Eastern Pa

steveski · 10-18-2009, 09:40 AM

Anybody trout fished in Eastern Pennslyvannia? I'm going to visit with my Dad there next week and there is a beautiful stream filled with brown's open all year for fly-fishing. I've never fished it but I did meet a guy who was having a lot of success with a tiny black nymph. But, that was in the early spring and it will be the end of Oct. when I fish there. I'm more or less a beginner at fly fishing and have really no experience other than on the Big D. There I fished exclusively with bead-headed nymphs and had good success with them. I suppose the bead head would work back there but I'm wondering what he was using. I asked him what it was and he replied that he didn't know what it was. He cut a fish open and its belly was full of these little black nymphs, so he just tied one up. Any thoughts from anybody who's fished back east?

FishWonk · 10-18-2009, 10:57 AM

I grew up fishing PA streams. Of course, it all depends on exactly where you're fishing, but you might generally think small flies. The browns in some of those streams can get mighty finicky, but the great thing is, often you can find consistently rising fish - something I really miss about PA that I don't find nearly frequently enough in OR. Wet ant patterns are one of my standbys. If I had one fly to fish in PA, it'd be an ant pattern, fished damp.

I'd suggest contacting a local fly shop in that area for latest reports. Enjoy!

also, don't forget the tradition of providing a story for your first post to I-Fish!

Loneangler · 10-18-2009, 12:39 PM

[QUOTE=steveski;2778151]Anybody trout fished in Eastern Pennslyvannia? I'm going to visit with my Dad there next week and there is a beautiful stream filled with brown's open all year for fly-fishing. I've never fished it but I did meet a guy who was having a lot of success with a tiny black nymph. But, that was in the early spring and it will be the end of Oct. when I fish there. I'm more or less a beginner at fly fishing and have really no experience other than on the Big D. There I fished exclusively with bead-headed nymphs and had good success with them. I suppose the bead head would work back there but I'm wondering what he was using. I asked him what it was and he replied that he didn't know what it was. He cut a fish open and its belly was full of these little black nymphs, so he just tied one up. Any thoughts from anybody who's fished back east?

[/QUOTE

I was raised in eastern Pa and learned to fish/flyfish there, but I left in 1954, so no recent info. I fished the Brodheads Creek and other creeks in the Poconos almost daily. Plenty of caddis, small stone flies and mayflies there. That is the only place where I tied and fished flies size 18 and 20. Gray hare's ear, light bodied flies and a local fly called the breadcrust were effective. Lots of very large browns and fat rainbow and they are a hoot on a size 18 fly. The breadcrust was usually size 12 but most other flies I used were in the size 14-18 range. I hope you get into them because it can be a blast.

steveski · 10-21-2009, 06:27 AM

Thanks for the help. I'll be fishing the Bushkill near the Delaware.It will be beautiful this time of year. I'll look and find a fly shop in the area. I'll report back next week.

Loneangler · 10-21-2009, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steveski

Thanks for the help. I'll be fishing the Bushkill near the Delaware.It will be beautiful this time of year. I'll look and find a fly shop in the area. I'll report back next week.

The Bushkill is the creek I learned to fish on before we moved north to the Poconos and I then "lived" on the Brodheads. You must be fishing close to Easton. The Bushkill is fun to fish. Have a good time and good luck.

FishWonk · 10-21-2009, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steveski

Thanks for the help. I'll be fishing the Bushkill near the Delaware.It will be beautiful this time of year. I'll look and find a fly shop in the area. I'll report back next week.

I've caught some beautiful browns right downtown in the old industrial neighborhood - weird, but fun! Don't let the neighborhoods fool you - some nice trout lurk in there! Looking forward to a report! I'd love to see a photo or two as well - it's been over 20yrs since I've fished it.

Wiggley1 · 10-24-2009, 07:04 AM

Check how far Harrisburg is from ya.
The York
Yellow Breeches
La Tort

steveski · 11-22-2009, 02:14 PM

There was quite a bit of rain and high water but managed to bring one in about 12" brown I think. Didn't bring it out of the water. I was nymphing and got a couple of nice strikes. I was expecting to catch a small mouth or Rock bass, but the water was pretty high but clear. Took some great pictures but I was so anxious to get in the water and fish I left my camera attached to my creel backpack strap and took it off in mid stream to get a strike indicator out and before I noticed, my camera bag was about 100' downstream still floating in the current. I won't make that mistake again. I got caught by a couple of deer ticks right at the start. Came back the next day with Deepwoods and solved that problem. It will be another 5 yeara before I go back but looking forward to it. What a beautiful stream.

Loneangler · 11-22-2009, 06:04 PM

[QUOTE=steveski;2836054]There was quite a bit of rain and high water but managed to bring one in about 12" brown I think. Didn't bring it out of the water. I was nymphing and got a couple of nice strikes. I was expecting to catch a small mouth or Rock bass, but the water was pretty high but clear. Took some great pictures but I was so anxious to get in the water and fish I left my camera attached to my creel backpack strap and took it off in mid stream to get a strike indicator out and before I noticed, my camera bag was about 100' downstream still floating in the current. I won't make that mistake again. I got caught by a couple of deer ticks right at the start. Came back the next day with Deepwoods and solved that problem. It will be another 5 yeara before I go back but looking forward to it. What a beautiful stream.[/QUOTE

Which creek did you fish?

steveski · 12-05-2009, 07:42 AM

Bushkill near the boyscout camp

Loneangler · 12-05-2009, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steveski

Bushkill near the boyscout camp

That is where I taught myself to fish for trout at the age of 8 (1944). No one in my family ever fished and no one nearby to show me the ropes but plenty of fish for a young guy to cut his teeth on. At that time, I was a bait fisherman and did not learn to flyfish for another 3 years. For a little kid, I got to take lots of 12-16 inch rainbows and browns home to the folks for dinner from the Bushkill.