White Clay DHALO 3/29/2009

[SulphurKing]

Good Morning.

Just a quick report from the weekend. I spent a few hours on White Clay on Sunday. What a gorgeous day. Air temp was around 70 and the water was much warmer than a few weeks ago (I didn't measure but the fish were much more active). Some hatch activity but it was sparse and the fish were still not looking up - Small BWO and Big Stones. Caught a few nice browns but had to go deep and small to get them. Never did get those flowers planted!

One question - I was wondering if you've ever seen this. A fish rising downstream of a tree that slanted out over the water, there were routine, tiny splashes under the tree - like water droplets falling on the stream (but these were only happening in a line directly under the tree so I know they were coming from there). I couldn't see what was falling off of the tree so I tried an ant. Didn't work and I figured it is really early for ants but couldn't think of what else it could be. So, what is very small/light, is eaten by fish and falls off a tree in late March? Puzzling me....

Thanks.

 

[pete41]

keep them coming-White Clay above Landenburg was my launching pad-for Pa. trouting and right up to the state line for Delaware trouting.

 

[SulphurKing]

Pete, are you a fellow Delawarean who crosses state lines to find trout in PA? If so, I'd love to exchange reports with you more often. I live in Wilmington so White Clay is the shortest stream commute for me. I make it up to French/Tully or others when I have more time. It might be nice to know how you think a given stream is fishing since we both have to put the extra effort to get there...

 

[Fishidiot]

Hhmmm....
Could you be sure that the rising fish was, in fact, eating what was dropping in the water? If I had to hazard a guess - I'd say the fish was likely feeding on the BWO/stoneflies and just happened to be positioned below the tree as it was a good station. The "drops" coming off the tree may very likely have simply been water.
There are small bark beetles in many of our trees and, perhaps, the sudden change in weather literally flushed out some of these tiny beetles from their lairs inside the wood. Interesting.

 

[pete41]

That was back in the 60s-but you never forget the early days.
Afraid I won't be of use-lol
Live in Fl.now
Grew up on Delaware park-
Pike
mill creek
white clay and Becks got stocked-I caught a rainbow in Becks-figure that was the most out of place fish I ever caught.
I worked at Hercules research center-Friday nites I headed for Pa.
Had one of the first SUVs
Chevy Greenbriar work wagon
Flipped over one day going around a corner.
Luckily it came down on my side-caught both kids before they went into the glass
a bunch of guys righted it-I drove home and traded it.scary.

 

[SulphurKing]

Idiot: Thanks for your thoughts. It had crossed my mind that since this was one of our very first warm days that something "woke up" and fell in the water. Something like a beetle or ant or even a small larva of something. In other circumstances I seen somewhat groggy bugs in early spring that come out of their wintering area and could easily fall in to the stream from a tree. Also get your point about the BWO possibility but it didn't seem that way and the BWO weren't strong in that stretch of stream when this all happened. Maybe I'll never know... Thanks!

Pete: That's a crazy story about the first SUV! Hope you enjoy Florida. I've only fished there once, in the back side on Hutchinson Island in Stuart when visiting with the wife and in-laws. Caught a few small things in the mangroves. I didn't put much effort in to it but it was still fun. Thanks!