TR - Valley Creek/Valley Forge Natl Park

Took as leisurely an outing as possible with the Boys, on a beautiful sunny
60 degree day. It was Matthew and Daniel's first trip to the park of recent
memory, so we took the obligatory tour around the Inner Line drive, pseudo
firing the cannons over redoubt 3 and the Inner Line Defenses, before
seeking out the park deer herd for the boy's viewing excitement.

Next we headed over to Washington's HDQ to investigate the historic
encampment cabins and the Big Cheese's place. I was a bit surprised to see
that they had roped off the tunnel leading under the railway, down to the
Valley Creek/Schuylkill River junction, where I normally start my fishing on
the lower section. I was also required to skip a stretch above before I
could make casts into that personal sacred water, for the first time in over
5 years.

I had to run through the "rules" with the Boys, as they have both proven to
be fine fish locators in the past, albeit with the use of oversized sticks
and stones. Fortune found me as they discovered a skeletonized deer carcass
just along the grass line of the stream that captured their attention which
allowed me to limber up on the first few holes.

As I moved up stream for the next 30 minutes I re-accustomed myself with
some familiar water, and casts. My first brown of the day, a nice 13-14
incher, which would turn out to be my largest of the day, took a size 18
red/brown nymph. Both of the boys were quite excited with Matthew getting
the pleasure of reeling in the last few feet of line, touching the
glimmering side of this mature brown before releasing it. They immediately
required I go back in to catch several more as they clung to the edge of the
water, and we made our way above route 29. I wasn't able to meet their
demands, but I had definitely gotten their attention.

We explored the rest of the water below the dam, poking sticks into every
groundhog hole, swatting at anything remotely resembling life (tree
branches, bugs, tall grass, and rocks), and jumping on stream banks, trying
to catch a glimpse of fleeing fish in the shadows. This was after all not
only a seasonal warm-up, but a scouting trip for a few outings to come over
the next few weeks.

As we approached the dam, Dan officially claimed Shark Island as his
territory, and Matthew immediately followed with the causeway bordered
Turtle Island. Their siege of each other's land would keep them busy long
enough for me to enjoy the rest of my excursion. I switched up to a larger
stonefly after the smaller offering was unsuccessful (more likely due to my
floundering than the fly itself). The stonie yielded a medium sized beauty
quite quickly but just the one under many successive casts.

I continued to test the new currents created by the slowly collapsing old
dam. When I first started to fish these waters, it was a traditional center
flow, top feed, dam with the main current coming through the center of the
pool, splitting almost evenly into two large, backwater, pools, before
feeding back into the middle current. The new configuration yields varied
flows from the top, and several different conflicting, surges which take
some time to master (which I may never do..). After missing another on the
opposite side of the creek, I was able to manage one more small streambred
specimen before we wrapped it up for the day.

It was tough getting Matthew and Dan to renounce their new found claims, but
with promises of return trips soon to come, we made our way back to G.W.'s
HDQs, fulfilled for this day, and ready to plan the next attack.

MNM

"Mike Makela" ten.tsacmoc@alekamm wrote in message
. ..
...I was a bit surprised to see that they had roped off the tunnel leading
under the railway,...

Uh oh.......looks like we may have to walk the long way around in a couple
of weeks.

Oh well. Lovely prose, nevertheless.

Wolfgang
oh, by the way, rumor has it we MAY have an underwater camera available for
"the movie"......cast and crew might want to keep it in mind

"Wolfgang" wrote in message
...


Uh oh.......looks like we may have to walk the long way around in a couple
of weeks.

It's a nice view for a shot, at the kunction, and the water level may be
such that one could wade half way across the River, but historically not the
best spot for fishing. I have caught a few here, and witnessed a true
trophy come out of the River 15 years or so ago, but the best pool that
would need to be skipped would be on the more visible side of the tunnel,
just below the Washington HDQ main building.

If you're there pretty early there won't be anyone around to stop you
anyway, were you plaaning on this shot?

Oh well. Lovely prose, nevertheless.


Thanks, and if you say so...a forgotten art for me that may never be found.

oh, by the way, rumor has it we MAY have an underwater camera available
for "the movie"......cast and crew might want to keep it in mind

Always wanted to take a peek under those currents in the Falls, would it be
possible to lower the camera 10-15 feet?

