Valley Creek, Chester Co., 8/30/08

[Mariner]

This was my first time fishing Valley Creek since I was a kid. 4:45-dark from Wilson's bridge near Lafeyette's Quarters to the 76 Bridge. First, an anecdote.

I pulled into the lot near Wilson's Bridge and glassed for trout from the bridge. While I'm doing this, a fisherman pulled up next to my vehicle and began rigging up. I came back to my vehicle and said,

"How's it going?"
Nothing, not even eye contact.
"They're really stacked up in there, under the bridge."
Nothing, again.
"Looks like they're actively feeding, too."
He ignored me again. Then he took all his equipment and rigged up streamside. I couldn't help but think this was because of the out-of-state plates on my vehicle. Like there are waves of Coloradans beating down the door of Pennsylvania for the fishing. When I got back after dark I found a my truck had a nice smear of mud, hand-made, down the side.

So to the 50-something jerk in the green Grand Cherokee with the Orvis One weight, go ahead and try that in Colorado, or better yet, Montana, or Alaska.

Back to what matters, fishing was great. Tight and technical. Fish were rising to small cream-coloured midges. Saw many brown flying ants and what I think are tricos. Got two on #22 midge emergers. Photo is of typical brown taken on a #16 light cahill (closest I had to a cream midge). I trimmed it down quite a bit.

Now here's the really bizarre part, I saw a small watersnake catch a 4"
brownie, carry him across the creek, cache him in the bank flopping and alive, and go in for another. That being said, this was the first fishing trip I've had in the state where I haven't seen a crane or an egret.

 

[shakey]

mariner,i am so glad you posted this.i met the same guy two weeks ago.as i came from downstream of the steel bridge ,he pulled into the lot and speed rigged.

i said :"hey,how's it going?" nothing,yet i know he's not deaf because he spun and gave me a dirty look when i next replied,jokingly:"oh?that good huh?so glad to hear it!"

up till this point i was very friendly,i have always met nice people on valley.swapped a lot of flies and technique ,post fishing BS sessions.

i'm aware there are some old guys who like to be left alone at valley,but a "sorry,but i like to be left alone"would be much more tolerable.

so then he hurries ahead of me on the trail ,as if i'm not polite enough to give him space.he nearly hit me with a backcast,he was false casting as he walked to straighten his leader.i thought about grabbing his peach 444!i went from friendly to wanting to fight,like i was 19 again,and i'm 46 but some people just get your goat.

all i wanted to tell was what flies were working and about the bass i caught down near washington's headquarters,where i used to catch big browns.

sorry people,guess i rambled there.i just like a little courtesy on the stream.

PS,he wears green boot foot waders,and slams his doors loudly.

it did look like an orvis rod,maybe a superfine.from a cane rodder i could handle it,haha

 

[afishinado]

Mariner,

Valley is flowing at 12cfs right now – very low. In fact I would venture a guess that on any given morning during the jam, there were a few board members that generated more flow than that. Hopefully we will get some rain soon!

I have never seen any trikes on Valley, but some hatch charts I’ve seen have listed them for Valley. Can you confirm that?

I’ll keep an eye out for the guy in the green Cherokee, with Orvis rod, peach line, and green bootfoot waders.

 

[shakey]

and tan hat,same color as a PAFF hat.

 

[Mariner]

Afishianado--I can't confirm the tricos. They're new to me and I've never had anyone who knows about them point one out to me.

For those of you who really know Valley, is that spot I described by Lafeyette's qtrs relatively good or is the area below the covered bridge closer to the big confluence better?

I'll be trying to hit that occasionally when I get a chance.

As for the weird guy in the Cherokee, I'm just glad it's not me. I took it personally, but evidently he's just like that. If he were 20 years younger I'd say he was fly fishing his way through PTSD and buy him a beer. He's the kind of guy that gives fly fishing a bad rep.

Anyone else trade the fly rod for a shotgun today?

 

[timmyt]

Did the guy have glasses and look to be about 60 years old? If so...thats the same guy that called me a jerkoff for walking behind him on the trail while he was fishing, my rod was still in two pieces and he said I spooked out the entire hole or something to that effect!

Glad to hear this, not because the guy was a jerk to you but because I have experienced the same friendliness and chit chatting, fly swapping, all that stuff with every other angler I had met there, then came this guy and it caught me really off guard. Lets just say I am surprised he had the balls to get up in someones ear again because his balls shrank QUICK once he fired the first insult at me.

I drive over valley daily to and from work but haven't fished in a good bit because of no rain, hoping we get some soon and get things flowing again!

I am thinking you saw midges and not tricos based on the time of day, but I could be wrong

 

[Mariner]

TimmyT

Yep, that's him.

You're right, midges, not tricos.

 

[timmyt]

I was just down there during my lunch break today (not fishing) and man is the creek low, I could see fish stacked up in certain deeper areas

I only started fishing the stream this past spring but I have not ever seen it that low.

I talked to a guy who was fishing and he said the fly shop in media (sporting gentlemen I guess) said the water temp was 62 today. Not bad considering how hot it has been. If we get the predicted rain this Sat I might hit it next week, I'll post if I do

Mariner, say hi if you see me down there. Grey chevy malibu, I'm tall have a beard and wear a tan jungle hat while fishing

tight lines!

 

[jayL]

I'm gonna try to hit it a few times if we get some rain too.

Red 05 neon with a PAFF sticker. Just shy of 6' and 200 lbs, and I look like my avatar. If you see someone casting lefty, odds are it's me.

 

[vcregular]

Valley is ridiculously low right now, and best left alone imo until we get rain.

Winter, early spring, and maybe the fall depending how the summer went is when I usually hit it. Otherwise, summertime I leave it alone. Water is just too stagnant, and the fish while they will most like survive a catch and release, are too stressed as it is.

Prime example is them all hunkered down together in the holes.

 

[Mariner]

I too am looking forward to Saturday's rains. I'm hoping for a good soaking out of Hurricane Hanna. I'm also hoping for a cold snap in New England to send more doves down here for this afternoon hunting season in Sept. (anyone else in on bird hunting or just me?).

I'll be looking for all you compadres around Valley on Sunday if conditions permit. Fall fishing in fellowship sounds good at the end of the month on the Delaware sounds great though.

Grey Tundra, Colorado plates, look for me streamside,

-Mariner

 

[JustFish]

Shakey, Mariner

was he driving a green jeep cherokee? B/C if he was he does the same thing to me and if you watch him he is in a hurry to get his stuff on and beat you streamside! I just watch him and laugh!!!! I go up or down from him and catch fish and watch him get nothing the whole time!!!!!!!! It must be Karma I guess.

 

[JustFish]

Fellows,

I know who he is and if your not a teenage girl he won't say nothing to you. I was leaving one night and he was right next to me. a couple teenage girls walked by and he said "hello ladies fine night for a walk." I then said "how did you do tonight?" He said "uh." Let's have a nickname for him "He who runs to hole to catch no fish." LOL The funny part about him is he races to get his stuff on and beat you to a hole. But I have yet to see him catch anything!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Karma I guess!! What a prick!

 

[Acristickid]

Tom Brokaw don't fish Valley!

 

[shakey]

anybody know how the levels are now?with the cooler nights i was thinking of hitting valley next week.

if you're there ,i'm a middle aged white guy with a belly,i drive a black BMW motorcycle with a white front fender.

i usually wear a blue TU hat,tan waders, brown vest.

fly advice appreciated.

 

[shakey]

think the trout are still too stressed?