Pocono Fly Fishing: February 2012

I've been fishing a lot this winter due to the higher than normal temperatures. If it's sunny and 40 degrees or higher, I've been on the water. I've been out roughly a dozen times so far in 2012. I've mostly been fishing small mountain streams for brookies and browns. I've seen decent insect activity on the mountain streams when the temp's are above 40. I'm not the best at identifying but they were size 16-18 black stoneflies or caddis. Most of the wild trout caught this winter have been taken on a small #18 BWO parachute dry fly.

I tried the McMichael's Creek once on a nice day in January but did not get any action. The larger stream's water level has been average the past several weeks so it's easy to locate slow deep pools to drift a nymph.

I fished the BHC today. Water temperature was approximately 38-42 degrees. Insect activity was plentiful. Most of the bugs were sunning themselves on rocks but there were a fair amount fluttering above or on the water. There was enough bug activity that if the trout were looking up, they would have taken the easy meal. I caught one sucker today on a #16 black stonefly nymph. I added a #18 BHPT below it. I'm not sure if there were any trout where I fished today or if I was fishing with the wrong flies. There should be holdover trout because this section of the BHC was stocked last Oct and we've had a mild winter. Hopefully the water temp's start rising soon!