# Vacation Time, Bushkill Creek / Bushkill PA



## ChileRelleno (Jul 7, 2012)

We left Bama Wednesday morning, over nighted in Abingdon, VA and the next day stopped in Harrisburg, PA at Bass Pro Shops to pick up a few things before heading to our final destination here in Bushkill, PA on Bushkill Creek.
Staying at my wife's sister's cabin which is right on the creek, and it offers some good Trout fishing, along with Bass, Bream and others.
Really nice place and our hostess is first rate.
Have some of my family (older Sister and family) who live in Bethlehem are coming up for a Memorial Day BBQ.
Going to visit, play and fish and BBQ the traditional burgers-n-dogs.

Our hostess Auntie Angela and her beautiful cabin home.






*First Day of Fishing*
First day of fishing for Nate and I commenced early with nothing to show.
But the afternoon has proven mildly productive.
I'm using Ultra Light and Light spinning gear, Nate is Flyfishing and Light spinning gear.
I'm brand new to trout, someone verify species for me, Rainbow and Brook?

I caught this 12.5" Bow(?) on a Mepps Comet Minnow drifting along a riffle, just barely keeping the lure facing down stream and picking up the slack.
First fish of the trip!



The Nate scores on a Caddis Fly, 10" Brook(?), he saw the fish rising to feed and put the fly in it's face and it ate.
This boy is a freaking natural born fisherman, and rapidly becoming adept at fly casting.



This is the stream at the front of the cabin, we're fishing along about a 3/4 mile in either direction on a private road.
Very little traffic from other fishermen as it is walk-in only allowed and must have property owner permission.
We've carte blanch permission anywhere on this side of the creek road.



Most of the people out here either fly fish or use live bait.
Lots of minnows, small earthworms, wax worms and hellagrammites on #6 and smaller hooks with BB sized split shot.
I may change my methods


----------



## ChileRelleno (Jul 7, 2012)

Been wearing out the panfish this evening, some nice Red Breasted Sunfish.
I also caught another trout (species?), 10", on a red spotted/yellow Panther Martin spinner.



Nate caught a really nice Red Breasted Sunfish, 9"+.
But didn't get a pic of that one, but it'll be breakfast.


----------



## stc1993 (Nov 23, 2014)

Man, that's a beautiful place. good luck on the fish.


----------



## ChileRelleno (Jul 7, 2012)




----------



## stc1993 (Nov 23, 2014)

That's a very good picture. If it was me I'd get it enlarged & framed.


----------



## lastcast (Oct 12, 2007)

Man that reminds me of home! Born and raised 60m NE of Harrisburg. I think your Trout is a Brown but just a weird color phase and no orange spots.


----------



## stewart_fish (May 13, 2009)

Love the pics. Great one of you and your boy. Have fun bro and keep posting up. Beautiful place up there too.


----------



## Try'n Hard (Oct 23, 2008)

I'm having fun just reading about it. Great pics!


----------



## Bodupp (Oct 3, 2007)

Looks like a travel brochure! Pa is a beautiful place outside the cities. I met some wonderful people up there.

Slow-cook a butt on the grill for those folks and you'll get invited back ... often.


----------



## ChileRelleno (Jul 7, 2012)

Bodupp said:


> Slow-cook a butt on the grill for those folks and you'll get invited back ... often.


I'm cooking tonight.
Repeat of my Savory Stuffed Pork Loin, Dirty Rice and Asparagus.


----------



## stc1993 (Nov 23, 2014)

You show them how good you cook they're liable to keep you up there.


----------



## ChileRelleno (Jul 7, 2012)

*Day Two*

Nate scored a 16.5" Golden Rainbow.
Some type of dry fly was used, not sure.



I got an 11" Brook and a 11.5" Brown, both on live red wrigglers.


----------



## ChileRelleno (Jul 7, 2012)

stc1993 said:


> You show them how good you cook they're liable to keep you up there.


Not gonna happen, my keepers only let me off my chain for a short while them it's back to my smoker/grill at home.


----------



## Bodupp (Oct 3, 2007)

Nate's golden rainbow is a beauty. Don't think I've ever heard of one.


----------



## lettheairout (Mar 11, 2008)

Put them on the smoker. Beautiful golden trout. That's worth a mount. 

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk


----------



## stc1993 (Nov 23, 2014)

I've never seen a golden rainbow either.


----------



## lastcast (Oct 12, 2007)

It's a variation of a Palimino and Rainbow. Beautiful fish none the less and not everyone can say they caught one. Pa. stocks some every year.


----------



## ChileRelleno (Jul 7, 2012)

*Day Three*

A lot of time out of the water today, running errands and shopping with the women.
So not much to show for fishing.
I caught a few dink trout, legal but too small for me to bother with cleaning.
I lost a BIG Brownie, might've been a new state record!








