OT: Took a fly fishing 101 class tonight....

[CF LION]

Reels, rods, fly lines.....leaders and knots....insect fly patterns. Had no idea that different flies are used at different times of the year based on when insects hatch.

The instructor said that he has guided tours in Alaska, Montana, Arkansas, Tennessee among other locations, but that one of his favorite fishing locales is central PA near State College. He didn't mention specific streams.

I see how someone can get sucked into the sport. I signed up for 201 which will be a class this Sunday on the water.

 

[Limestone_Lion]

If you ever want to get out let me know. I spend about 100-150 days a year on the water and most of my time is spent in the state College area. Arguably the best area to fish in the country (for how many options there are within an hour of State College)

 

[The Spin Meister]

What is amazing is how you have to learn several knots to tie. Differing materials and differing diameters require different knots.

Best advice; when you get to a stream, make a cup of coffee and just sit there watching. See what is hatching, see where they are rising/hitting. Cut open first catch to see what they are feeding on.....unless it is a catch and release area!

 

[Mace54]

Took my first Fly Fishing 101 class back in 1988 with the great Joe Humphries at PSU ! He was a great man. Our final consisted of the class using their own tied flies and going on a trip to Spring Creek. Watching Mr Humphries fish was like listening to classical music...it was witnessing pure genius. I thank God to this day that I had the opportunity.

 

[PSU IE 97]

If you ever want to get out let me know. I spend about 100-150 days a year on the water and most of my time is spent in the state College area. Arguably the best area to fish in the country (for how many options there are within an hour of State College)

Wow, color me jealous.

 

[LionJim]

Took my first Fly Fishing 101 class back in 1988 with the great Joe Humphries at PSU ! He was a great man. Our final consisted of the class using their own tied flies and going on a trip to Spring Creek. Watching Mr Humphries fish was like listening to classical music...it was witnessing pure genius. I thank God to this day that I had the opportunity.

Yeah, I can just imagine. Thanks for this post, it's made my day.

 

[step.eng69]

If you ever want to get out let me know. I spend about 100-150 days a year on the water and most of my time is spent in the state College area. Arguably the best area to fish in the country (for how many options there are within an hour of State College)

Is it the limestone streams that make great fishing?

 

[bkmtnittany1]

Is it the limestone streams that make great fishing?

NO....IT'S THE BEER!

 

[mrpete333]

Get a cheap rig, fly, like a Berkeley Buccaneer, some brown crickets from your pet store.

6 foot leader, one small split above it, have a ball as your line turns upstream.

 

[Limestone_Lion]

Is it the limestone streams that make great fishing?

Yes. The geology of the area makes for incredibly diverse and fertile streams. Spring Creek, Little Juniata, Big Fishing Creek, and Penns Creek are the main ones. Incredible fisheries.

Wow, color me jealous.

That is in the process of slowing way down though as we speak HAHA my wife and I are expecting our first child in July. So Fishing will slow down a bit, but i will continue to fish multiple times a week, even if its only after work!

 

[step.eng69]

NO....IT'S THE BEER!

F...er, I was being serious...

 

[step.eng69]

Yes. The geology of the area makes for incredibly diverse and fertile streams. Spring Creek, Little Juniata, Big Fishing Creek, and Penns Creek are the main ones. Incredible fisheries.

That is in the process of slowing way down though as we speak HAHA my wife and I are expecting our first child in July. So Fishing will slow down a bit, but i will continue to fish multiple times a week, even if its only after work!

How did you manage to squeeze in some romance being on the water 364 days a year? Pre tell, young man

 

[Limestone_Lion]

HAHA If i had my way, i would spend that many days on the water... Not as hard to rack up time on the water as one would think. Hard part for most people is justifying an hour of fishing after work. Hard to talk people into it when it requires getting waders on, rigging up, walking in, then only fishing for an hour before dark hits. Lots of work for so little time.

With that said, there is very few things in this world that are as peaceful as standing in a stream is.