Mike

"Mike Makela" ten.tsacmoc@alekamm wrote in message
Always wanted to take a peek under those currents in the Falls, would it
be
possible to lower the camera 10-15 feet?

Mike



exactly my thought.......
Tom
p.s. where is Reid when you need him?? We know he
can get underwater easily enough......

"Mike Makela" ten.tsacmoc@alekamm wrote in message
. ..

"Wolfgang" wrote in message
...


Uh oh.......looks like we may have to walk the long way around in a
couple of weeks.

It's a nice view for a shot, at the kunction, and the water level may be
such that one could wade half way across the River, but historically not
the best spot for fishing. I have caught a few here, and witnessed a true
trophy come out of the River 15 years or so ago, but the best pool that
would need to be skipped would be on the more visible side of the tunnel,
just below the Washington HDQ main building.

If you're there pretty early there won't be anyone around to stop you
anyway, were you plaaning on this shot?

I'm not planning on anything, really. It's your show. I just get to say,
"CUT! CUT!.....no, no, no, I want you to do it like petulant sumo roller
derby stars!" and stuff like that.

Oh well. Lovely prose, nevertheless.


Thanks, and if you say so...a forgotten art for me that may never be
found.

The audience is always right.

oh, by the way, rumor has it we MAY have an underwater camera available
for "the movie"......cast and crew might want to keep it in mind

Always wanted to take a peek under those currents in the Falls, would it
be possible to lower the camera 10-15 feet?

I have no idea. Ursula told me that a friend has an underwater camera and
that he said he "may" be there. That's all I know.

O.K. Mike Tom whats going on and why wasn't I invited

"Mike" wrote in message
oups.com...
O.K. Mike Tom whats going on and why wasn't I invited

On Monday, the 24th of April , 2006, the greatest fly fishing movie the
world has ever seen (if you thought "A River Runs Through It" brought crowds
to the streams, just WAIT until this one hits the big screen!) will be shot
on a small stream in southeastern Pennsylvania. It's not that you weren't
invited.....I don't recall the specifics, but I just sort of announced it
casually somewhere in here.....but I didn't (and still don't) know exactly
where you live. In fact, as far as I'm concerned (I'm the assistant
producer/best boy/key grip/lick-spittle general factotum/fawning yes-man),
the more the merrier.

The details (thus far): we meet somewhere on or near Valley Creek, earlyish
Monday morning (after a good shared breakfast.....or not) and you guys show
us what you got. Exactly where and when will be settled some time after my
arrival in Philadelphia two days earlier......unless someone (and it really
doesn't matter much just who it is) calls me sooner and says otherwise.
Mike M., if memory serves, has other commitments for later in the day. Tom
has suggested that he is free for the rest of the day. We (the
producer.....my sister.....and I) have no firm plans for the afternoon as
yet.....or, at least none that I've been made aware of as late as last
evening. It is not at all impossible that we can all find something
sufficiently stupid and entertaining to do together.

Wolfgang

"Mike" wrote in message
oups.com...
O.K. Mike Tom whats going on and why wasn't I invited


Come on down!!

Won't be able to make it out to Penn's immediately beforehand so it would be
nice to have you in town for a day.

Mike Makela wrote:
Took as leisurely an outing as possible with the Boys, on a beautiful sunny
60 degree day. ....

I'm tracking the progression of Spring..... watching the TRs budding out
here and there..... Good one, Mike.

Mike Makela wrote:
Took as leisurely an outing as possible with the Boys, on a beautiful sunny
60 degree day. It was Matthew and Daniel's first trip to the park of recent
memory, so we took the obligatory tour around the Inner Line drive, pseudo
firing the cannons over redoubt 3 and the Inner Line Defenses, before
seeking out the park deer herd for the boy's viewing excitement.

SNIP

It was tough getting Matthew and Dan to renounce their new found claims, but
with promises of return trips soon to come, we made our way back to G.W.'s
HDQs, fulfilled for this day, and ready to plan the next attack.

MNM


Very nice. Thanks for the trip.

Steve