From the time I spoke with Jonas last Wednesday afternoon, I had a
sinking feeling. He said that the water in Penns Creek was low, clear,
and warm. I felt like he told me that a close friend was pretty sick.
On the drive up Thursday afternoon the feeling continued, that low
level conscious/subconscious feeling like something's not right with
the world.

When I got there, I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of water. I
guess I had started to envision the worst- only a trickle of water
coming down Penns under the bridge leading to Hemlock Acres. At least
she had more water than I thought. "She?" Is a creek a she like a
sailing vessel is a she? I don't know but after I unloaded the truck
I headed back down the hill and over to the Feathered Hook. I stopped
along her banks in a couple of places. About a mile above Coburn the
water temp was 80. I drove down Tunnel Road taking her temperature at
Stillhouse Rd and above the railroad bridge. The temperature at
Stillhouse was 78. Above the railroad bridge I measured on the far
side, away from the parking lot by the big trees along the bank. At
about 18 inches under water I got 77 degrees!

My friend Penns was indeed not doing well. The fish kill at Weikert
served to highlight that. The good news, if there is any, is that the
fish that were killed were the one's stocked by the Weikert Sportsman
Club. Let's hope that the natives we have all come to love and pursue
have the wherewithal to find the cool spots, hunker down, and wait for
the cooler weather.

I heard two opposing prognosis on Penns. One is that the natives have
been through it before and they will make it through it this time too.
Then I heard one of the locals say that they haven't seen it this bad
5 or 6 years and there will be residual damage to the fish.

Lets all hope our friend starts feeling better soon.


In the meantime Spring Creek is 62 and fishing well.