Caddis & Hendrickson's

Fished last week, Wed. found me on Big Fishing Creek, the water level was perfect just a bit on the high side but given the fact that Penns was over 800 cfs I'll take the level. Arrived around 9:30 AM to a great hatch of Grannom's and rising fish (you had to wait and target each one), water temp was 49.3 and rose to 51 by 1:30 PM, took fish on a new bubble back caddis dry, it's nothing more that a Sid Neff style tie but with a CDC bubble under the deer hair with some of the fibers sticking out to simulate legs, it works but only floats till you take two fish on it- so you need a butch in your box. Decided to go back the Fishing Creek Thursday and arrived early, no caddis in the air but decided to use a new Grannom pupa imitation, Tiemco 2487 size #14 with a black nickle bead head and a cream green mole body ribbed with black organza and a hackle behind the bead of black hen, that was the bottom fly under a light Hendrickson nymph. All the fish that I took and there were several really nice ones ate the caddis! This might be another caddis folly, we seem to come up with patterns that might work one year then the next- nothing, here's hoping this might be that answer. About 1:00 PM the Hendrickson's started and one by one they cam not heavy but nice- no fish where I was, jumped in the car and drove to the SIG Center, they were eating them there but only a few, must have been the very start because the fish have not keyed on them yet. Friday found me on Penns, water was up but with careful wading not a bad fish, used the same caddis pupa and light Hendrickson tandem rig and they ate it! I thought I video taped some of the better fish but never had the dam thing turned on correctly, did take several fish in the 16-18" class, all in great condition. The Hendrickson's should be on like crazy this week and look for a good spinner fall each evening.
  Here's an update to the flour. tape that I took out of the trees on Penns, seems as if some guys are having competitiona and laying out beats to see who can catch the most fish in a given area while someone watches them- the bucket with a seat on it! The PA Fish & Boat Comm. gives them permission to do this but never comes back to check and see what they have left behind, what a crime by the very people who are chartered to protect our resourse and environment. Next up we'll have the NASCAR crowd handing out stickers and PBR beer- what a shame we have come to this shit, it's bad enough when a company sells a fish counter to keep score like you do in golf- what the hell.