBecker wrote:
Paul and I have been discussing the date as October 6th, for our little shindig. Swattie if you want to put your own thing together feel free to do it. I am sure people would be willing.to jump in on it. I mean we could split up on the pocono newbie jam. I could lead a group of guys to one of my bigger streams, and Paul or swattie or someone else could lead a brookie trip. Up to you guys.

Shane you've been renamed "Big Water" by me 🙂 That would be a good idea. Just need to identify a logical place for the Picnic portion of our program. Pohopoco has some open areas up by the dam (grassy areas), only seating is the issue. If we can find a park near a good stream that would be ideal. Otherwise it's a good stream where everyone can spread out on and stay more or less in a group.

 

[Stagger_Lee]

pcray wrote:

Stagger, yes, smaller than Valley or the Little Lehigh. Usually anyway. But the differences are far bigger than stream size, it's a different world altogether. In no ways comparable regarding technique and tactics.

That should be interesting .. I have enough going thru my head with this game and I'm sure a lil more will do wonders. Calling dibs on the group with the most patient 'elder'. :lol:

From the photos I've seen, the small creeks are really pretty. Now so I understand and from what I think I read ... since the brookies aren't fished as hard they aren't as picky/smart???

Also, do the spook as easy as the harder fished fish? I understand they probably spook and you still want to be as cautious as possible but are they as sensitive as the fish in Valley for example?

 

[djs12354]

If I'm not in New York for Salmon, I'll try to make it down for this. Might be able to convince my grill to come along too. 🙂

As far as seating goes, I have a couple of folding tables I can bring, and I sure most of us have folding or roll up chairs.

PoconoPaul wrote:

SBecker wrote:
Paul and I have been discussing the date as October 6th, for our little shindig. Swattie if you want to put your own thing together feel free to do it. I am sure people would be willing.to jump in on it. I mean we could split up on the pocono newbie jam. I could lead a group of guys to one of my bigger streams, and Paul or swattie or someone else could lead a brookie trip. Up to you guys.

Shane you've been renamed "Big Water" by me 🙂 That would be a good idea. Just need to identify a logical place for the Picnic portion of our program. Pohopoco has some open areas up by the dam (grassy areas), only seating is the issue. If we can find a park near a good stream that would be ideal. Otherwise it's a good stream where everyone can spread out on and stay more or less in a group.

 

[Swattie87]

Becker - I certainly don't wanna pull anyone away from your group or what you guys had planned (if it's not small stream type stuff). I'm not sure on my availability that weekend but I'll check. If there's a group that wants to do the small stream/Brookie thing, let me know...if I'm free I'll take a group out.

Truth be told, my Fall schedule is pretty busy as far as weekends go and the problem with Brookies up north is that by mid/late October we'd be encroaching on their prime spawning period... during which I wouldn't want to put a bunch of guys out on small streams. In the end we may have to shelve an all out Newbie Brookie Jam until next year. Admittedly, September would be about ideal but I don't think I have one free weekend in September this year. Early June would be a decent option too for next year...maybe a couple weeks after the Big Jam. The farther in advance these things get planned the easier it is to schedule for them IMO.

In any case, I'll double check my scheduling with Mrs. Swattie.

 

[Swattie87]

Stagger - In all seriousness I don't think Brookies are any less or more smart than other Trout. Brookies in rich limestone environments can be very selective in their feeding, just like Browns. I think in general small stream/freestone Brookies are less picky with what they eat, and in turn, how it's presented to them because of the environment in which they live. In these headwater streams, forage fish are sparse, hatches minimal, and there's just plain not too much food in them. Brookies have to be opportunistic and eat whatever they can, whenever they can. That's an advantage to the angler in that they'll probably eat the fly on the end of your line too.

As far as spookiness goes, I'd say they're more spooky than pressured fish. That said, they're often found in higher gradient streams where plunge pools and broken pocket water can help keep them from seeing you as easily as in a fairly low gradient stream like Valley. If they see you, they will bolt though, and when one bolts it tends to spook the entire pool or run...or worse, one runs up into the next pool and spooks that one too! If I see a fish bolt, I usually don't even try to fish that pool and just move on...sometimes I'll come back to that pool on my way back downstream.

The key to Brookie fishing is covering water and putting a fly in front of them without them seeing you first. The actual fly is of little importance most times.

 

[Foxgap239]

SBecker wrote:
Paul and I have been discussing the date as October 6th, for our little shindig. Swattie if you want to put your own thing together feel free to do it. I am sure people would be willing.to jump in on it. I mean we could split up on the pocono newbie jam. I could lead a group of guys to one of my bigger streams, and Paul or swattie or someone else could lead a brookie trip. Up to you guys.

That weekend would not work for me but please don't plan around me. Thes guys would be in good hands with both of you.

 

[pcray1231]

That's a tough weekend for me too. Homecoming at my high school and both of my colleges all on the same weekend. Choices would have to be made...

Stagger, they are very spooky. But a very different type of spooky. On Valley they kind of sulk, maybe slide just out of range. Give em 10 minutes and they start feeding again. On brookie streams if you spook them, maybe you see them dart, maybe not, and they're gone like they never existed. They may not come out again all day. Even days after a good spooking, the stream won't have fully recovered.

So spooking is much more severe. But I wouldn't say it's easier to spook them than on Valley. In fact, with heavier currents (lots of whitewater and such) often you can approach closer WITHOUT spooking them. But then you couple that with often HAVING to get closer just to make a cast.

