Bushkill, PA Bushkill Creek May/June 2021

Here we go with another paradisical trout fishing vacation to my SiL's cabin on Bushkill creek PA.
Looking at 9 days of "Eat, Sleep, Fish and Repeat".
We traveled the 1100mls Sat/Sun, a rather nice trip, no problems/traffic jams.
We enjoyed some nice dining out on the road.
Highly recommend Chesapeake Seafood House in Knoxville, TN, fantastic food/service.

Hit both Bass Pro in Harrisburg and Cabela's in Hamburg, PA.
Bass Pro was disappointing, horribly under or out of stock, and lackluster service.
Cabela's was the exact opposite, funny that as they're now the same for most purposes.

Amongst all the other things we picked up felt soled wading boots this time, one morning and a dozen steps proved their worth every penny.

Got in just before dark Sunday evening, and I managed to get a few cast in before it got too dark to see.
Caught a nice fat Pumpkinseed as big as my outstretched hand.
Nate came up empty handed and annoyed.

DAY 1
Up at 0530, already plenty light out, started fishing and had a Brookie come unbuttoned, another really nice feeling unknown did the same and then I landed this nice 16" Tiger.

Nate caught a stout Smallmouth, but they out of season so it was released.

Back to the cabin for a hearty breakfast, run some errands and then will get back to it.

https://i.imgur.com/8f28Al9.jpg

Still Day 1
Today was a tough day for catching, but some nice fishing scenery and solitude wise.

I only landed one more trout, a 12" Rainbow.
I C&R'd several Smallies and panfish too.
Nate is still batting zero on trout, and trout is the only thing that counts.

I'm thinking pan fried trout for breakfast!

https://i.imgur.com/yBhasfM.jpg?1

DAY 2

Another tough day for catching trout, the water level in the creek is low and crystal clear.
Trout are short striking and aborting their strikes, you can watch them turn away last second.
A few Smallies and panfish here and there, they hit lures well but mouth a dry fly and spit it quick.
I caught a legal but small Rainbow and released him, end of the day I was wishing I'd kept him.

We even tried some live baits without much luck... Them fish aren't stupid and they're wary.

Nate was still batting zero until dusk, then he finally got the skunk off.
He was sight fishing rising trout and connected with a nice Brownie, Elk Hair Caddis-Tan in it's face did the trick.
Sorry no pic.

Some scenery pics

Sister in law's beautiful cabin

https://i.imgur.com/bdB0spP.jpg

Nate and I hard at it

https://i.imgur.com/PZMbUPI.jpg

Yours truly

https://i.imgur.com/cTGVO0m.jpg

Try a piece of night crawler with a split shot or two about six inches up from the hook. Inject the worm with some air if you can get your hands on a small shot needle. Or another live bait that works well here in WV is meal worms.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dave

Try a piece of night crawler with a split shot or two about six inches up from the hook. Inject the worm with some air if you can get your hands on a small shot needle. Or another live bait that works well here in WV is meal worms.

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Dave are you freelining those in the current or under a float, how're you presenting such in fast moving shallow water?
We've Nightcrawlers and Redworms to work with, if needed I can run into town to get a syringe.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ChileRelleno

Dave are you freelining those in the current or under a float, how're you presenting such in fast moving shallow water?
We've Nightcrawlers and Redworms to work with, if needed I can run into town to get a syringe.

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usually free line and watch it closely. Want to use minimal weight but get it to the bottom. If you don’t have a syringe you can use a small piece of marshmallow. You’re just trying to get the worm off the bottom 5-6”. If you run to a tackle store, small spinners called “Joe’s Flies” work well. Especially the Trout Poacher Joe’s Fly.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dave

usually free line and watch it closely. Want to use minimal weight but get it to the bottom. If you don’t have a syringe you can use a small piece of marshmallow. You’re just trying to get the worm off the bottom 5-6”. If you run to a tackle store, small spinners called “Joe’s Flies” work well. Especially the Trout Poacher Joe’s Fly.

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10-4 I get your drift.
I like the Joe's Flies, they were well represented in the assortment of lures I brought with me.

https://i.imgur.com/H7lBqwV.jpghttps://i.imgur.com/H7lBqwV.jpg

You are killing me Chile........

Now my wife knows there is one person on earth besides me that can’t ever buy just one lure.

Please keep the reports coming.

Chuck

Something interesting about stocked trout, the only trout fishing opportunity here in Alabama, is that one of the most effective baits are baits that look like the hatchery feed that they are used to such as Berkley trout nuggets https://www.berkley-fishing.com/prod...uggets-1287177

Beautiful place and fish. The thing about trout that i like is they live in neat places and the scenery is usually beautiful.

Fresh water trout like shrimp too. I have fished the White River in AR for years. The owner of a dock and boat rental place used to trap crawfish and sell them. We pulled the tail off and peeled the flesh out and put on the hook. Pretty good trout bait. I started buying the crawfish tails packaged in China or somewhere and sold at Walmart in frozen food section and started using them. Then eventually just moved to the shrimp that was sold beside them. The scent must be close to a crawfish.

Just a little tidbit of info for those that trout fish and another tool in the toolbox.

DAY 3

I got up early and left Nate snoozing, probably shouldn't be out without a fishing partner since bears and injuries happen, but he's 15 and getting ornery.
Let sleeping dogs lay and whatnot, he's growing fast and needs his sleep.

Morning, zero trout and two new holes in my waders.
Breakfast.
Shopping for new waders with no luck locally, screw it they're pinprick holes from briars and not real bad... Wet left foot and buttock for the rest of the trip.
Lunch at a hole-n-the-wall Lebanese cafe/grocery, came highly recommended and ... OMG'osh was it good!
Naps for everybody!
Cook dinner and go fishing to no avail.

Talking to people at the local sporting goods stores just proved what I already knew, low water levels makes for higher water temps and less activity and crystal clear clarity makes them much warier/cautious. All the locals say this season sucks, but everyone is keeping at them, makes the few that ya catch more rewarding.

G'night folks.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by CJW

You are killing me Chile........

Now my wife knows there is one person on earth besides me that can’t ever buy just one lure.

Please keep the reports coming.

Chuck

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Fishing a spinning rig in these environs means lots of lost lures to every snag imaginable in the water, trees-n-bushes and fish jewelry.
These are my Go-To lures after three trips up here and it's not uncommon to lose several in day.
My wife is the same way, "What in the heck do you need all those for, and the same types?!". blissfully ignorant since she doesn't fish.

I've had good success with shoe-goo on waders fixing small holes and even large tears. Sat down on a log once, and poked the nub end of a broke limb right through to the skin....shoe goo fixed it and held for several years. I used duck tape on the inside with shoe goo in the hole, but the tape wouldn't be necessary with a small briar hole. Thanks for the great stories and cool pics. You are in a beautiful part of the planet. Such green grass and everything up there....