Another Great Photo Submission from:

Patrick Williams

This brown was caught last week from Fishing Creek. I've actually caught this one several times because he's always under the same tree root structure, and always eats a woven stonefly. It looks like he spends too much time in the tanning booth during fall, resulting in a permanent Jersey-orange hue.

Thanks again Pat! Yet another contribution to the fish porn you have already submitted! We appreciate it!

Identifying “The Hatch” Fish are Eating

This past week Brian and I have been lucky enough to enjoy being treated to multiple hatches through the course of an evening of fishing. As you can see in our stream report, most of the local streams have an abundance of aquatic insects hatching throughout the day/evening. Take for instance on Spring Creek the evening started out with me fishing a size 16 Tan Caddis pattern because the trout were feeding methodically around fallen trees, eddies, and other seams in the main channel.

Then I noticed other fish that were working were not attacking the caddis flies that were traveling downstream. At this moment after watching numerous caddis go untouched through the “feeding zones,” I looked down at the water in front of me. I think that anglers tend to keep their eye on the trout that they are casting towards and sometimes lose sight of what is going on in their immediate surroundings. It happens all too often. A fisherman gets so in tuned to the bug they've caught a few fish on that they miss a blue-winged olive or a black caddis hatch.

How do you miss it? The larger sulphur or caddis fly hatches are much more evident than crane flies or spinner falls that we miss an opportunity to continue quality dry fly fishing into the later hours of the evening. To stay in touch with the variety of bugs that will frequent the streams is to be observant! Look for subtle changes in rise forms, did the fish sip a dry fly, chase an emerging insect, or did they aggressively attack a nymph from underneath and splash the waters surface? These are all things to think about and offer a lot of information about what the trout are doing from the bottom all the way to going airborne for a fluttering caddis.

Another theory held by the generalist is that it's simply all about a crisp drag free presentation with an attractor pattern that will raise the interest of a feeding trout. Whatever your basic beliefs are as an angler it is important to be aware of your surroundings. Have an idea of the potential insects that you could see on the water (Have your fly boxes stocked!). Take calculated steps to approach each cast with the thought that each new cast may bring the fish of a lifetime.



Enjoy!

Weekly Fishing Report

For everyone out there who is curious to what is exactly going on these rivers well here is the update you have been waiting for! EVERY river continues to fish well.

Kirk nymphing a good stretch on Spring Creek

Little Juniata River:


Hatches: Sulphurs!! Tan and Olive Caddis.
Patterns:(Dry) GT Sulphur emerger #14, Sparkle Dun #14, Elk Hair Caddis Tan and Olive #16
(Nymph) Pheasant Tail #14-16, Bird of Prey Caddis #16, Zebra Midge Red or Brown #20
Techniques: If they aren't boiling on top look for the channels and the plunge pools and bounce some nymphs off the bottom.. But seriously the water is boiling with trout. No need to nymph.


Spring Creek:

Hatches: Sulphurs, BWO's, Tan Caddis, and Midges oh my!
Patterns: (Dry) Sparkle Dun Sulphur #14/ BWO #18, X-Caddis Tan #16-18
(Nymph) Pheasant tail #16, Trina's angel case sulphur #16-18, Williams Cress Bug #16, Olive scud #18
Techniques: Look to mix and match dries, the fish are changing what they are feeding on depending on the bugs. I caught fish on BWO's sulphurs and tan caddisflies on thursday.


Penns Creek:


Hatches: March Browns, Sulphurs are starting; Hendricksons, Quill Gordons, and grannoms are about done.
Patterns: (Dry) Sparkle Dun March Brown #10, Rusty Spinner #14
(Nymph/wet) March brown wet #12, Pheasant Tail #14-16, Hares Ear #14, Walt's Worm #14-16
Techniques: Blind cast some March Browns to dead falls and structure. You may be able to tease a couple of fish to the surface. Swing some wet flies and bounce those nymphs on the bottom. The fish are hungry and gearing up for some of the bigger hatches!

Hendrickson on Fishing Creek

Fishing Creek:


Hatches: Tan and Green Caddisflies, Some Blue quills and hendricksons remain.
Patterns: (Dry) X-Caddis Tan #16, Green #14, Blue Quill Spinner #16
(Nymph) Green Weenie #14, Golden Stone #10, Pheasant Tail #14-16
Techniques: Focus on nymphing now. The water is super low and the fish aren't as active as they were during the grannoms. Seek the big deep runs and go deep with golden stones and weenies. Look late for some Blue Quill spinners.

