Valley Creek, Chester County, 4/25/21

[Nymph-wristed]

Weather: Cloudy moving to full sun
Air Temp: mid-60s
Time: 11:00 - 2:00
Water Conditions:Brief spike from overnight rain was well past where I fished, normal flows, clear
Water Temp: mid- to high 50s
Bugs: Adult caddis in the bushes but few in the water, midges

It's been a while since I posted a report, so I figured what the heck. I am fishing quite a bit, a little behind pace, but taking advantage of lower flows on bigger creeks in NEPA, etc. Busy, so I have barely had time to keep up with my own blog. I missed Valley, though, which I steered clear of during the pandemic for the most part. A bit of a zoo for me. Anyone see the young bulls (like 12 yr olds) shooting YouTube videos in the park all spring? Plus, Les told me the creek was fishing well 😉 I actually fished during the rain two weeks ago, and caddis and olives still had the fish going. The overnight rain barely made an impact this morning. Today, they were in the heads of runs waiting on small larva or emergers my old eyes couldn't see. Besides a really nice fish pushing 16 inches that took an 18 bomb walts, the rest of the dozen or so fish took a single 18 quill perdigon or a fuzzy caddis larva fished on a long leader and a longer mono rig. A few fun stolen hours close to home, and I actually had the stretch I fished to myself on a Sunday. A few shots of the better one below:

 

[AndyP]

Nymph-wristed - Valley is my home water too and like you I have steered cleared during Covid. I was there 3 weeks ago on a rainy Sunday and encountered 2 different YouTubers with tripods and GoPros set up on the hole or run they were working. It surprised me and it depressed me but then again I'm becoming an old fart every year that goes by...... but how enjoyable can fishing be if it all depends on how many "likes" you get on your channel..??

 

[AndyP]

Oh... beautiful Valley brown by the way !!

 

[timmyt2]

I have enough trouble just managing my gear and trying to catch fish! Adding the worries of a camera and shots, etc sounds like no fun to me

 

[JohnPowers]

Years ago I’d leave center city, fight the Surekill to fish that sulfur hatch into the twilight. Before I grasped the emerger moment. The size of the fish being documented in pix is astounding to me. It’s a heroic little creek. I know people have fought for its survival.

 

[Nymph-wristed]

AndyP wrote:
Oh... beautiful Valley brown by the way !!

Thanks, bud. Glad it's not just me that is feeling a little out of place over there. Maybe back to normal in September, I hope. At least 12 year olds will be in school not making videos!

 

[Nymph-wristed]

timmyt2 wrote:
I have enough trouble just managing my gear and trying to catch fish! Adding the worries of a camera and shots, etc sounds like no fun to me

Yeah, I don't see a tripod in my future...

 

[Nymph-wristed]

JohnPowers wrote:
Years ago I’d leave center city, fight the Surekill to fish that sulfur hatch into the twilight. Before I grasped the emerger moment. The size of the fish being documented in pix is astounding to me. It’s a heroic little creek. I know people have fought for its survival.

Def a survivor, that creek. I am seeing live bait guys now, so it may be time for the Park to change that at least....

 

[wildtrout2]

The State ought to get involved with that bait thing on Valley!

 

[timmyt2]

I thought it was artificial lures only inside the park?

 

[Nymph-wristed]

Catch and release, all tackle. Time to put up education signs like they did on the Bushkill in Easton, at least. I thinks Forks TU did that? No clue if they have an impact, but it's something...

 

[AndyP]

It is a remarkable survival story and the decades that VFTU have put into protecting that stream at a huge cost $$ is an amazing story in itself. I would like to hear what Mike K. thinks should be done there now that he is retired and maybe share his opinion more freely. I'd think C&R Artificial Lures Only would be best I think.........

 

[herbalwizard]

The NHP regulations do state no live bait in Valley Forge park. I think its more concern about invasive species than fish mortality as one could still fish powerbait type items. I will admit that before I started my fly fishing journey 7 years ago, I fished there with those items. I don't catch quite as many fish as I used to (I am getting closer to my old catch rates), but I enjoy the process so much more.

 

[afeierman]

Just wanted to say thank you for posting this. I'm a beginner, live close to Valley Creek, and I've been trying to make sense of what I see there each time I go. While I've been reading up on this forum and elsewhere on fly fishing in general, it's really helpful to get a veteran's take on a stream I've seen and fished. So, thanks a lot for the write up!

 

[Nymph-wristed]

herbalwizard wrote:
The NHP regulations do state no live bait in Valley Forge park. I think its more concern about invasive species than fish mortality as one could still fish powerbait type items. I will admit that before I started my fly fishing journey 7 years ago, I fished there with those items. I don't catch quite as many fish as I used to (I am getting closer to my old catch rates), but I enjoy the process so much more.

yes, that is correct. I def don't group all gear guys in one pile, not what I was implying, either. I just have seen fish on stringers and live bait there in recent years, and I shed one tear like those old pollution/Iron Eyes Cody ads I have fished for wild fish, even on Valley, with barbless lures like single hook soft plastics with spinning gear myself. I watch plenty of YouTubers when I am not fishing too, but most are careful about the resource and the spots they fish out of respect for fishermen and fish. People who love to fish educate themselves over time, I hope/believe?

 

[Nymph-wristed]

afeierman wrote:
Just wanted to say thank you for posting this. I'm a beginner, live close to Valley Creek, and I've been trying to make sense of what I see there each time I go. While I've been reading up on this forum and elsewhere on fly fishing in general, it's really helpful to get a veteran's take on a stream I've seen and fished. So, thanks a lot for the write up!

Thanks! Only a veteran because I'm getting old 😉 And there are a lot of guys more knowledgeable than me on here who are happy to answer questions.