PA Fly Fishing Stream
Reports
FALLING SPRINGS
The
Falling Springs is one of three designated limestone wild trout fisheries, and
fly fisherman nationwide recognize the Falling Springs as one of the best
limestone waters in the East. The Falling Springs with its constant water
temperatures makes for a great year round fishery. Most of the Falling
Spring flows through picturesque meadows. The stream is blessed with a
diversity of mayflies, caddisflies and midges and prime water for summer
terrestrial fishing. The Falling Springs has a great population of wild
rainbows. Many reaching lengths of 20+ inches. There is also a
very good population of wild
brown trout, but they are seldom seen or caught because they
are very wary. The downtown section is full of both stocked browns and an
increasing population of wild rainbows and brown trout..
Fishing Report on Falling Springs:
06/24/09
Chris and I ate lunch and had a nice afternoon on the stream. Water was
clear, 55 degrees and good flow. Not much hatching, but a few rising
trout. We worked over two sections of stream with both dries and nymphs.
Chris did very well for his first time on Falling Springs. Chris landed
two and lost three by the end of the day. One brown was a nice 14 inch
trout. It was a fun day and will be that again on Thursday.
LETORT
Out of all our South-Central PA streams, the Letort is by far the most
famous. This is where terrestrial fishing began. The brown trout of the Letort are
extremely skittish. Patience, the ability to sneak about and the proper fly presentation
are all needed to be successful on the Letort. Brown trout populations continue to
go up and down but still trout over 20" are present. Midges hatch year round. Blue Winged Olives, black
stoneflies, sulphurs and tricos hatch during their given times. Terrestrial fishing
becomes the norm over the summer months and good streamer techniques are a must for this
legendary limestone creek.
Fishing Report on LeTort: 06/22/08
After some discussion on what Peter wanted to do and try
fishing I decided it was best to hit the Letort first and then Falling Springs.
One was the dun and two we hit nice cloudy weather for the morning and those two
factors made me want to fish Letort first. The weather was 80's and well
cloudy. The water was crystal clear and 53 degrees. Plenty of
midges, a few caddis and morning sulphurs were hatching. Peter wanted some
surface trout so I looked for that. Peter did a fine job casting to wary
trout and I got him on several Letort browns. I found a few rising and I
decided to do the terrestrial thing. I did work. Peter missed two
landed a nice brown. Peter's first for the Letort. We fished for
about four hours before heading back south.
YELLOW BREECHES
Although not a wild trout stream, these trout can be very selective. Most
anglers fish within the 1 mile "no-kill" stretch at the Allenberry.
The rregulation section is great but some much water
can be found outside this area for both wild and holdover trout without the
crowded fishing. It is a stocked stream and stocked several times a year. The Yellow Breeches has a wide diversity of
hatching insects. Of all the insects, the "Breeches" heaviest hatches are the
black caddis, olive-bodied tan winged caddis, sulphurs and tricos.
Some good Hendricksons and brown drake hatches can be fished
over as well. The most famous is the White Fly Hatch and lets not
leave out the fantastic midge fishing. To round out the fishing, the Breeches is very well
known for its outstanding terrestrial fishing
and toughest midge sipping trout around.
Fishing Report on Yellow Breeches: 07/02/09
I picked up Bob and son Alex for a full day of
fun and relaxation. After some discussion, it was best to hit some easier
water since they were both not fly fishing much. We decided on here-the
good old breeches. The weather was perfect. A little breezy, sunny
and 80 degrees. Water was perfect as well. It was clear and 64
degrees. A few bugs hatching with very little rising trout. So with
that, I had Bob and Alex fish with nymphs all day. We had to work on some
on-stream techniques, but after the rust fell off both did well. We fished
double rigs and some nymphing techniques which are in my book. They both
missed and lost at least ten trout. Alex lost one close to twenty inches.
He also landed a brown around 14 inches and two more as the day went on.
Bob landed three trout-both browns and rainbows. While doing so teaching,
I landed two small browns as well. We all had a great time and after
signing a book we called it a day.
BIG SPRING
Big
Spring Creek sure has come a long way since I first starting fishing it back
when it was one trophy trout per day. Now it is classified as a catch and
release fly fishing only stretch of 1.1 miles; from 100 feet downstream of the
source (Big Spring) downstream to the Nearly Road Bridge.
Below that is open regulated water. Still, it is nothing like it
was in its hay day when Vincent Marinaro walked the grassy banks of Big Spring.
Much has been written about the rising brook trout once found in Big Spring.
These books describe a stream of miles and miles of rising brook trout, then
came the mills and then the final blow—a big hatchery at the headwaters.
Much has changed since the hatchery has been shut
down. Big Spring is now fishing much like a wild trout stream. Now one can
find trout outside what was locally known as the “ditch”. This once dead stream
is now on the rebound. There is plenty of trout to be found within the catch
and release water and good angling below the project water. The stream is
filled with some stream-bred rainbows and brown trout. The past population of
stream-bred brook trout is on the rebound. Thanks to some stockings of brook
trout fingerlings, many stream-bred brook trout have begun to appear within many
reaches of the stream. Efforts have begun to restore the
stream and once again make it a world-class fishery.
Fishing Report on Big Spring: 05/29/09
Again it was a beautiful afternoon. We fished for about two hours.
Had the clear cool waters to ourselves. Nothing hatching except for a few
midges and some rising trout in the ditch. Again I had the guys fish with
nymphs- my simple shrimp and used some tactics described in my book. We
all missed a total of four trout. Broke off one around 16 inches and then
we did landed a good fat 14 inch rainbow. A very nice day.
OTHER PA STREAMS
Jay Nichols-photo
Fishing Report on Carbaugh Run: 07/01/07
I can't believe it is July and are windows are still up and night temperatures
are 60's!! Great fishing and plenty more ahead. Need to get out.
Sam and I fished for a half day and spent it fishing for brook trout on
Carbaugh. The stream was in nice shape. It was clear and 63 degrees.
Some midges, BWO's and the occasional caddis fluttered by as we fished.
Sam wanted to fish for the brookies and we did so with dry flies. Sam
missed three, but began to stick and land them. Then missing a few more,
we decided to add a dropper. That work and Sam landed many more.
Some reached 10 inches and landed close to fifteen before heading out.
Nice time spent in the woods.
