Poor outing in York today

[HopBack]

I went fishing on two separate streams in York county today that both hold a healthy population of wild brown trout. I thought it would be a great day considering the weather and the cooler water temperatures but I was pretty disappointed. I started off around 7 am and ended around 12 pm only catching 3 trout (2 wild browns and a stocker rainbow). There were trout in every hole that I came across but they just stuck to the bottom and seemed lethargic. Nothing was feeding and they didn't spook too easily either. So I guess where I'm going with all of this is what gives? They can't be spawning already right?

 

[klingy]

Cold front came through recently. Bright skies. Could be the culprits. Or not. Every time I think I have trout patterns nailed down, a have a great day on an outing I wouldn't have expected (or I get skunked on a perfect day!)

 

[Fishidiot]

HopBack wrote:
So I guess where I'm going with all of this is what gives? They can't be spawning already right?

Hop,
It's highly unlikely that they're spawning yet. Wild browns in PA spawn in Nov as a general rule.
Late summer- early autumn fishing for wild browns can be sketchy. The fish are often cautious and water can be low and clear. All things considered, I'd say you had a pretty good day. Take some time to review in your mind how you caught the fish you did: What were the conditions they had in common? Were the fish deep or shallow? Did you get them high or low in the water column? Pools or riffles? Which flies produced and which didn't?

This is all part of the challenge and fun of fly fishing - putting together the pieces of the puzzle.

 

[troutbert]

It's fall now. It was pretty cool overnight.

You almost certainly would have done better in second half of the day, rather than fishing in the morning.

Both trout and bugs get more active after things warm up some.

You quit at noon. You'd be better off starting at noon.

 

[HopBack]

I caught one on an elk hair caddis, one one a prince nymph, and one on a woolly bugger. Each trout was in a different type of water as well i.e. riffles, deep water, and a slow stretch. All the trout I saw were laying very close to the bottom and often times mixed in with suckers and would barely move when you walked up on them. The water temp probably fluctuated a lot his week and it was very clear, although the flow I feel was pretty decent for this time of year.