The Southern and general trout openers have come and the weather is accommodating us anglers. Fishing has been absolutely fantastic. Local trout waters are full of stocked fish and they have acclimated nicely. Almost every stream has been producing fish on dries. Quill Gordon's have been popping regularly and Hendrickson's have started to show along with them, both in sizes 14 with a few 12 are mixed in. Don't over look blue Quill's in the late morning and afternoon, they might be smaller but sometimes the fish are keying in on them. Early mornings have been showing little olive caddis's and a few black caddis later in the afternoon. Pheasant tails, Pheasant tails, Pheasant tails! Under indicators have been dynamite. If you are looking for a change of pace try swinging soft hackles, deep in earlier in the emergence and under the film when the insects are popping. Dig deep in your fly boxes and try some wets and soft hackles, my favorites are march browns(regardless of hatch), hares ear wet, and partridge & orange, olive brown, black or gray. If you tie your own I suggest partridge and quill bodies. Expect to have your 4wt jolted as the aggressive fish chase your offering down. You small stream guys are well versed in a dry dropper, and applying this method on during an emergence can really increase your catch rate. Wets, beadheads, emergers and spinners can dead productive, or if your daring another smaller dry.
The smaller mountain streams have been hopping as of late. On several trips over the past couple weeks the Swiftwater Creek has been produce large numbers of brookies on dry dropper combinations. As have many other small nameless or unmentionable creeks. Grab a map and explore for some small stream fun, just bring a good supply of stimulators, assorted Wulffs and size 12-16 head headed nymphs.
Lehigh Valley streams have been fishing great, look toward the Little Lehigh, Monocacy, Saucon, and Jordan creeks for some wild fish as well as a good supply of holdovers.
The Delaware River is shaping up and the shad are running. This year is being predicted as the best year in the last 30. With in the next two weeks shad will be with in reach of the fly angler. So get you 6 and 7wt out, clean off you full sinking lines and practice some casting and get ready for some "poor mans salmon". If you have never fished shad on the fly before get ready for bone jarring hits, jumps and get ready to see your backing for the first time in years. So info on patterns and locations shoot me an email at Ditch@riverrunsrods.com or stop by the forum at www.riverrunsrods.com/forum
If you are looking for some spring trips we have some dates available, so give me a call and we can set something up for you. For you guys looking for some after or before work fishing evening shad trips will be available in a couple weeks and evening hatch trips are available now. Trips are available from 6:00 pm till dark or starting at 6:00 am. Call for pricing and availability.