It has started

I fished Penns on Sunday before going to State College and had a nice morning with no one around! The parking lot was full of cars but no one at Johnson's, a nice day was had trying out some of the monster new streamers that have come off my vise this winter, very big articulated patterns that I had to see if they swam right, they in fact did but I noticed that maybe I should put some weight in them because they did not track that deep maybe 18-24" under the surface and that is not deep enough for the cold spring water- so back to the vise for me!
  When I was getting out of the water I did notice that the shore rocks are starting to have a few Grannon cases on them and that is a sure sign that the emergence will be sooner than expected with the good weather and lower water on Penns.
  Stay tuned for more on the early Spring conditions, the Witch Hazel has bloomed at least 2 weeks early this year, maybe we will have Grannom's and Hendrickson's early this year?

Some dates to remember

Just received an e mail from the Spring Creek Chapter of TU reminding me of a very special event this Sunday March 13th! "Veterans Service Program Streamside Opener" at the PFBC Fisherman's Paradise facility 1150 Spring Creek Road., Bellefonte. Veterans and all family members Streamside Mentors Anyone interested in checking it out. Come out for fishing, great food, kids games, hatchery tours, hookups with veterans,business/ industry leaders, lots of laughs and fishing! The chapter has a help veterans fish on Sunday in Paradise, they provide the equipment and the leadership needed, just show up and ask for help, what a fine way to give back to the guys and gals who gave for us, come check it out.
  Save Saturday March 19 at 9:00 AM at the Union County Sportsman's Club in Weikert for the "Fly Pool", bring your fly tying tools and materials and show what your working on for this year and see what the other guys are doing, it is a great time to renew old contacts and maybe shed some of that excess material you have, coffee & donuts along with lunch is provided- just show up and tie!
 I'll see you at both events, this past week was "Olives" on Spring Creek.

A little venting

I received an e mail the other day about the The Feathered Hook wanting to start some float trips down Penns, I totally understand someone wanting to have more cash flow for their business and their desire to give their customers who may not be able to wade or walk the distances needed to get to some of the spots a helping hand, but? I have seen the amount of canoes and kyaks that come down in the Spring and just what they do to the fishing- nothing! the fish go down for a while then come right back up the only thing these people do is piss us anglers off, they almost never have manners enough to ask if it's ok to float by or try and go behind us instead they cause us to get up set! Think about it most of them go past quickly and quietly then the fish rise again in a few minutes but when the beer/soda cans come down after them that is cause for great concern but that is not why the new venture of guides and float boats is bad it is where the heck are they going to take out at, if it is private property without permission well then watch out for land to be posted and all of us suffer, this will prove to be a very toxic issue, stay tuned for the wars to begin. I for one will not be happy if some bearded guide floats to where I am and begins to have his client fish where I am- that will result in a not so nice conversation and maybe a raining of rocks in the water!
  Another subject that has pissed me off or shows how old I am is all the new films on fly fishing shows guy's with beards, tattoos and pearcings everywhere and they call every body "dude", where are the old gentlemen of our sport who have manners and style, I guess gone with the passage of time. I see the same ass holes doing competition fishing in our beloved streams for the sake of a few dollars or a medal, what the hell do numbers mean, just enjoy the total experience! For Christ sakes just enjoy the total outdoor experience and maybe catch a few in the meantime.