All week I have been planning a trip up to the Salmon River.
Needed that fall back fix so to speak... but mainly just to get back up there once again.
As I have been posting the weather God's were against me from the start.
The river hovering at 4,000 cfs isn't what anyone could hope for, but it is the spring, warm weather, rain, and snow run off. It is the Salmon River at it's spring finest.
As late as last night I was still hoping for hope sake, and this morning all hope was lost to the reality of the river was stll at 3,900 cfs. I even thought of going up for going up sake, but while sitting at home watching USGS graphs, I saw it.
Redemption! Yes, a river that wasn't blown out.
The tribs in the Pulaski area were shot, the streams in New Jersey were shot, I didn't even bother with a single river up in the Catskill, and went down the check list of PA streams, and ... and ... and .... there it was. A creek that was only 25 cfs above normal for this time of year.
LET ME JUST REPEAT THAT ONE MORE TIME....
A CREEK THAT WAS JUST FLOWING 25 CFS ABOVE NORMAL....
OH YEAH....
Before I realized it, my Salmon River bag was out of the car and had been replaced with my TROUT bag. Within minutes I was backing out of the driveway and cheerfully heading west.
I wanted to stop off at a local fly shop and get some BWO #20, I hate to tie flies that small if I can help it.
PC, no rain, BWO's maybe... oh yeah... this is going to be good.
Oh the joy to be in a fly shop again....
Not so joy was the news when I proclaimed I just arrived and was going to fish the ......
Then the bad news. I could have fished up until 15 minutes ago
when they began to release water from the dam.
I went down and looked at it anyway... all brown and such, going by at warp speed and all.
Two hours before it was running at 150 cfs @ 40 degrees. Oh yeah....
Now it was SCREAMING at 1,000 cfs, and who cares about the water temp now.
Good news, this place is only 2.9 mile TCO, which is about half way to the Tuly.
Lunch or dinner on the river; there is no question; I just love the hot wings there.
Maybe the day wasn't a total waste afterall.
Needed that fall back fix so to speak... but mainly just to get back up there once again.
As I have been posting the weather God's were against me from the start.
The river hovering at 4,000 cfs isn't what anyone could hope for, but it is the spring, warm weather, rain, and snow run off. It is the Salmon River at it's spring finest.
As late as last night I was still hoping for hope sake, and this morning all hope was lost to the reality of the river was stll at 3,900 cfs. I even thought of going up for going up sake, but while sitting at home watching USGS graphs, I saw it.
Redemption! Yes, a river that wasn't blown out.
The tribs in the Pulaski area were shot, the streams in New Jersey were shot, I didn't even bother with a single river up in the Catskill, and went down the check list of PA streams, and ... and ... and .... there it was. A creek that was only 25 cfs above normal for this time of year.
LET ME JUST REPEAT THAT ONE MORE TIME....
A CREEK THAT WAS JUST FLOWING 25 CFS ABOVE NORMAL....
OH YEAH....
Before I realized it, my Salmon River bag was out of the car and had been replaced with my TROUT bag. Within minutes I was backing out of the driveway and cheerfully heading west.

I wanted to stop off at a local fly shop and get some BWO #20, I hate to tie flies that small if I can help it.

PC, no rain, BWO's maybe... oh yeah... this is going to be good.

Oh the joy to be in a fly shop again....

Not so joy was the news when I proclaimed I just arrived and was going to fish the ......

Then the bad news. I could have fished up until 15 minutes ago
when they began to release water from the dam.

I went down and looked at it anyway... all brown and such, going by at warp speed and all.
Two hours before it was running at 150 cfs @ 40 degrees. Oh yeah....
Now it was SCREAMING at 1,000 cfs, and who cares about the water temp now.

Good news, this place is only 2.9 mile TCO, which is about half way to the Tuly.
Lunch or dinner on the river; there is no question; I just love the hot wings there.
Maybe the day wasn't a total waste afterall.