Year is Complete but still will fish

Fished last night after a blistering hot day, about 6:00 PM a few fish started to work nothing great but some to keep you busy. I got myself into position across and up from the overhanging tree on the far bank and waited. One fish started to work on the bottom of the small indentation just out from under the tree after 6 good floats he took it, from the start I could see it was big, fumbled around and turned the video camera on (I pushed the button twice and got 3 seconds of video) it was a great fight and when I got him in my hand I could see it was not your typical Penns brown- a true measured 21"+ fish!!! What a relief to finaly get the bugger, sat down to catch my breath then waded back out to try for the top fish, which looks a bit larger. He started to work at the junction of the current and the back water, got at least 3 good presentations to him and of course when he took I was just too fast- nerves! I had the right combination to make the cast, Winston BIIX 8'6" #4 rod and a SA XPS WF4F Grey line with a TroutHunter 10' 5X leader and 18" of Rio 6X tippet attached to a #16 Parachute light Sulphur, using the XPS line gave me the distance that I needed to get to the far bank, something that has not happened while I was using SA Sharkskin lines (they tend to overload the rod at the wrong time). This is not a bullshit story just a fact that I was so dam excited that I screwed the camera up and will have the memory in my mind and the fact that the fish was measured! I need help with the camera operation-HELP.
  Oh heck the only real hatch was a light Invara or Rotunda larger sulphur nothing to write home about. At about 7:30 the sky looked very dark and the wind sounded like a train- time to get out an to the car- call it a night!
  Oh forgot to tell you how to measure a fish, yea Mike it can be done fast.
1. Carry a measure net, just net the fish and add up the total from both side of the net bottom, works well but I do not carry a net just got tired of having the dam thing hit me on the back of the head after it hung up on tree branches. Don't need another item to carry, I'd like to tone it all down, that's why I like Trico's and Terrestrial fishing- you need miminal items.
2. If you have a custom rod built have the maker put trim bands on the rod, above the hook keeper that way you can measure from the butt of the rod up to the marks.
3. Carry what I do, a small plastic bread wrapper tie and measure the fish from the rod butt up and attach the bread tie to the rod, release the fish then measure where the plastic tie is, easy and fast. I'm not big on screwing up a standard fly rod putting tape on it, takes away from the beauty of the finished product.

Never Break These Rules

Here are three rules that will land your ass in hot water and loose your fishing buddies;
Rule #1 If some one takes you to a spot that you have never been to before or you take that person to your spot NEVER take someone else to that spot, it is fine for you to go back by yourself but you can not take anyone there, just a rule that has been enforced from that start of time. Just follow the paths to all the secret spots and enjoy them.

Rule #2 Never ask for someone's pattern if you have never contribulted to the good of the order, if your fishing friend wants you to have it he'll give it to you if not shut up.

Rule #3 Always measure a few fish at the begining of the year just to get your eye back and subtract 2" from the bullshit that you tell everyone about how big your fish are. If your into numbers and size take up another hobby, we have no room for you.

  More rules to follow, oh heck here is the number ONE all time rule; If you see someone is fishing in the spot that you wanted to fish, move on! No one wants a fellow to walk in on him, christ it's hard enought to find peace and quite away from the stream we don't need a Siamese Twin attached to us while we fish- move on or better yet get there early, make sure it's your spot or the spot that your buddy pointed out to you, if not move on to a better spot with bigger fish.

The Truth on sites

If you look at the fly shops web sites and their stream reports you'll find glowing reports of blanket hatches of Grey Fox, March Brown, Sulphurs and Crane Flies- not so much! It has always been the case to have Grey Fox and March Brown's hatch all day long but never a solid hatch just a good amount to keep the trout interested in them and eating them. The Crane Flies are still going on but you'll have to determine if your area has trout keying on them if so tie one on and have at them. The Sulphurs are really not going at this time (lower Fish For Fun area on Penns), did have one fish take a few but the numbers were not their, The hot happening is Grey Fox spinners or Ginger Quills to the old guys, at about 7:45 to 8:00 PM the fish key on them and really eat them. in the next two weeks think Sulphur Duns, Grey Fox spinners then Sulphur spinner till the Drake comes on them I'm off the creek. Last night I refused to show an old guy my fly and he got pissed, oh well tough shit- find your own pattern and keep it to your self. Everyone wants the sure thing and instant gratification, put your time in and have a few fish less days while you learn then maybe you'll understand why some guys just do not share what they have learned.
  Oh yea NO March Brown spinners hit the water if they ever do when you can see them! Want the truth read Gates AuSable or HeadHunters web sites and you'll see truth about their resource not hype.

May 1, 2013

Update on Penns for the first week of May 2013, early it was a Crane Fly orgy, every where you looked they were emerging and the trout were eating them. We had both yellow and orange bodied Crane's hatching in size #16 & #18, easy tie; small vernille color to match the body, burnt at the rear, wing of stiff Zelon and a bit over sized grizzly hackle palmered around the wings, a simple but very effective tie, if you need help with it just ask and I get you one. It has been a while since I have seen that many emerging on Penns and if you don't have one sit it out because they get really picky, no Bruce they were not midges! At about 11:00 AM the Gray Fox and some March Browns began to emerge, it generally takes a while till the fish key on them but they did, not in big numbers but it still provided a good fish, the bright sun did not help with the overall numbers, this week Wed & Thursday will be the best days to fish all day. The evening was filled with Hendrickson spinners, sad to see that hatch over, it is Spring to most of us and we know that we will have to wait till next year to see them again! Next on the list is Sulphurs and the evening flight of Gray Fox spinners and the March Brown spinners that never make it to the surface till well after dark if they ever do fall? This next month is the most technical of the entire year and you'll have to pay attention to exactly what they are taking or just get skunked- good luck. Think Gray Fox & March Brown emergers thru the day and Sulphur's early evening, then Gray Fox Spinners while the Suphurs are emerging- watch the rise forms to determine what the fish are taking.
  Tried for the big guy under the tree but with a Shark Skin line the rod gets overloaded and the last 18 to 24" just wil not happen, next time I'll underline the rod using the same line. If you use a Shark Skin line use a rod that is rated one line heavier that of your line and you'll get the distance your looking for.

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.

Trash 2013, take some home

Our local TU Chapter completed our annual Penns Creek clean up Saturday April 20, just what we needed "a day no one could fish due to high water"! As shown in the attached picture we had a very good day, please note that not all the trash is shown due to late arrivals and one generous fellow taking his finds home with him. It is worth saying how much any group of people can help by just going out and tackling an area, any trash that is picked up is like a breath of fresh air. If everyone would just take a few pieces with them as they leave an area what a huge difference it would make, please do not use the excuse that you did not put it there, take it out! Next time out look around and see what you could take with you.

It Will Make You Feel Good

The other day when I fished Penns every time I looked around all I saw was trash, plastic bottles- clear and green like little beacon lights. I have no idea how the heck all of them end up in the stream but they are there this year in big numbers, there was also two trees that had red. flour tape hanging from them! Yes you could just fish but that is not all it is about, it's about seeing everything that nature has to offer and taking it all in for the total experience. As I made my way upstream the amount of trash just became to much to bear, well right before me was a 5 gal. plastic bucket with a nice board on top and 4 rocks in it, a home made seat- who the hell does that, well that was taken down ASAP and I used the bucket to put the plastic in it. In less that 10 mins the bucket was filled and the red tape was taken off the trees, a bit better but still not pristine. At this time of year everyone needs to take some trash with them as they leave the stream, yea I know you did not put it there but you can take it out- let's all take a bag out every time we fish.