Sugar Creek 6/3

-Pennsylvania is interesting in that you can feel the seasons changing through fishing. When you first start to see the browns and brookies color up you know fall is quickly approaching. The first caddis buzzing near the house officially end winter. On a slightly sadder note is the warming of the streams in June. 

Time has been at a premium lately so any chance to get on the water has to be taken advantage of. Such was the case this last Sunday. We had a few hours in the morning to fish before going back to work on wedding preparations. Or was it house improvements? Dog walking? Who can remember....but you get the idea. So before the impending rain we packed the truck and threw on wet wading gear to head the 2 miles down to Sugar Creek. 

We started in the small town of Cooperstown and caught some fish in the likely spots, which at this time of year means the deepest/coolest pools. It has been unseasonably warm lately and that was all too apparent with the first step into the stream. When the water feels like a tepid bath you know the trout are in trouble. With each fish we took special care to  revive them and limit the time spent outside the water. After a half dozen willing participants we moved further downstream to check out a section previously un-fished by us. A guy was leaving as we pulled in and regaled us with his tale of heroism and "losing count after 25 about 50 yards upstream from the bridge" which was very useful information, I would have never thought to check the run directly at the bridge where the stocking truck unloads hundreds of fish! 

In a cruel twist there was only fish to be had here despite seeing some fish, including 3 light bulb palominos that  now make me think less of the bald eagles in the area. Overall it was pretty successful 2 hours and a good reminder to take advantage of the moments available to fish now, because that tepid bathwater will soon turn get warmer and warmer. ​