Just a reminder that the 2008 trout season will open at 8 a.m. March 29 in waters located in Adams, Berks, Bucks, Chester, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Franklin, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton, Perry, Philadelphia, Schuylkill and York counties. The regular trout season starts at 8 a.m. on April 12 in the rest of the state.
Winter has finally broken and we are experiencing warmer rains that are melting away the snow fall. Most of the area streams are closed due to regulations to aid in stocking, however a few place are still fishable. A quick survey of area streams this week quickly showed high spring time water levels have flushed all of the ice out of the systems. If this continues we will have plenty of water all spring to keep fishing good well into the summer months.
Once the water level drops off fishing will resume. I spent a few hours on the water this week and managed a few from the delayed harvest areas however high water made fishing unrealistic at best. Stockings are scheduled for the next few weeks and the added stockers to the hold over and wild fish will make the McMichaels a welcome break from winter blues. The fish are feeding heavily on midges and early black stones and black P.T nymphs have been very effective. As have assorted egg and san juan patterns, however stonefly and attractor patterns have been more effective when combined into a tandem then fished singlely.
Reports from the Lower Delaware River are a few shad are being caught early in the mornings at the power plant. River Temperatures have risen from 36 to 41 and back to 37 in the last week. Once the temp stabilize and start climbing expect to see heavy runs of fish, look for the magic number 51! To monitor the Delaware Rivers water temp visit http://www.delawareriver.net/temp.php