Before you leave for your all too brief Memorial Day vacation, grab one or two fishing rods from the basement or garage because this is your big chance to pull the kids away from their phones and hypnotizing devices and introduce them to the joys of the outdoors through fishing.
Take them on a Memorial Day bluegill outing.
Arriving at the stream, I take a moment to observe what’s going on. First I look for obvious rises, either those soft concentric circles that appear when a fish has daintily taken a bug on or near the surface, or a splashy chaotic eruption, which means something else entirely.
The Poconos Mountains in northeast Pennsylvania can be divided into two sections, the southern ridge and valley area and the elevated northern section.
This is important for anglers because mayflies and such zoom around in the southern ridges in mid- to late April while most bug activity in the northern section is delayed until early May.
The emphasis at this time is on the put-and-take fishery, and these waters can provide a lot of fun.
The southeast has three end points – the large waters where these streams eventually empty. The Lehigh and Schuylkill rivers are two, then all end up in the mighty Delaware River. Within these confines are an amazing variety of waters divided basically into limestone and freestone flows.
It really depends on how old you, and the sum of shekels in your pocket, as to what you’ll take away from this story.
If you’re 12 and under, you’ll likely get one set of ideas from my fly tying advice. If you’re between 12 and 18, other aspirations may appeal to you, and if you’re between 18 and 81, have a steady income or get a monthly Social Security check, alternative aims will seem appealing.
The way I release crappies and bass, also pike and muskie, differs greatly from the way I release trout. Also the type of water and the temperature of the water makes a difference in how I handle fish after taking photos.
About 20 cows stopped dead in their tracks and looked at me like I was wearing a bad Halloween costume.
After they stopped, my rod tip was still vibrating so I bore down and tightened up. The rainbow jumped a couple of times, and after a nice fight, I guided it to my net. I felt good but the cows looked disappointed.
Did it really matter if I chose waxworms, spikes or mousies in this pursuit? For the most part, no – but on some lakes with a decided bait preference, like spikes on Hills Creek Lake or waxworms on Lackawanna Lake, the choice of larva bait did matter.
For a limited time, you can get full access to breaking news, all original Outdoor News stories and updates from the entire Great Lakes Region and beyond, the most up-to-date fishing & hunting reports, lake maps, photo & video galleries, the latest gear, wild game cooking tips and recipes, fishing & hunting tips from pros and experts, bonus web content and much, much more, all on your smartphone, tablet or desktop For just a buck per month!
Some restrictions apply. Not valid with other promotions. $1 per month for 6 months (you will be billed $6) and then your subscription will renew at standard subscription rates. For more information see Terms and Conditions. This offer only applies to OutdoorNews.com and not for any Outdoor News print subscriptions. Offer valid thru 3/31/23.
Already a subscriber to OutdoorNews.com? Click here to login.
