Ridley Creek, Delaware Co., 4/2/2014

[Van_Cleaver]

Got done work early and had time to field test my new waders and still get home on time. Started about 3:30 and fished til 5:00. Water was 51, high for this time of year, but clear. BWOs and midges here and there but no real rising. Sunny and 60ish for my first time out this season. Started near a popular bridge and realized I had missed a guide so had to re rig the whole nine. I was using a 8.5' 5 wt. I built several years back. Took three nice rainbows right off the bat before I felt sorry for the guy fishing with his girl friend. He had two spinning rods and a fly rod, and took up his fly rod after I showed him what I was using. (no. 14 caddis pupa) I left him and went down stream catching another and hooking and losing two more, all in deep runs. I came back up and two different guys were spin fishing the bridge. One was standing right in the run and I mentioned I had caught fish where his rod tip was. Since I had helped him retrieve his spinner he told me to try it. Took one nice drift upstream into the depths and hooked and brought to hand a feisty rainbow about 15". They were both blown away, so I took a couple more casts and caught and released a 14'' trout. Stating I didn't want to use up all my luck, I headed for the truck and got home without arousing any suspicion. Great way to start the season.

 

[AFISHN]

Van...you may have made two ff converts ...

 

[Van_Cleaver]

Not sure about the converts, but went back after getting taxes done yesterday afternoon for more of the same. (Spousal approval this time!) Again caught most fish in deep holes but some on a no.18 soft hackle since I did see a few black stones. This time, I fished in the park above the FFO.

 

[Dobeitz]

Thinking about heading over there within the next week or so. Is this a crowded stream?

 

[Van_Cleaver]

It is super crowded near stocking days and most week ends. Honestly I don't both fishing the fly stretch any more; super short and limited good water. There are some nice pieces of water if you don't mind walking a bit. It usually fishes better a little later in the season IMO. Also the crowds will dwindle after they stop stocking.

 

[Van_Cleaver]

Should have read, I don't bother.....Old timers disease.

 

[camdogrs]

I fished the FFO section this past Thursday 4/3 and Saturday 4/5 and did pretty well. Landed a 12in rainbow and 16in rainbow on thursday that was super fat on size 16 red zebra midge and red copper john under an indicator. On Saturday, I landed a small rainbow up in some pocket water by the handicap pier and a nice 12in brown in the FFO sections. Both days the weather was beautiful. On thursday I saw some black stone flies in the air but not many.

 

[Mike]

Just throwing it out there: Would you exchange the short, early warming fly stretch on Ridley, for a longer, later warming stretch on another DelCo stream if that stream segment would be DH-ALO?

 

[salvelinusfontinalis]

Why not have both?

 

[Van_Cleaver]

I don't have strong feelings about that; obviously I prefer the FFO regs, but would be happy to see them somewhere else, maybe upstream a bit on Ridley. It seems any FFO, and especially the DHALO sections attract more attention and poachers than the open stretches. For that reason I will continue to fish the suburban spots I know when I can with my fly rod. After all, we are talking stocked fish; though I am thankful for them considering where I now reside. As an aside, I would like to note the trout seem bigger and fatter this season than I have seen in some time.