Bob Weinberger wrote:


Steve,
Is there decent trout fishing in the New Hope area? I was raised
there(actually in Center Bridge), but left almost 50 years ago. In those
days, although we would catch an occaisional trout in the Deleware, it was
essentially a warm water fishery. The nearest flyfishing for trout was on
the Raritan about an hours drive away.

Bob Weinberger - La Grande, OR

I hear that some of the local creek mouths have spots where big brown
trout and large walleye lurk in the spring, both of which are said to
take a streamer. I have no first-hand knowledge of it, just some rumors
from a local fly shop. On the main, though, you're correct. Parts of it
count as a "coolwater," but from the confluence with the Lehigh to the
salt line is warm water.

The main attractions are the shad and stripers during their runs, with
smallies making a more constant companion (several outfitters offer
packages combining float trips for smallies with nights in the many
bed-and-breakfast joints along the river) and a few souls chasing
catfish. The Tohickon at Point Pleasant, were it managed as a tailwater
fishery, would be a fine trout stream. As it stands, it has several
high-water releases that make some fearsome rapids and tend to ruin the
fishing.

There are a couple of Bucks County tributaries to the Delaware with
wild trout populations, but it doesn't start to get really useful until
you get to Easton and the tributaries to the Lehigh, like the Monocacy,
Saucon and Bushkill. Those are all Class A (Pennsylvania's most
fecund, trout-wise) trout streams.

Steve