The ruthless brown trout of Saucon Creek.

S

Silent Ocelot

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 2, 2022
Messages
1,185
City
Gap
I just wanna say, after putting some time (about 7 hours) (fished from 1:00 PM to 8:00 PM) that I now have a newfound respect for the BT that live in this creek. The first one I caught was a beautiful 14 inch specimen that fought well for being in a slow pool. I wasn't even expecting to catch a trout in the slow pool, just wanted to pick up a couple of chubs and/or fallfish to warm up and to see if my flies were getting the proper depth. Later in the evening I hooked into another one that I thought was a 16-18 fish by the way that it just hunkered down and stayed low. I even had to put the fish onto the reel (something I am typically opposed to doing). When I finally landed the fish it as only 14 inches but I was impressed by its fighting capabilities. Both fish had magazine quality finishes and were starting to grow their shoulders, a sharp contrast from the color depleted anorexic rainbows I caught and am catching at other various creeks. I don't typically photograph fish as I think it is a waste of time (MY OPINION) but I should have snapped a photo or two of these beauties. I just want to so thank you to these fish. They made for a great 32nd birthday. I will have to go back and spend more time on this creek as I really dig the layout of it (and the fish of course). I even made a new friend who I convinced to join this very forum.
 
Dude it was. All three of us (my friend, the new guy I met, and I) talked about how we had made the right decision to hit the Saucon. The Little Lehigh would have been quite congested. My friend doubts he could have gotten a single trout out of there. I still probably would have gotten one, even if it were a late evening riser at the Kiddie Pool. I like the smaller confines of The Saucon, it's my preferred size of a creek and just effortless to use a 10+ foot rod on. I will say having brought my nymph rod out again I am in love with it and will be hard pressed to be convinced another rod is better and/or necessary to add to the quiver. I did give the person I met a run-down on my gear and methodologies. He now wants a nymph rod so perhaps I have found a buyer for the Douglas.

Anyways we'll have to meet up at some point, even just to chat. I'd love to shoot some clays with ya at some point man (when I have a shotgun, which will be after I buy a car made in the past decade), take care.
 
Tigereye has a Douglas DXF 4wt 11ft, a rather nice rod for one needing a bit more reach. A great rod for Tully, Penns, Little and Big J, and Little Lehigh. I was looking into it myself but have found my Hardy to be just such a good nymph rod (especially after yesterday's endeavors where I could fish most of a creek without having fly line touch the water). I'd snag it if I were you if you are looking to get a long rod. I also have an exceptional reel recommendation both balance and color-coordination-wise for those not afraid to spend a little money.
 
That is a good afternoon at that crick in the current conditions, Ocelot 👍 April can be awesome when flows are better too. I fish it 25 plus days a year, and pressure has been steadily on the rise for some time, so you picked a good day for sure (or got lucky).
 
Tigereye said:
Ill even sweeten the pot and throw in a vintage Orvis Green Mtn reel that balances the rod nicely and is a matching green. Reel has a case too. If the rod goes i really have no use for that reel.
Click to expand...
That sounds like a nice combo and good deal.
 
Thank you Nymph-wristed. Although I knew the flows were low there was a lot of debris in the water. There was a lot of algae pieces. This gave the water some turbidity, enough turbidity to allow the plop of a half inch indicator to go unnoticed. I caught 2 browns, 2 bows, and 2 redbreasts. I lost 2 browns. One looked similar to the size of the browns I landed. It got off because of my lousy hooksets (I just let the fish hook themselves and let them decide if they want to stay on for the ride) and because I was demonstrating to the new angler my approach to the hole. I'm a **** poor multi-tasker (I can't even smoke a cigar while I fish, and I want to for the cool factor) so I was distracted and not paying attention. I had another one on (tiny maybe 7 inch fish that hopped off quickly). Presumed it to be a brown. Size 14 Frenchie with a bronze bead (jig style) seemed to be the ticket and the guy I helped out on the creek is buying a bunch of Frenchie's now haha. He fishes the Saucon Frequently.

I could imagine that in better flows this stream could produce quite a few fish. It didn't feel like that flows were that low but I am not that familiar with the creek to know what the normal flow rate is. I could imagine that in higher flows the bigger browns of the creek would be really hard to get in. There was a big difference between the brown I fought in the current and the one I battled in a slow pool. Still amazed at how that fish dove down and stayed down in the current. It was as if I had a brick attached to my tippet. Thank you for your kind words.
 
sixfootfenwick said:
That sounds like a nice combo and good deal.
Click to expand...
It is. I have the nymph rod I like already though. Later in the year I may buy it if still available. Right now funds are tight and I'm tried of buying fly gear for the time being haha. The reach on that 11 footer would be pretty nice, I've already noticed a tremendous difference in bumping up from a 9 footer to a 10 foot rod.
 
Silent Ocelot said:
Dude it was. All three of us (my friend, the new guy I met, and I) talked about how we had made the right decision to hit the Saucon. The Little Lehigh would have been quite congested. My friend doubts he could have gotten a single trout out of there. I still probably would have gotten one, even if it were a late evening riser at the Kiddie Pool. I like the smaller confines of The Saucon, it's my preferred size of a creek and just effortless to use a 10+ foot rod on. I will say having brought my nymph rod out again I am in love with it and will be hard pressed to be convinced another rod is better and/or necessary to add to the quiver. I did give the person I met a run-down on my gear and methodologies. He now wants a nymph rod so perhaps I have found a buyer for the Douglas.

Anyways we'll have to meet up at some point, even just to chat. I'd love to shoot some clays with ya at some point man (when I have a shotgun, which will be after I buy a car made in the past decade), take care.
Click to expand...
Hey it was a pleasure meeting you !! Had a great time fishing the Saucon !! And some of my first fish on a fly rod thank you. I am interested in a nymph rod so , let me know about that Douglas I might even have a few shotguns you like if you want to trade 🤙🏻
 
So I have been fishing the Saucon regularly the past few months and I can attest to the selectiveness of these fish. I found rising fish to fuel my dry fly addiction, but catching one requires the tactics and skills of approaching a West Branch of the Delaware riser.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Montana Angler Fly Fishing
Montana Angler Fly Fishing
Harman's North Fork Cottages

Share this page

Back
Top