A River To Fish

Fly Fishing On The Upper East Branch

Yesterday was hot, hot, and sunny. I didn’t make it to the River until about 11 AM, after coffee with Lenny and Bocchi at Jacks. The East Branch water was not low, but neither was it too high; I couldn’t see the riffles at the usual spot. But, before I entered the water, I noticed the carp; they were everywhere spawning, tails thrashing, stirring up the mud, splashing up and down the riverbanks.

There were packs of carp, like groups of dogs chasing bitches in heat. There were many groups of them all fighting and thrashing for a spot next to a female. I remember seeing this behavior a few years ago while canoeing in the place where the Tremperskill flows into the Pepacton Reservoir.

I didn’t see any trout yesterday; I did get a couple of rises while searching with an attractor pattern. I wonder if the carp chase or scare the trout away? Could it be the water is too warm?