Tulpehocken Creek, Berks County?, 7/3/2012
- Thread starter wbranch
- Start date
The_Sasquatch
Well-known member
I'm gonna say, don't. I fished it on Tuesday or Wed. (can't remember), and while the water temp was 69, the fish are stressed. I caught one large bow (my only trout, I did catch 4 nice smallmouth...on caddis!), and the fish took quite some time to recover. If others are having different experiences, I'll stand corrected, but after I landed that fish, I left. I felt that the trout didn't need the pressure right now.
Agreed Sasquatch...I got out for about an hour over the weekend...figured I was going to give it a whirl, despite the heat (haven't been out in a while). I caught a nice 14"ish brown that really needed some convincing to go back to his hole. After that, I just walked the water a little. I share your smallies on caddis experience...too cool! The water was low and clear enough that I was actually sight fishing smallies with a caddis dry fly...who knew! I would do that again in a heartbeat. I don't think I've had that much fun fishing dries in a while.
The_Sasquatch
Well-known member
I've caught smallies on dries before, but mostly large wulffs and such. Never on size 18 caddis! Definitely a fun time, and you could site fish them, but the condition of the trout was just sad. They were actively feeding all over the flats, but the fight was just taken right out of them.
Isn't the cold water reserve of the lake usually exhausted by this point? To find 69 degree water the first week in August seemed rare to me.
Isn't the cold water reserve of the lake usually exhausted by this point? To find 69 degree water the first week in August seemed rare to me.
Even with this summer being one of the hottest on record according to Accuweather. There has been no major rain event. So there was no large influx of water into the dam that would cause ACOE to dump water and thereby deplete the cold-water reserve. The date when the depletion occurs varies greatly from year to year despite the mid July date quoted by some. Also there is always some augmentation of the water temp as the surface water temp of Blue Marsh Lake is usually in the 80s right about now.
LehighRegular
Active member
- Joined
- Sep 11, 2006
- Messages
- 781
FCP is right on the money. Typically with BM or other bottom release only reservoirs with a limited coldwater pool, when one can reduce the high volume releases, the cooler water will last longer.
Also, last August the rains came on strong and the Corps did start to ramp up releases to around 300-400 cfs. That will drain whats left of the cool water pretty quick.
Afish, look at the historical CFS chart and the cool water starts to run out when the Corps increases the releases. Coincidence?
Regardless, BM is limited in the cold/cool water department. Typically, it will run out of cool water around early August. Sometimes sooner, sometimes later in the month.
Also, last August the rains came on strong and the Corps did start to ramp up releases to around 300-400 cfs. That will drain whats left of the cool water pretty quick.
Afish, look at the historical CFS chart and the cool water starts to run out when the Corps increases the releases. Coincidence?
Regardless, BM is limited in the cold/cool water department. Typically, it will run out of cool water around early August. Sometimes sooner, sometimes later in the month.
The_Sasquatch
Well-known member
I would just say, if you're gonna fish for trout right now in the Tully, harvest.
I have been fishing the Tully since the 70s. They completed Blue Marsh in 1979 or 1980. As best I can remember in the 70s it has some smallmouth. Probably was about as good as the lower Manatawny or lower Perkiomen today. I do not hear fishermen talking about the smallie fishing in the lower Manie or Perk. But they could be somebodies best kept secret.
