A bit late

Seeing some really good signs and actual hatching of "little black stoneflies" both on Penns and of course on the river, just look at the number of gulls sitting on the river eating their fill of them. Was at Penns last week and nothing happened till way late in the day but did see some strong rises to both fluttering stones and a few very large crane flies also skittering across the surface. The water level is good for us anglers but not good for the long range outlook, we need more water in the drainage in order for us to have a solid Spring and then our transition to Summer. I am betting that we will have the same conditions as we have been getting the last few years a below average Spring with maybe a few high water episodes then a below average moisture Summer that has an adverse effect on our trout population. Would be nice to see some solid snow as a ground cover and a gradual warm up so we can keep some of the water for later use but hey we have no control over it- so go fishing when the water is good and hope for the best later.
  On a side note the small nymph fishing has been very good if you use enough weight to get them down to the trout's level, it took "2" BB shots to get it done last week.

It's that time of year again

Just got an e mail from You Tube telling me that Season 8 of Fly vs. Jerks is now on with the first episode last Friday and every Friday it will come on again. Just Google "Fly vs. Jerks" and you'll see season 8's first showing, watch it. I know that fishing for pike is not something that we have access to but we sure have Musky around here and some of the flies and equipment that they use surely could be used here for them. I am amazed at the amount of technology these guys use to find fish and get to where they are going, new this year is the fact they can fish anywhere in Europe? I think that the amount of new fly gear they are using is just awesome as is the choice of flies and the material they use to tie them. It took me a while to get the wiggle tails they were using last year but I got them and  tied up a shit load of new streamer patterns for trout, the also have a sister channel call " Fly TV" that features pike and trout streamers and the methods they use to tie them, a good source to see all the new techniques people are using. They use pretty common materials when they tie, their use of buktails is extensive and the methods of how they achieve bulk is amazing, check out "reverse tie".
   The roller coaster weather is playing shit with our Winter fishing, it is coming down to if you see a good day you better just go then don't wait or the weather will take a turn for the worse. Have not seen a good amount of Olives yet but I am sure any day they will make an appearance. Think before you go, make sure there is not a lot of snow melt coming into the stream because that will put them off for a bit till the water stabilizes.

We won a battle but not the war

Late last week Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) reversed a plan to sell off millions of acres of Federal land in the West, he released this statement "I am a proud gun owner, hunter and love our public lands", what the hell does than mean. Well you got caught with your hands in the cookie jar and now your saving face with the sportsmen and women who vote, what a bunch of crap. All the while the Governor of UT is pushing for the land transfer from the Federal government to his state, watch out next will be a land transfer with out a sale! These guys will stop at nothing to give our lands to the oil, gas and mining interests and deny us our right to use these cherished public lands. When they come under pressure they revert back to the "I love you sportsman crap", all the while planning their next assault.
  Another government crap action is the PA Fish and Boat Commission asking for public comments on stocking of class A water and then quickly moving on to smallmouth bass in the river, wow I guess their mind was made up and the comment was just a typo, same shit from them- let's stock so we can show someone that their licence sale counts, to hell with the resource. They moved to make Bale Eagle class A but still want to stock it then why do you do that, makes no sense. I am not in favor of  not stocking it, if not where do the Center Cty residents have to catch and keep fish? If your going to designate a stream class A make it for a good reason and let the natural resource take care of itself, abet make sure the rules are followed.
  On the fishing side the midge fishing has been great, last Monday was an epic day with midges skittering everywhere, the trout would not take a dead drift fly but would chase a skittering one, they came a foot to eat it. I have been using Trout Hunter 6x tippet on the Griff's Gnat and have not had any of the old twisting of the leader that I used to have, hard to break old habits of using what I thought I needed "7x", it just gave me fits with leader twist. Get out there and fish!