 

[cment]

I dont golf or go to the beach etc, but fishing is my passion. My uncle began teaching me fly fishing when I was about 7. I fished whenever and wherever I could growing up and it was a great passion. There is as much science behind fly fishing as there is technique. About 10 years ago I had a "moment" while trying to lure a rainbow from a deep pool in a small creak and decided then and there I was going to learn how to bass fish (using conventional gear) really well. Specifically smallmouths. Bought a boat and gear and have been doing that ever since.
There is a small limestone creek very close to my house that I know holds wild brookies (I would guess only 10 people know about this stream since it is extremely rare to have a wild stream in my neck of the woods) and I pass it 4-6 times a week in the car. Yesterday, I was passing it while bringing my girl home from practice and thought to myself for the first time in years, I should get the fly gear out and head down there this weekend.
Fishing is one of those things that you can do almost at anytime and anywhere. Stick with it and you may really find a great hobby or an obsession that will bankrupt you.

(BTW - if you get a rig (which you will), grab some poppers and streamers and head down to the Brandywine for some fun panfish and smallmouth fishing. Great way to practice. Certain stretches are better than others. I have fished the creak from the confluence of the branches down past Smithbridge. The best area I ever fished was from Lenape to Northbrook. It has been years since I fished the Brandywine, so it might have changed.)

 

[Cpeplion]

Spruce Creek goes through my parents and grandparents properties. Jimmy Carter used to fish it all the time years ago.

 

[Limestone_Lion]

Spruce Creek goes through my parents and grandparents properties. Jimmy Carter used to fish it all the time years ago.

Spruce creek is an incredible stream. Reason i did not post it above is due to it being almost entirely posted property now, for private pay to play people. It holds a very high population of wild fish (I am in the wild trout side, and for the most part, hate all stocking of fish anywhere near wild populations), but the rich guy that bought it stocks giant pellet head fish in there for his clients. Ruined it for me and almost all fly fisherman that wish to fish for wild fish.
On the plus side, spruce creek tavern is right there, and one of my favorite places to fish in the state is around the confluence of Spruce and the Little J.

 

[LionJim]

Loving this thread. The passion you guys are putting out there, just freakin' awesome.

I've caught one fish in my life, a catfish off the old dock at the northwest side of the bridge connecting Dewey Beach with Rehoboth Beach, in 1968. The dock is still there and every time I drive by it it's as if it all happened only yesterday.

 

[Ct. Lion]

I would add one other small limestone stream and that is Logan Branch which comes out of a spring hole above the upper trout hatchery and runs down into Spring Creek upstream from Bellefonte. This is one prolific stream with one of the highest densities of scuds and sow bugs I have ever seen in a stream. I once caught a deformed brook trout with no tail and it could not swim yet living between two clumps of aquatic weed beds it just lay on the bottom and enough scuds and sow bugs floated by to keep it totally stuffed with food.
When I was at Penn State in the 1960s I was a volunteer with the Fish Commission and electro-shocking trips on Logan Branch gave them the belief that Logan Branch may have more trout per cubic meter of water than any other stream in the state. It may be different now but I bet it is still a productive stream. A muskrat nymph was my favorite fly and if I was using spinning gear a salted fathead minnow would always draw a strike from the browns in the stream.

 

[Limestone_Lion]

I would throw some photos up, but it will only link to my google photos site.

 

[Limestone_Lion]

I would add one other small limestone stream and that is Logan Branch which comes out of a spring hole above the upper trout hatchery and runs down into Spring Creek upstream from Bellefonte. This is one prolific stream with one of the highest densities of scuds and sow bugs I have ever seen in a stream. I once caught a deformed brook trout with no tail and it could not swim yet living between two clumps of aquatic weed beds it just lay on the bottom and enough scuds and sow bugs floated by to keep it totally stuffed with food.
When I was at Penn State in the 1960s I was a volunteer with the Fish Commission and electro-shocking trips on Logan Branch gave them the belief that Logan Branch may have more trout per cubic meter of water than any other stream in the state. It may be different now but I bet it is still a productive stream. A muskrat nymph was my favorite fly and if I was using spinning gear a salted fathead minnow would always draw a strike from the browns in the stream.

Ya unfortunately its much different now. The stream is heavily degraded due to many issues (development, stocking, etc..). Still a beautiful stream.

Ill add Lance Egans tailwater sowbug to the list for any limestone stream in the country. It and the muskrat nymph are tops for matching cress/sowbugs.

 

[bkmtnittany1]

F...er, I was being serious...

So was I!!!!!!

 

[step.eng69]

So was I!!!!!!

You mentioned you were on a drinking hiatus.. earlier this month..

