Any other Lehigh County fishermen here?

[Flyboy1968]

After taking a nine year hiatus, I started up again. I fish mainly the Little Lehigh Creek, Swabia Creek and the Upper Jordan Creek. I've fished these creeks heavy in the past and had really good luck with drys especially this time of year. This year is different. I'm getting skunked time after time. At first I thought it may be because I'm a little rusty, but I'm back in my rhythm and still the only thing I have to show for it are a couple of small trout and a rock bass. I've noticed the hatches aren't what they used to be on these waters. Even the bait guys aren't having any luck. Anybody else noticing this trend in these waters or is it just me?

Cheers!
Mike

 

[Rusty Spinner]

Nine years means a lot of new houses, roads and businesses have been built in the watersheds you like to fish. Each one of those things contributes to degrading water quality, so yes, you are likely seeing worse hatches today than you did 9+ years ago. Wish it weren't so, but that is a fact of life, especially in the boom area of eastern PA that you are talking about. And PA recently gutted their best stream protection laws, allowing building far too closely to a stream. Dumb move they will regret for hundreds of years to come.

 

[Flyboy1968]

Nine years means a lot of new houses, roads and businesses have been built in the watersheds you like to fish. Each one of those things contributes to degrading water quality, so yes, you are likely seeing worse hatches today than you did 9+ years ago. Wish it weren't so, but that is a fact of life, especially in the boom area of eastern PA that you are talking about. And PA recently gutted their best stream protection laws, allowing building far too closely to a stream. Dumb move they will regret for hundreds of years to come.

That is something that never occurred to me. I guess progress moves backwards as well. Shame.

Cheers!
Mike

 

[Johnw]

I moved to the Lehigh Valley six years ago and I've definitely been disappointed with the fishing quality vs what I expected from what I had heard. I often hear stories about how excellent the fishing was in the past but that is not the case now in my opinion. What Brian said pretty much sums it up.

 

[Rusty Spinner]

I moved to the Lehigh Valley six years ago and I've definitely been disappointed with the fishing quality vs what I expected from what I had heard. I often hear stories about how excellent the fishing was in the past but that is not the case now in my opinion. What Brian said pretty much sums it up.

As much as my PA friends want to disagree, eastern PA is now annexed to NJ. It really is exactly like NJ, complete with strip malls, highways, and Toll Bros houses stacked one atop the other. We fail to learn from our past mistakes. We think of ourselves as superior to all other animals intellectually, but perhaps we have that wrong? :crap:

 

[flyI4]

I moved to the Lehigh Valley six years ago and I've definitely been disappointed with the fishing quality vs what I expected from what I had heard. I often hear stories about how excellent the fishing was in the past but that is not the case now in my opinion. What Brian said pretty much sums it up.

The fishing out there has definitely degraded over the past 10-15 years. The fish are still there in some streams in good numbers but the hatches have really declined and that used to be the best part about the area. If you want to hold a 10 foot 3 wt in the air with a 15 foot+ leader all day euro nymphing go ahead and you'll catch a ton of fish but I could also start digging up worms too and avoid the burning sensation in my right rotator cuff that is euro nymphing. . Not fun fishing IMO. Sulphers and tricos are still pretty good and the olive hatch varies year to year but the area used to have constant dry fly on several rivers with a great mix of wild and stocked fish depending on the river. Now I find myself not seeing the bugs or many risers when I head out that way.

 

[Flyboy1968]

I moved to the Lehigh Valley six years ago and I've definitely been disappointed with the fishing quality vs what I expected from what I had heard. I often hear stories about how excellent the fishing was in the past but that is not the case now in my opinion. What Brian said pretty much sums it up.

Hi John, I noticed your location. Seems we likely fish the same waters. Actually the stretch I'm referring to is the Emmaus side of the Little Lehigh Creek. Upstream from the hatchery between Keck's bridge and the Fly Stretch. Back in the day all you had to do was wave a fly over the water and you had your limit in a half an hour. Now you really have to work it. I'll likely be fishing there this weekend, but I may change tactics. I may try streamers.

Cheers!
Mike

 

[Flyboy1968]

As much as my PA friends want to disagree, eastern PA is now annexed to NJ. It really is exactly like NJ, complete with strip malls, highways, and Toll Bros houses stacked one atop the other. We fail to learn from our past mistakes. We think of ourselves as superior to all other animals intellectually, but perhaps we have that wrong? :crap:

Yeah, the build this area up with no remorse. Never ends.

Cheers!
Mike

 

[Johnw]

Having said all this about the LL last night saw the most amazing sulphur hatch I have ever seen and that includes the Catskills, NJ, and Pa. I got there about 7 pm and apparently the hatch had been on for a couple of hours and continued heavy until I left around 9 pm. Dave from the fly shop said it's the best he has seen as did other regulars. Fish were on them but not to the extent I would have expected. Maybe there's hope for the Ll.

 

[trico mike]

As sad as it is to see the decline of the lhv streams they still are better then anything nj has to offer for both stocked and wild fish. This goes for all of pa in general also. If it weren't the case you wouldn't see all tbese nj trout unlimited clowns out there and then bragging on the internet about how well they did.