Not nearly as picky, for sure. Patterns, drag, etc. Forget about it. If you locate a good stream, get yourself there, and it hasn't been fished that day, and it's not ridiculously low, you're going to catch fish, likely double digits, and 30+ isn't unusual at all.

 

[Chaz]

The type of fishing that is brookies fishing is not condusive to a large group of anglers. However, if you were to go to NC PA for a weekend it could be done because there are hundreds of brookies streams. If it was done at Petticoat Junction it would be ideal. You have Cedar Run right there, Babb Creek nearby, Slate Run, and all the tributaries of all of those streams and many others.
Add to that a short trip to Kettle or YWC and you all can spread out sufficiently to make it a fun trip. I'd be happy to attend and lead a group.
There are many brookies streams that are much larger than 8 to 10 feet wide. All the streams I mentioned are larger than that for instance. But you do need a shorter rod that will cast into tight places no matter where you fish in NC PA. I have extra rods that I can bring so not having a rod is not necessarily an issue.

 

[Swattie87]

Agree with Chaz...ideal location for a Brookie Jam is NC PA.

 

[SBecker]

The only other option would be the last Saturday in September. Don't know what Paul thinks of that. Let him make the final decision. I am no good for the second Saturday in October.

 

[paparise]

I'd like to come out for this but it dePends on where and when. I'll ask the wife about 10-6 but if it's up in state college I won't be Abe to make it. A Pocono stream is probably the farthest I can go (2hrs outside of western Philly burbs).

 

[PoconoPaul]

paparise wrote:
I'd like to come out for this but it dePends on where and when. I'll ask the wife about 10-6 but if it's up in state college I won't be Abe to make it. A Pocono stream is probably the farthest I can go (2hrs outside of western Philly burbs).

I need to square away with Shane the location, but I'd say 10/6 is the target. I agree with you on the state college area - even for me here in the Poconos it's a 2 1/2 hour ride and I am not sure that's the best location for a newbie outing if only because the distance some would have to come.

 

[Chaz]

Oct is a bad time for brookies fishing if the trout are spawning, you won't catch them, on the flip side early enough in Oct. and the brookies will be chowing down before the spawn.

 

[PoconoPaul]

Chaz wrote:
Oct is a bad time for brookies fishing if the trout are spawning, you won't catch them, on the flip side early enough in Oct. and the brookies will be chowing down before the spawn.

Chaz, thanks for pointing that out. Certainly something to consider but we've targeted October 6th for the fall edition of this Jam. That should be early enough, if not there are plenty of brown trout waters we can fish. Think you will make this one?

Also, we posted a separate thread for this specific event.

 

[Swattie87]

Yeah...between my September schedule, the then upcoming spawn, and the interest in the "Pocono Newbie Jam - Fall Edition" on Oct. 6 seeming pretty high, I say let's shelve the "Brookie Newbie Jam" idea until next Spring. I'd definitely like to do it though...tentative target timeframe of early June with a venue in NC PA. Figure to make it a one night overnight type of deal...Saturday into a Sunday.

I'll revive the thread in February/March or so and we can get planning.

Thanks for the responses and discussion guys.

 

[SBecker]

Swattie, I hope you consider going to the "Fall Ball". The though is we can have a couple groups spread out. One or two go brookie fishing and another one or two follow me and a special guest I am working on.

 

[PoconoPaul]

All,
I can't make the last weekend in September, but anything after is good. We can go 1st week of October, 2nd week. Whichever maximizes the attendance. Maybe we ought to take a vote.

As for brookie fishing - we can forego that. There are plenty of waters in the Poconos with wild browns and in the Poho's case, fingerling reared Rainbows of decent size. Plenty of room to spread out.

Theres also Buckwa, Hunter, and parts of the Aquishacola all within a few minutes drive. Two of these streams don't have brookies, the latter I am not sure, but suspect there are plenty of browns.

Geez, hope this isn't spot burning.

In any case if we want exclusive brookie fishing than I second Chaz's post on waiting until Spring (2013) to have an NC Newbie Jam as he is correct in saying there are literally hundreds of brook trout streams in that area and plenty of room to spread out.

As an afterthough maybe we could in the future (2013) try to plan a rotating format of locale/season (Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter (early)) making it a quarterly event.

Any case , let me know what works best so that Shane (Big Water) Becker and I can get this all figured out.

Chaz, any input you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

 

[PSUFishMenace]

I'd definitely be interested in a brookie jam if it is in the state college area, for obvious reasons, but I don't want to sway the group as I likely wouldn't be able to make it anyway. Super busy year coming up for me. I do think it's a fantastic idea though, and if you should end up having it in SC, I could suggest a few streams although probably none that Pat isn't aware of.

 

[GreenWeenie]

Please just promise that after you do this trip, especially if you stumble upon some good wild trout streams that not everyone knows about that hold decent sized fish, you will post detailed stream reports complete with plenty of pictures, directions to parking areas, detailed trail maps, and GPS coordinates of all the honey holes.

 

[Swattie87]

GreenWeenie wrote:
Please just promise that after you do this trip, especially if you stumble upon some good wild trout streams that not everyone knows about that hold decent sized fish, you will post detailed stream reports complete with plenty of pictures, directions to parking areas, detailed trail maps, and GPS coordinates of all the honey holes.

Unbelievable.

Mods - Any chance of a delete on this?...before this well intentioned thread gets destroyed.

GW - PM coming.