Tulpehocken Creek, Berks County, 10/12/2022

[DaveKile]

I have been unboxing for several weeks now and am ready to get out on the streams. I don't think I have been to the Tully in over 25 years and with it only 30 miles away I wanted to make a run there before the fall stocking. It was a very nice afternoon and I didn't catch many fish, but it was just nice standing in some water casting some dry flies.

The air temps were in the mid 60's and some clouds started moving in after I got there at about 1:00 pm. A light wind started some occasional leaf hatches to hit the water, but nothing too bad.

Water conditions were a real mix. It seems that the Cacoosing Creek Damn was removed recently and junk running out of the creek into the Tully was terrible. Anything below the Cacoosing Creek going down past the Rt. 222 bridge was very muddy and not clear at all. Frankly not fishable. from the damn down to Cacoosing Creek was very clear and good water for fishing. The water temp was at about 64 degrees and 100 CFS.

There were no hatches or bugs.

I had some luck around Rebers Bridge with a few trout that were rising. I tossed out some black ants and had some luck.

 

[Mike]

I would not have expected high turbidity below Cacoosing’s confluence due to the dam’s removal except possibly immediately following storms, so your report is surprising. It sounds like some type of instream work was taking place within or upstream from the project site.

 

[KGStine]

There was heavy equipment in the stream at the papermill yesterday. You could see the muddy water flowing into the Tully.

 

[Mike]

Could have been some stabilization or other habitat work associated with the dam removal project.

 

[DaveKile]

I drove up Paper Mill road when I left the stream and didn't see any equipment in the stream yesterday. They must have finished, but it was pretty bad if it was still looking like that 24 hours later.

 

[Mike]

It is likely that I will check it out sometime next week.

 

[DaveKile]

It is likely that I will check it out sometime next week.

Please do share what you find out. I might try and go back up as well in the middle of the week.

 

[Silent Ocelot]

Good work. That's a tough stream. I'm happy if I get a single trout out of there. Biggest fish I've pulled out was a 20 inch brown right below the bypass. This was NOV of 2017. I haven't fished it this year a lot and the last time I have went there was probably April. Due to how technical it is and how far of a drive it is I typically don't go there too often.

 

[Oregon_OwlII]

The Tully was one of my favorite go-to places when I lived in Schwenksville while just learning the sport.

 

[Wild_Trouter]

Loved the Tully in late 80s and early-mid 90s. Caddis and Tricos! Will never forget the day I started at the very beginning of the DHALO project right below dam...early Summer in '92...saw an enormous musky giving me the hairy eyeball as I entered the water. I'm certain that musky was high 40s-low 50s in length. On streamers, I've caught it all there. Carp on the fly is also money too. Really great place back in the day-I know the spot in pic #2 quite well. Hopefully the situation improves.

 

[Mike]

Please do share what you find out. I might try and go back up as well in the middle of the week.

It is apparently bank stabilization work.

 

[DaveKile]

I went back to the Tully yesterday. The conditions were much better. Didn't catch any fish, but a nice day to be out.