Slate Run Area

[MaxScott]

Am heading up to my native PA to fly fish late September in the Pine Creek, Slate and Cedar Run areas. Would appreciate any advise on fly type and sizes. I'd like to try some streamers in Pine Creek also. Also going to hit Red Bank Creek in my hometown Brookville. Taking 2, 3, 4 and 5wt rods... Max

 

[DanVerona]

Sorry, can't help with Pine as I've been meaning to get there myself.

Did you have luck on Red Bank when you lived there?

I've been meaning to take some big streamers up to the dam at New Bethlehem. Read elsewhere on this forum, can't remember where, that there are some nice big fish hiding in there...

Good luck on your trip back...

 

[MaxScott]

I was a very poor fly fisherman when I lived there back in the late 60s early 70s. I fished Red Bank a couple years ago though and did well...used Royal Wulff, size 16 with a #16 beadhead dropper rig. 4wt rod, caught 4 nice trout...healthy buggers. There was not a soul on the creek the whole time I was there. I fished it up from Blake's Bridge. Max

 

[MaxScott]

I'm taking 4-5 new rods I've built (Sage, T&T and Winston) to try out...want to get onto some brookies in the side streams with a 2wt.

 

[NedZeppelin]

Max: Here's your handy list of Class A trout waters, although up in those regions, as with many others, that is not the only place where the brookies (and brownies) hang out.

http://fishandboat.com/classa.pdf

 

[just_jon]

I would call Slate Run Tackle Shop. They should be able to identify any hatch activities. My one and only brookie fly is a #14 Royal Wulff.

 

[Chaz]

Isonychia's in a # 12, and tan caddis in # 18. I don't think fall caddis have started yet, but have some of them just in case.

 

[sandfly]

black nosed dace has been killer on pine.

 

[MaxScott]

I have been in contact with Slate Run shop, I rented a cabin about a mile from them. I intend to stop in there the day we arrive and get some advice and buy some local flies.

 

[Fishidiot]

Max,
Terrestrials work well across PA in the autumn months and are good searching patterns on technical streams (like Slate and Cedar) that are low and clear with no obvious bug activity. I'd have some beetles, flying ants, wet ants, and maybe a cricket or hopper or two. Small bees or hornet flies are sleepers and work very well for me in the Sep-Oct time frame.
Any good sized streamer flies and maybe a sink tip line will allow you to bomb Pine Creek for big trout or smallies.
Good luck with your trip - let us know how you made out.

 

[icyguides]

Max, you mentioned using a 2wt. If i were you i'd reserve the 2wt for tiny brookie water. You might already know this but slate and cedar are decent sized streams and have some large wild brown trout, so you might want to use something with a little more backbone. The big browns are nobody's fool, they're healthy, and powerful. When hooked they often run right for, and usually live in/around, brush/cover so having something that can pull them away from it is helpful. Good luck and have fun. Slate and cedar are very beautiful streams. In my opinion the epitome of PA wild trout fishing.

 

[MaxScott]

Roger that on the 2wt...I intend to use that for brookies. I use a 4wt for most of my trout fishing, and a 3wt often...but I don't like to play a fish too long. I'm taking a couple 5wt T&T rods for streamers.

Any recommendations on tippet? When I fish a dropper rig, I use regular leader tied to my top fly and run fluoro tippet off the top fly to the dropper fly. I am bringing 5, 6 and 7 tippet...I have 8, but doubt I will use that.

 

[sandfly]

5x is all you need 99% of time up here, for brookies maybe 6x. If you get to the top of canyon area stop by..we ar just outside of Wellsboro 8 miles on route 6.

 

[icyguides]

I don't see a need to use small tippets up there, but i generally use heavier tippets everywhere i fish. I stick between 2x-5x 95% of the time. Like all wild trout the fish in cedar and slate aren't super selective most of the time, but they can be very spooky. If you can sneak into pools with feeding trout undetected you should be fine with any tippet. Just be stealthy and don't false cast overtop of where you plan to fish.

 

[troutbert]

MaxScott wrote:

Any recommendations on tippet? When I fish a dropper rig, I use regular leader tied to my top fly and run fluoro tippet off the top fly to the dropper fly. I am bringing 5, 6 and 7 tippet...I have 8, but doubt I will use that.

You should always carry 3x and 4x. For rebuilding leader when you lose half of it in the shrubbery.

But also because for streamer fishing, 3x is ideal for the final tippet.

And 4x is good for a final tippet, when using big dry flies like Stimulators when the water is up after a rain.

5x is what you will probably use the most.

I'd bring the 6x along too.

But you can leave the 7x and higher at home.

 

[sandfly]

I do have some 9x, 10x,and 12x I take out on the brookie streams now and then..12x + 1.1 lbs. test more than enough for them.

 

[Chaz]

I usually don't use lighter then 5xunless the brookies aren't hitting.
For larger streams it's larger tippet.

 

[midnightangler]

I do have some 9x, 10x,and 12x I take out on the brookie streams now and then..12x + 1.1 lbs. test more than enough for them.

How does that 12x do against the mountain laurels?

 

[JackM]

He's a careful caster.

I really haven't noticed brookies being tippet shy, but to each his own.

I have only a modicum of experience, so....

 

[SoYoCoTransplant]

I use tipper in the 2lb range be it fly fishing or spinning tackle.