Fly fishing this weekend
- Thread starter psuvinman
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Spring Creek Canyon near Benner Springs Fish Hatchery. No idea on patterns right now, but that is some of the nicest trout water in the area.
I talked to a friend who lives in town. She is an avid fly fisherman (person) she also runs clinics to get women into fishing
She suggested Spring Creek Fudhermsns Paradise. She said it’s a no wade catch and release. She said you can wade further upstream.
She suggested Spring Creek Fudhermsns Paradise. She said it’s a no wade catch and release. She said you can wade further upstream.
Spring Creek - any of the areas mentioned above. subsurface - cressbugs or scuds, topwater - beetles, ants, tricos
I’ve heard that Penns Creek is one of the best trout fisheries on the east coast. Question for the experts. Why is Spring better than Penns this time of year?
I don’t really travel to fish and spend most of my time on the Delaware, so I’m not familiar with the area at all.
I don’t really travel to fish and spend most of my time on the Delaware, so I’m not familiar with the area at all.
I don't agree that spring is better than Penns this time of year. Go to Penns and start throwing big streamers you may not catch a ton but you will catch quality. If you want to nymph big black stones are always killer at Penns. Go see Jonas at the Featherd Hook in Coburn he will be able to fill you in on whats going on on Elk, Spring Fishing and Penns Creek hes a great guy and full of good info. Enjoy!
I wasn't trying to say it was better, but Spring Creek is the close to State College and has a lot of fish in it,
Its definitely closer and is a great stream no doubt, Central PA Fly-Fishing is some of the best around for sure, you could even get lost for days up in Bald Eagle state forest chasing native bookies too aside from all the amizing limestoners that get more pressure
Penns Creek is an awesome stream but pretty difficult for a novice. I would also recommend Spring Creek for you and your father and suggest seeing Steve at Flyfishers Paradise for your fly selections. Hoppers, beetles, ants and cressbugs will all work well right now. Best of luck and enjoy your time with your father, my favorite memories are the times I had fishing with mine
hopper dropper on spring - and green weenies on the J
Check out the TCO website or stop by shop and/or visit Flyfisher's Paradise shop on E. College. Either will set you straight on what is what.
http://www.streamconditions.com/StreamConditions_Local_Water.cfm
Check out the TCO website or stop by shop and/or visit Flyfisher's Paradise shop on E. College. Either will set you straight on what is what.
http://www.streamconditions.com/StreamConditions_Local_Water.cfm
Go to this site https://www.tcoflyfishing.com/ Check Stream conditions for Spring Creek. Fly patterns are listed (TCO Fly Shop)
I have this great magazine from 1962 about PA's best trout streams and the authors description of Penns Creek is accurate to this day. The last paragraph ends " If trout streams can be classified by gender, than I am quite sure Penns Creek comes under the feminine category. And believe me, she is a bitch!"
Penns is a beautiful stream with lots of great hatches but it really can be tough for even very good fisherman. You can have wonderful days of catching but just as easily be skunked, and it's not easy wading. I've loved her for 50 years regardless and fishing her next Saturday before the game, and I'm glad it's a night game
Penns is a beautiful stream with lots of great hatches but it really can be tough for even very good fisherman. You can have wonderful days of catching but just as easily be skunked, and it's not easy wading. I've loved her for 50 years regardless and fishing her next Saturday before the game, and I'm glad it's a night game
I've always wanted to fish Penns. Haven't made it up there yet. I was tempted to fish the Drake hatch up there but probably wisely talked myself out of it. I hate crowds.
I've fished Spring numerous times. Almost always caught a bunch of nice fish. Although I admit that I used live minnows a lot as I was just starting to get into fly fishing. But I had good days lately on flies.
I've fished Spring numerous times. Almost always caught a bunch of nice fish. Although I admit that I used live minnows a lot as I was just starting to get into fly fishing. But I had good days lately on flies.
This thread brings up lots of memories from the early 60s when I was up at school. I took a light load in the spring so I could fish a lot. I have fished every legal access stretch of both Spring Creek and Logan's Branch. And many stretches of Penn's Creek and all of the others that have been mentioned plus a bunch that haven't been mentioned.
One trip was more of an adventure. I had purchased an old fishing map titled "Heart of the Alleghenies" "Central Pennsylvania's Vacation Land" and it had every trout stream identified and labeled. I found a remote spot (at that time anyway) of Penn's Creek accessible only by a very remote road through Poe Paddy to a railroad bridge and tunnel. I think this is now a foot path trail. I made my self a parking spot and proceeded down the train track, over the river bridge and through the tunnel to the other side and then down the track about a quarter mile or so to where I could drop down to the river. I was fishing just above a bend that has an island in it and worked my way to just above the island. (google Poe Paddy State Park and expand the map and you can see the island in the bend).
Fishing streamers I turned an enormous brown trout that would have been a personal best at that time. Shook up I waded back to shore and sat on a rock to let the fish settle down. Sitting there I witnessed a wild turkey come off the ridge on the other side and settle down to the shore area opposite of me. That was my first wild turkey experience. That area is still listed as a Wild Area (White something?).
After about 15 minutes I waded back in but never rose that fish again. I had caught a few smaller brown trout during the day, and a few more on the way back to the car, but that brown trout I turned is still in my mind over 50 years later. So is the wild turkey and the wildness of the Poe valley so many years ago.
One trip was more of an adventure. I had purchased an old fishing map titled "Heart of the Alleghenies" "Central Pennsylvania's Vacation Land" and it had every trout stream identified and labeled. I found a remote spot (at that time anyway) of Penn's Creek accessible only by a very remote road through Poe Paddy to a railroad bridge and tunnel. I think this is now a foot path trail. I made my self a parking spot and proceeded down the train track, over the river bridge and through the tunnel to the other side and then down the track about a quarter mile or so to where I could drop down to the river. I was fishing just above a bend that has an island in it and worked my way to just above the island. (google Poe Paddy State Park and expand the map and you can see the island in the bend).
Fishing streamers I turned an enormous brown trout that would have been a personal best at that time. Shook up I waded back to shore and sat on a rock to let the fish settle down. Sitting there I witnessed a wild turkey come off the ridge on the other side and settle down to the shore area opposite of me. That was my first wild turkey experience. That area is still listed as a Wild Area (White something?).
After about 15 minutes I waded back in but never rose that fish again. I had caught a few smaller brown trout during the day, and a few more on the way back to the car, but that brown trout I turned is still in my mind over 50 years later. So is the wild turkey and the wildness of the Poe valley so many years ago.
Best days on Penns: Wet flies in riffle. I didn't move more than 20 yards for the entire evening. Dry flies during a light rain.
Worst day(s): Skunked
Best Fly: Light Cahill (spring)
Worst Fly: Green Drake. Too much competition from the naturals.
Best period: For about 6-7 weeks in May-June 1977, I was able to fish Penns 6-7 days a week from about 5 PM until dark. Very few other fisherman and stream condions were perfect until a series of storms washed it out for me, season over.
Most frustrating times: Fishing the green drake hatch, fish rising all around me and getting squadoosh.
Worst day(s): Skunked
Best Fly: Light Cahill (spring)
Worst Fly: Green Drake. Too much competition from the naturals.
Best period: For about 6-7 weeks in May-June 1977, I was able to fish Penns 6-7 days a week from about 5 PM until dark. Very few other fisherman and stream condions were perfect until a series of storms washed it out for me, season over.
Most frustrating times: Fishing the green drake hatch, fish rising all around me and getting squadoosh.