 

[CattyGuy51]

Give a man a fish it will feed him for a day. Teach a man to fly fish and it will frustrate him for a lifetime.

 

[bkmtnittany1]

You mentioned you were on a drinking hiatus.. earlier this month..

My friend...it did not last to long. Those American Legions in our area are just to tempting. Alas, I am a weak man.

 

[psudukie]

Sulphers have started early for those local to the little j, spruce and spring creek.

Fun to fly fish almost with in the shadow of beaver stadium... even spring creek tribs can fish well. Thompson run and slab cabin. Fie those that stay at Hilton garden in you can catch fish right out back in Thompson.

Fun thread

 

[Grant Green]

Salmonfly hatch is right around the corner on the Deschutes River in Oregon. I highly recommend that you guys put it on your fishing bucket list. The native trout just go crazy for these bugs. It is an absolute free for all on one of the best trout rivers in the country.

 

[PSU Mike]

Thompson's was my go-to when I was around. My fav area to swing a fly is now in the Oregon coastal streams for sea run cutts when I'm out there. All wild, and pure electricity on a 5 weight.

 

[Cpeplion]

Spruce creek is an incredible stream. Reason i did not post it above is due to it being almost entirely posted property now, for private pay to play people. It holds a very high population of wild fish (I am in the wild trout side, and for the most part, hate all stocking of fish anywhere near wild populations), but the rich guy that bought it stocks giant pellet head fish in there for his clients. Ruined it for me and almost all fly fisherman that wish to fish for wild fish.
On the plus side, spruce creek tavern is right there, and one of my favorite places to fish in the state is around the confluence of Spruce and the Little J.

Wayne Harpster is the one that owns most of the rights to the creek and he makes millions off of his rod and gun club and farm operation. The part of the stream that I fish goes back through the mountain where my parents live and most of the rod and gun club people don't venture back that far.

 

[Limestone_Lion]

Wayne Harpster is the one that owns most of the rights to the creek and he makes millions off of his rod and gun club and farm operation. The part of the stream that I fish goes back through the mountain where my parents live and most of the rod and gun club people don't venture back that far.

Not sure who that is actually. I am thinking of the Homewaters people.

And ya I have fished the George Harvey section, but never ventured anywhere else in fear that I could be caught trespassing.

 

[tgar]

Wayne Harpster is the one that owns most of the rights to the creek and he makes millions off of his rod and gun club and farm operation. The part of the stream that I fish goes back through the mountain where my parents live and most of the rod and gun club people don't venture back that far.

Do you mean up toward the headwaters? Thanks.

 

[Ct. Lion]

"Shock it...and drop it". "These are the keys to the kingdom..." he had his shtick didn't he? he had this mesmerizing quality to him.

I will say this... on my last trip to Canada I caught my first Northern Pike on my own fly and my own hand tied leader. That is totally old school.

I used to think that fly fishing was trout only on a 5wt and then I became friends with a bunch of guys who never fly fish for trout. They opened my mind to see the possibilities that fly fishing holds for all kinds of species: Northern pike and big smallies in Canada, bonefish and barracuda in the Bahamas, redfish and drum in Louisiana and stripers/Rockfish on he Chesapeake. It's all good.

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Good point Ned. When I head to Florida for the winter I take 5, 7, and 9 weight rods with me for speckled trout and redfish out in the Mosquito Lagoon. When I get back home to Ct. I fish my 4 acre pond for bull-gills and in the summer I use an old glass rod for bass poppers fishing for largemouth bass in the pond.
Fall stripers on the LI Sound, sockeye on the Kenai Peninsula, are all fly rod destinations for me. You can be a fly fisherman and still be a versatile species fisherman too.

 

[Cpeplion]

Not sure who that is actually. I am thinking of the Homewaters people.

And ya I have fished the George Harvey section, but never ventured anywhere else in fear that I could be caught trespassing.

Harpster's Rod and Gun Club is east (off of 45 going towards State College) of Homewaters.

 

[Cpeplion]

Do you mean up toward the headwaters? Thanks.

If you're leaving State College on 45 W, its right there a few miles away from Ag Progress Days...the creek goes back into the woods a good ways and no one is ever up there.

 

[Hotshoe]

Took my first Fly Fishing 101 class back in 1988 with the great Joe Humphries at PSU ! He was a great man. Our final consisted of the class using their own tied flies and going on a trip to Spring Creek. Watching Mr Humphries fish was like listening to classical music...it was witnessing pure genius. I thank God to this day that I had the opportunity.