Honestly he was at least as big as Nate's Golden... Dagblast'it!
Also caught a nice 19" Smallmouth bass and another Smallmouth which is so far the tiniest fish of the trip.
The big Smallie had to be released as the season is closed on all Bass till June 16th, so no pic.
The dink Smallmouth was all of 2" and hit the same lure as the 19"er.

Nate put another Brown in the fridge, it was a solid 12"
He also caught a nice bass that looked to be a Spotted, but again strict C&R so no pic.


----------



## ChileRelleno (Jul 7, 2012)

I really need to get a waterproof/floating GoPro so I can take pics anywhere.
Sucks not being able to get scenery and action shots.
It is really beautiful up here.

One the wife took from the bank.


----------



## ChileRelleno (Jul 7, 2012)

*Day Four*

Nate scores two nice trout.
He also missed one trout and landed a small Sunfish.



And I walked away with my head hanging in shame.
I had two decent trout hooked and lost at the net. 
A Smallie (C&R) and a Sunfish saved me from being skunked.


----------



## ChileRelleno (Jul 7, 2012)

*Day Five*

Today was a tough and frustrating day of fishing.
I lost so many freaking lures and lost a couple of nice trout.
One would've been a stud, but he is sporting a shiny new $5. piercing for the ladies.
Finally late in the day I was able to seal the deal on a nice 12" Brownie.
I also got another decent 13" Smallie (C&R) and another Sunfish.



Today Nate almost got skunked.
He had a decent trout on the line, but it threw the lure.
I saw it clearly and it had to be 12"-14" fish.
Nate was pissed.
But his day was saved by a 4" Smallie :whistling:


----------



## fla_scout (Sep 28, 2007)

I'll be up in northwest PA next week. Hopefully I can slip out of some family time and try my hand on the Clarion River. We are staying right on the river in some cabins and my grandmother has some property overlooking the river as well to the south. May try and kayak from the cabins down to her place fishing along the way. It will be about a 7-8 mile float. 

I'll post up if I get the chance to go.

Thanks for making me really want to go. Beautiful fish you been catching.


----------



## ChileRelleno (Jul 7, 2012)

Did some sightseeing.

Silver Thread Fall, 80'



Dingmans Falls, 130'



Went into Milford, PA to shop.
I hit up _'Fretta's Italian Food Specialties'_, they make a ton of homemade sausage, ham and cheese items... Simply incredible as I taste tested my way through their charcuterie selections.
Then I broke out the Visa and bought enough meats, cheeses and stuffed olives to _maybe_ last me till Friday if I don't pig out twice a day or more.

Double up on the cholesterol medicine!


----------



## stc1993 (Nov 23, 2014)

Some beautiful country. That water looks cold.


----------



## ChileRelleno (Jul 7, 2012)

*Day Six*

Neither of us landed a trout.
Small Smallies, Sunfish and Fallfish were all we managed.
Only got about four hours of fishing in.

*Day Seven*

Nate didn't do much fishing today, so nothing for him to show.

Myself on the other hand spent the afternoon in pursuit of fish, and it was quite an aggravating, yet rewarding day.

Rewarding that I landed three trout today, several Smallies and a few Sunfish too.



Aggravating in that:
I lost several trout at the net.
Ran through tackle/lures like a bacon through a goose.
Found the deepest hole in the creek... And stepped into it up to my chin.
Snapped the tip of my best trout rod off at the second guide while trying to land the last trout of the day... I sure do hope Bass Pro replaces it.

*One more day of fishing before heading home.*


----------



## ChileRelleno (Jul 7, 2012)

stc1993 said:


> Some beautiful country. That water looks cold.


It is nice, very nice. 
Wish we had more stuff like this down South, but some weekends at Sipsey Fork may be in order.

The water actually isn't too cold, low 60's.
The kids and others have been swimming in the slow deep pools, and tubing about a 1/4 mile of faster stuff.

Been a great vacation, I'm going to need a recovery period, which ain't happening.


----------



## ChileRelleno (Jul 7, 2012)

My eldest and youngest.



And another pic Momma took.


----------



## ChileRelleno (Jul 7, 2012)

*Day Eight*

And as the sun sets on the last fishing day of our vacation, I count my many Blessings.
Of which for today, I didn't lose a single piece of tackle, but didn't land any fish either.
Two hookups, two losses and several fish short striking and/or aborting their run on the lures.

My family and I had a great time, no accidents or injuries... Still a long 1100+ mile ride home.
Pray for us as we head back South, dang highways and drivers are crazy now-a-days.

Thank you to all who offered tips/tricks and encouragement.


----------



## fla_scout (Sep 28, 2007)

Traveling Mercy to you Chili. About the time you get back I'll be headed that way! I'm always good until I get to Knoxville which is always wide open and full of traffic!


----------

