Tulpehocken Creek, Berks County, 5-11-16

[McSneek]

Hadn't been paying much attention to stream conditions this week. Encountered high water on my outing which lasted from about 5:15pm to 8:00pm. USGS site had it as high as 500cfs. Think it was lower than that but still much higher than I'm used to especially for May. Surprise, surprise, caddis mixed with sulfurs. Caddis came off pretty heavy at times. Sulfurs were more of a steady trickle. I fooled 2 or 3 fish on a sulfur emerger but the majority of fish came on #14 and #16 tan cdc caddis. Not nearly as many rising fish as usual perhaps due to high, cold water? Still enough to make it worthwhile. Things seemed to shut down around 7:30pm. When I left there were a lot of sulfur spinners in the air in over the riffle about 100 yards below Reber's bridge. One plus to the high water was not many other guys fishing. Plenty of spots to pick from.

 

[outsider]

I fished the Tully a bit this morning. The water was down from yesterday, but still above normal. The caddis hatch was short. I was swinging like a rusty gate today, but I managed to land 6 fish. Towards the end of the hatch, I was playing a fish and the hook popped out of his mouth, ending up in a tree. I lost my fly, tippet, and tippet ring so I called it a day. I did help my third newbie in as many weeks. Gave him some flies and a strike indicator.