He was a fly fishing God, and an even better man.

 

[Limestone_Lion]

He was a fly fishing God, and an even better man.

Still is a god lol. He was just selected again to the world masters fly fishing competition (he is a reserve this year, as last year he struggled in Ireland in an all loch style competition). He still travels all over, and coaches up the youth fly fishing team usa members 1 or 2 times a year. He is one of the nicest gentleman anyone could ever meet.

 

[CF LION]

Following up on our 201 class today. Spent the first hour assembling the rod, reel, tieing the knots, etc. Learned a few different casts (I can't remember what they were called, but essentially one was overhead, one was to the side and one was kind of a step forward tecnnique when you don't have a lot of space behind you). There was one instructor per two fishermen, so my son and I had our own instructor. He was this older gentleman, probably close to 80 years old. Fortunately very patient.

We spent about an hour in the stream. My son caught two small mouth bass and successfully brought them both in. Conversely, I lost two flies and caught no fish. Had a few on the hook but they got away. We fished in the Chester Creek for anyone familiar with Delaware County streams.

It was a lot of fun. My son asked when we can go out again, so I guess I have to invest in our own gear.

 

[Limestone_Lion]

Le

Following up on our 201 class today. Spent the first hour assembling the rod, reel, tieing the knots, etc. Learned a few different casts (I can't remember what they were called, but essentially one was overhead, one was to the side and one was kind of a step forward tecnnique when you don't have a lot of space behind you). There was one instructor per two fishermen, so my son and I had our own instructor. He was this older gentleman, probably close to 80 years old. Fortunately very patient.

We spent about an hour in the stream. My son caught two small mouth bass and successfully brought them both in. Conversely, I lost two flies and caught no fish. Had a few on the hook but they got away. We fished in the Chester Creek for anyone familiar with Delaware County streams.

It was a lot of fun. My son asked when we can go out again, so I guess I have to invest in our own gear.

Let me know what you are thinking you need. I can help point you in the right direction. Some fly shops will push you into more expensive gear that is really not needed. Feel free to shoot me an email (not sure how to get it to you without putting it out in public for the trolls of this site to screw with though)

 

[CF LION]

Le


Let me know what you are thinking you need. I can help point you in the right direction. Some fly shops will push you into more expensive gear that is really not needed. Feel free to shoot me an email (not sure how to get it to you without putting it out in public for the trolls of this site to screw with though)

It seems like you can really spend a lot of money on this sport. I was looking at some rods in the store (it's affiliated with Orvis) and of course the one my son liked was $800.00. Then of course you have to add the reel, so you are well over $1000.00 right off the bat. They did have some rods for about $250.00, which would be just fine for a couple off rooks like us.

 

[Limestone_Lion]

Ya it can be incredibly expensive. I've been down that road. The rods are worth the money but they are not going to make you magically capable of catching a lot of fish. Once you get into it and do it a lot, you will learn what you need and then can purchase the new top of the line rod. But everyone is different and each companies top rod casts completely different.
And remember, a fly reel is just a line holder. You do not need an expensive reel (300 or more dollars) unless you are after steelhead, salmon, or large lake fish like musky or something like that). Your typical trout fishing will never require a reel to withstand rigorous runs of a fish for long periods of time. A great reel can be had for 100 bucks. My fly rod of choice is a syndicate fly fishing pipeline pro. Can be had for less than 400 dollars. It fits my style perfectly. I also own 3 or 4 rods that were over 800 dollars new (never would I spend that much. I got them used but in basically brand new condition) and I do not use them as the syndicate rod is perfect for me.

 

[PSU Mike]

It seems like you can really spend a lot of money on this sport. I was looking at some rods in the store (it's affiliated with Orvis) and of course the one my son liked was $800.00. Then of course you have to add the reel, so you are well over $1000.00 right off the bat. They did have some rods for about $250.00, which would be just fine for a couple off rooks like us.

Go used. eBay is actually a decent place to find gear, but you need to know what to look for. It's easy for me because I favor rod actions from the late 80's. They might be a half ounce heavier than today's best, but I still contend they're better to learn with. What do you intend to fish for, and where? How old is your son (I'm too lazy to scroll up). No reason you can't gear up for $250 for rod/reel/line.