Big Bushkill/South Branch

[JeffK]

Couldn't get away this weekend, so I hit a few local spots on Sunday and Monday and had surprisingly good fishing with very little crowding.

Sunday morning I hit Ressica Falls on the Big Bushkill and took just a box of weighted nymphs and my 10' 4 wt to go Czech nymphing in the pockets. Only a few cars in the parking lot and everyone I saw was at Piano Pool - 6 to 8 people endlessly flogging the water to a few small risers. No one was fishing the pocket water (which seems to be the unique feature of the Bushkill in Ressica Falls). There was a fish or two up to 17" in every pocket and no company in some beautiful surroundings. That Czech nymphing is great for those rapids! Best fly was a 16 PT with starling hackle on the point and the hot mid fly was a March Brown tied Czech style (#10 scud hook, mottled turkey shell, amber dubbing with brown rib - make thorax a little thicker and pick out fur for legs). Another good fly was the cased caddis that Ken Tutalo ties. In addition to tons of fish and no company, the fish in those rapids really fight hard. Still need work on my Czech nymphing and it takes a good deal of concentration to be effective (on my last spot I had 5 LDRs and one fish brought to hand - being tired doesn't help). However, it's a cahnge of pace and a good way to comb the fast water.

Monday evening went over the hill to the upper South Branch for some dry fly action. I saw no parked cars and no one else fishing! Plenty of stocked rainbows taking sulphurs when I got there at 7:15 and I got 4 fish on four casts on one flat. Went to the skinny water to fish for the native brookies and had plenty of action. They seem to be in less than a foot of water (their usual spots), so casting has to be dead on. It is frustrating since plenty of aggressive fish are rising, but if the cast is not perfect the fish will not see it. Seems that the brookies have recovered from the drought years, but most are 7" fish with no larger ones. About 8:45 the browns started rising and got one beautiful, strong 13" wild brown before I quit at 8:55 due to darkness (also got 4 more rainbows on my way back to the car). Only needed one fly - a 16 parachute sulphur - and plenty of Frog's Fanny to revive it.

With all the compliants about crowding on the D, it still seems people are avoiding the waters closer to home. Heading for my first float trip ever on June 9 and hope to miss the crowding others have been mentioning.