The Fragile Magic's Gone.

Change's keep on changing. Todays cloudy weather kept the sun from warming up the water. Air temp got to 62 on my car thermometer but none of the rivers got up to 50 today. Used up the two best high water pools yesterday and my first two choices today each had a pair of fishermen standing on their banks looking for risers. Had rising fish (4) in the third pool, caught a fourteen inch brown, felt but didn't hook a second fish and was refused by the other two. 

Was lured over to the West Branch by DRC's glowing reports (not really) and by the fact that the NYC's DEP had shut down the Cannonsville release, which resulted in a somewhat more manageable wading level. It was a fool's journey, without the sun, even the reservoir surface water remained in the mid forties. There were a few paraleps, but no real feeding. Saw half a dozen fish rise once each, rose three fish, hooked two, and landed one thirteen inch rainbow. Clearly my wand is in need of a charging station.

Was told by two fishermen taking out at Buckingham that the DEP was examining the dam with a submarine (remotely controlled???) and that the release shutdown would continue until the 21st. Source? The internet. Yours truly couldn't find confirmation, but if true, at least the DEP is now doing this stuff when there is adequate water to keep the stream bed covered.

Yesterday, I saw dandelions only on banks with southern exposure. Today they were in bloom everywhere. They may be weeds, but they don't lie, it's Hendrickson time, if the nasty weather around Pittsburgh doesn't dump a ton of rain on the system tonight or tomorrow, you should be here this weekend. If the rain blows things out again, buy "Upping Your Game", stay home and hopefully enjoy the read.