2018 NCPA Recap

The_Sasquatch

The_Sasquatch

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Joined
Jul 6, 2011
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Location
Malden, WV
It was a banner year for the North Central PA jam. Our "biggest" yet. 14 of us in attendance:
Sasquatch
Jerry (my dad)
Bikerfish
Chuck (Biker's friend)
Dave (Biker's friend)
Moosehead
Artificial
Linwood
RickinPA
Wetfly
Tim Robinsin
David (Friend of TR)
BradfromPotter
Les Trout

The past few years, low water was an issue. Obviously, that wasn't the case this year. Unfortunately on Thursday, the day began with more rain. But we managed to get out Thursday afternoon into the evening. Jerry and I fished some streams that are normally non-existent this time of year, but even they were bordering on too high. We then headed up into the Sinnemehoning watershed-a watershed that despite going up there almost my whole life, we never fished much-and found some nice big pools and willing fish. Some of the other guys checked out some of the more common stomping grounds near the camp w/out a whole lot of succes.

Thursday night was epic. Chuck mentioned that they forgot salt and vinegar chips. This led to me saying "Well, we can make a run to Coudersport for chips...oh wait! It's open mic night at Olga's Cafe!"

Within a few minutes, 5 of us (Chuck, Biker, Moosehead, Dave, and myself) were loaded into my dad's truck (he stayed behind to nap/greet Rick when he arrived) on our way to Olga's

Open Mic night at Olga's is quite an event. It was standing room only! When we first got there, an older lady was reciting some hippy-bippy poetry about the earth or something. Then an old timer got up to play and sing, but for some reason did not sing into the microphone which made hearing him impossible. Another guy got up and began to play some Billy Joel (Lord have mercy), followed by an acapella singer who had some unusual song choices-though her voice made up for it. Then, back up w/ the Billy Joel guy who, much to the approval of everyone in Olga's, led us in a rousing chorus of "Take Me Home Country Roads", changing the lyrics to "Potter County, Pennsylvania, take me home, mountain roads".

The last guy to perform got up w/ his laptop, connected it, hit the background tracks, and next thing I knew he was walking up and down the bar counter singing "Luck Be a Lady"...a little too close for comfort for me and the lads. Everyone polished off their Dirty Bastard Scottish Ales, and we were back in the truck to Sheetz for the chip run.

Back to the fishing:
The bulk of the group arrived Friday throughout the day. I took a few fellows back into the Sinnemahoning watershed, and Rick caught a HOG of a brownie, 20" for sure. Amazing fish! Some of the other guys headed up Slate Run where, w/ the high water and lack of people fishing this year, they had a banner day.

Friday night was more shennanigans at the cabin, including the Christening of the new "Please Do Not Feed the Sasquatch" sign, brought by Moosehead to commemorate the 1 year anniversary of Al and Chuck's tent being attacked by the bear.

Saturday morning Brad from Potter joined us in the AM for breakfast and BSing, and the fishing was back on. At this point, the small streams were just amazing. I took a few guys up into the Hammersley, which was just beautiful this time of year. Not sure where everyone else went, but it sounds like everyone got into some fish.

Saturday night ended with our normal communal feasting, drinking, pipe smoking, and BSing. I took a picture of all the guys hanging out in camp and posted it to my family's private FB page. Deer camp has been dwindling big time over the past 5 years or so, and the family was excited to see a cabin full of fly fishermen, making use of the camp! They were even more excited when I told the family that these guys helped stack the shipment of firewood that got delivered a few days before we arrived.

I love hosting this event. I look forward to it every year, and I know my extended family is glad to know the cabin is still being used for things like this. Looking forward to next year already. Mark it down. First full weekend in October!

 

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Good job


Sounds like a fine time.
 
A fine time indeed! 'quatch is a great host. Flyflingers who like uplifting experiences owe it to themselves to tap into this one.
 
Nice, looks like a good time as always up there.

How'd Hammersley fish for you guys?

That was the only bust day for us when we were up the week previous. Hiked in above the Dutchmen cabin and began fishing above there. We took a skunk to the split. Caught some Brookies up the left branch, but as well as everything else of similar size fished that week, it was a bit of a headscratcher why lower Hammersley was so off.
 
I nailed a couple dozen, man. Dry dropper, got them on top and bottom. Fished from the ford up to the split, then I went up the right side a bit.
 
Haha, that's great! I was fishing the same setup! Snipped the dropper off once we got up the left branch, the Brookies up there were just hitting the dry.

Good it fished well for you guys. Like I said, that was the only day that was out of pattern from the rest of the trip. Maybe it was coming off of just being fished the day before, though there were no vehicles there and no one fishing the day we did.

Everything else all week fished like Hammersley sounds like it did for you guys. We got 50ish on a nearby, similar sized stream the day before. I only fished dries that day and still caught 2:1 Browns to Brooks. One of my best days ever up there.
 
I'm coming next year. Or I should say that I'll do my best.
 
Great weekend! Sorry I bailed out sat morning, but the fishing friday was outstanding, 20+ fish on Slate is always an awesome day!!!
Also found some new places to explore, can't wait to get back!!
Thanks agian for hosting us Andy, it's a pleasure to share your cabin with you and your father and all the other great folks that show up!
Lots of fish and bear free!!
 
Look we made the front page! I woulda written up something a little more "professional" had I know that we'd get published haha!

No bear this year. I checked around the cabin for tracks. Nothing! I can't believe it. Maybe that bear got capped last huntin' season! Gutted it, and found your tent inside?
 
Just wanted to say Thank you Andy for hosting the Summit again. Always a great time. Great seeing old friends from paflyfish and meeting new ones at this event. Looking forward to next October.
 
The_Sasquatch wrote:
I nailed a couple dozen, man. Dry dropper, got them on top and bottom. Fished from the ford up to the split, then I went up the right side a bit.

Did you catch many browns in Hammersley, or was it mostly brookies?
 
troutbert wrote:
The_Sasquatch wrote:
I nailed a couple dozen, man. Dry dropper, got them on top and bottom. Fished from the ford up to the split, then I went up the right side a bit.

Did you catch many browns in Hammersley, or was it mostly brookies?

Split pretty evenly, I'd say, until the split. Then all brookies.
 
Yo tro

I started below the ford and quickly got into small brookies, some were too small to actually ingest the #16 caddis. Within the first hour, I had landed 5 from 5-8 inches. I then worked fairly quickly through the next run and got a 9 inch brown. Then I worked over a really good looking pool for an hour - nada. I concluded there was one (or more) larger browns hogging the hole.

Wanting to get the Potter County Grand Slam I switched streams to find a willing rainbow.
 
The_Sasquatch wrote:
troutbert wrote:
The_Sasquatch wrote:
I nailed a couple dozen, man. Dry dropper, got them on top and bottom. Fished from the ford up to the split, then I went up the right side a bit.

Did you catch many browns in Hammersley, or was it mostly brookies?

Split pretty evenly, I'd say, until the split. Then all brookies.

Thanks for the info. I'm glad the trout population is doing OK there. That stretch has gone through some brutal scouring floods, and also droughts over the years.
 
This years NCPA Jam was the best yet. Good to High water as opposed to LOW WATER in past years, although first year I didn't net a fish. Great people, Great food and Great comradely. Visit to Olga's was awesome, a must do for next year.
 
What a great report.

One of these days I'll get up there to join you for this event.

Sas: Please check your PM.
 
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