Brown Trout taken with a Flashback Pheasant Tail Nymph

Fly Spotlight

Bead Head Flashback Pheasant Tail 

This pattern is the fly of the week because it's going to be the supreme sulphur nymph imitation for the next few weeks. This pheasant tail pattern has been by far the best sulphur nymph imitation for me for the last I don't know how many years. Check out the site I got the pictures off of for more tying inspiration! http://www.kyndoutdoors.com/fly-fishing/fly-tying-patterns-details.cfm?id=200

By: Chris Turner 

Hook: 10-18 TMC 2488 or 3761 depending on if you want the fly body curved or not.

 Thread: black 8/0

Abdomen: pheasant tail fibers

Thorax: peacock herl or peacock dubbing

Tail: pheasant tail ends

Rib: gold or copper wire

Head: bead, and shell back or flashabou is flashback material

The Sulphur Hatch has Arrived on Spring Creek

Tonight Brian and I got a chance to fish to multiple hatches on Spring Creek with some success.  We wet our lines around 5:45PM and took several finicky fish on Tan Caddis patterns.  There were a lot of caddis on the water and I started noticing sulphur's above us in the air, crane flies hovering, and a moderate amount of blue-winged olives on the water.  After the caddis slowed down I switched to a size 18 Blue-Winged Olive and took a fair amount of fish but nothing of note on the measuring tape.  Following that, I switched to a Sulphur Dun pattern and took an additional 6-8 fish.  Most of the fish that we caught were medium sized Brown Trout but hey it's still fun catching healthy, well-fed fish.  

My uncle and father reported that they had great days on Penns Creek using a variety of Woven Stoneflies, March Brown, Grannom Caddis, Hendrickson, Red Quill and Sulphur patterns.  In other words, get out there and give it a try!  The season is young and moving in fast forward!  

"Treat" of the Week

Lately I have been missing Alaska a little bit, being stuck here in State College, PA and then I thought about this little "treat." That's when I realized.. hell it won't be all that bad to not be up there for the entire season. 


What people don't know about a seasonal operation is that each season there is an extensive ordeal when it comes to setting up and breaking down the lodge for the season. The breakdown is hands down the worst end of the deal. Just think about it, as a guide you have just spent 120-150 straight days on the water and now you literally have to break down the entire operation and winterize it. I always tried to sneak out of there early so I wouldn't have to do it, but one way or the other I would get sucked into completing all of the following tasks:

• Winterizing all of the motors: 2 30 hp jet units, 5 various speed propellor powered motors
• Hauling all the boats up and securing them down (There are a total of 7 boats of different shapes and sizes)
• Breaking down two canvas tents and storing all 4,000 lbs of shit that we have stored in them
• all welding torches, rubber boats, oars, good wood, styrofoam insulation, concrete, etc... 
• Boarding up the windows
• Antifreezing the pipes
• Breakdown and storing the dock
• Loading and chain locking the 4 wheelers

I'm sure there are plenty of things I left out, but to be honest that's the worst of it. It may not seem like a lot right now, but the only thing on your mind at that time is getting home, beating the weather, having a nice cold cocktail on the plane ride home, and finally getting to sleep in your own bed again. 

Elk Hair Caddis

I was looking online for a great presentation of how to tie an Elk Hair Caddis and I came across Rob W. of Lakestream Outfitters video.  It's a high definition how-to video that will aid you in brushing up on your caddis tying skills.  Of course you can change the color of the dubbing and hackle to meet the needs of whatever Caddis pattern you need to replicate.  


Brian and I have spent some time on Spring Creek the last couple days and have had some fun fishing the Tan Caddis hatch that has been happening the last few weeks.  Some fish you'll catch with a good drag free cast and others have been very particular on feeding on a moving fly.  As you watch the "real" caddis on the water it is interesting to watch how selective some trout can be.  Brian and I will give the rod a twitch, or even strip a few inches of the line in to mimic that realistic flutter that you see to the subsequent take of the trout.  Here are a few pictures that Brian and I have documented while out on the streams at various parts of Spring Creek.