afishinado
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Some great info from Penns Creek Angler about the Green Drake hatch on Penns Creek Facebook page. (got permission from Bruce to post)
Penn's Creek Angler Fly Shop an Orvis Dealer, Weikert Pa.
So you want to learn a little about the Green Drake Hatch?
On the first day of the hatch it's mostly small males. On the second day small males and small females hatch. On the Third day the first males are mature. But the majority of the females are not ready to mate. On the fourth day there will be lots of mature males and more mature females. So you may get a spinner fall.
By the fifth day males and females are ready for mating and a spinner fall. There will also be hatching dun's of both sex's The Drakes also starts to get larger and the main swarm is building. The process generally takes 5-7 days to get to this point.
All the while nymphing and wetfly fishing with Drake Patterns has been in full swing for two weeks. (That time is now!).
The Green Drake Hatch is no different than any other hatch on Penn's Creek.
You see all these huge bugs buzzing past you at an alarming rate and you think the hatch moves daily upstream a couple miles a night. This doesn't happen as fast as you think. Generally, the hatch will remain good in any spot for 10 days once it's started.
The Green Drake Hatch usually starts when the water temp is 61-65 degrees. The whole event is largely based on water temperature. When a particular section of stream hits the right temperature the Drakes Hatch.
The lower creek (Millmont) 10 miles below the shop warms first, then the water upstream warms in various areas.
Keep in mind feeder creeks and thermal areas all have a huge influence on the water temperature on any given section of the creek. I can think of 7 different thermal areas from Spring Mills down to Millmont.
This is why you can have a great hatch in Weikert but also a great hatch in Poe Paddy on the same night.
To get to the point - If you are looking for the main swarm, what you are looking for is Mature Male and Female Drakes in the bushes along the creek. Then you can expect more hatching Duns, Egg Layers and Male Spinners to fall that night. Travel from Millmont along Creek Road up Penn's Creek and check the trees along the way and you will eventually find the right spot.
There are many different sections of Penn's Creek and they all have very different water temperatures depending on the Sun and Thermal Influences in that section. Mainly feeder creeks and springs but the twists and turns in the creek and mountains have an effect as well. Especially the time the sun comes on and off a section of water.
The other year, the Green Drake stayed on the Lower/Mid Creek for 2 weeks and then another week or so Above the C&R.
Here is what happened, Penn's hit the right Water Temp and the Drake started to hatch on the lower creek on May 22nd.
They hatched until the rain happened on the 25th cooling the water and halting the hatch.
On the 27th they started to hatch again only to be halted on the 30th by another cold rain.
Then on the June 1st the hatch was briefly stopped again by more cool rain.
After June 1st the creek really heated up and on June 2nd it was everywhere on the creek, upper, mid and lower and continued to hatch for another week or so.
**This same exact process is happening this year 2019**
There are many variables and conditions that effect the Drake hatch but this gives you a start.
Pic #1 Immature Male Drake, #2, Immature Female Drake, #3 Mature Male Drake, #4 Mature Female Drake. Find these four stages of the drake and you have found your fishing spot for the evening.
Wet Mountain Roads are Extremely Dangerous be Very Very Careful and go SLOW!!!. But the hatch is on the lower creek for a while.so stay down by the shop and lower for a while.
All the Best!
Penn's Creek Angler Fly Shop an Orvis Dealer, Weikert Pa.
So you want to learn a little about the Green Drake Hatch?
On the first day of the hatch it's mostly small males. On the second day small males and small females hatch. On the Third day the first males are mature. But the majority of the females are not ready to mate. On the fourth day there will be lots of mature males and more mature females. So you may get a spinner fall.
By the fifth day males and females are ready for mating and a spinner fall. There will also be hatching dun's of both sex's The Drakes also starts to get larger and the main swarm is building. The process generally takes 5-7 days to get to this point.
All the while nymphing and wetfly fishing with Drake Patterns has been in full swing for two weeks. (That time is now!).
The Green Drake Hatch is no different than any other hatch on Penn's Creek.
You see all these huge bugs buzzing past you at an alarming rate and you think the hatch moves daily upstream a couple miles a night. This doesn't happen as fast as you think. Generally, the hatch will remain good in any spot for 10 days once it's started.
The Green Drake Hatch usually starts when the water temp is 61-65 degrees. The whole event is largely based on water temperature. When a particular section of stream hits the right temperature the Drakes Hatch.
The lower creek (Millmont) 10 miles below the shop warms first, then the water upstream warms in various areas.
Keep in mind feeder creeks and thermal areas all have a huge influence on the water temperature on any given section of the creek. I can think of 7 different thermal areas from Spring Mills down to Millmont.
This is why you can have a great hatch in Weikert but also a great hatch in Poe Paddy on the same night.
To get to the point - If you are looking for the main swarm, what you are looking for is Mature Male and Female Drakes in the bushes along the creek. Then you can expect more hatching Duns, Egg Layers and Male Spinners to fall that night. Travel from Millmont along Creek Road up Penn's Creek and check the trees along the way and you will eventually find the right spot.
There are many different sections of Penn's Creek and they all have very different water temperatures depending on the Sun and Thermal Influences in that section. Mainly feeder creeks and springs but the twists and turns in the creek and mountains have an effect as well. Especially the time the sun comes on and off a section of water.
The other year, the Green Drake stayed on the Lower/Mid Creek for 2 weeks and then another week or so Above the C&R.
Here is what happened, Penn's hit the right Water Temp and the Drake started to hatch on the lower creek on May 22nd.
They hatched until the rain happened on the 25th cooling the water and halting the hatch.
On the 27th they started to hatch again only to be halted on the 30th by another cold rain.
Then on the June 1st the hatch was briefly stopped again by more cool rain.
After June 1st the creek really heated up and on June 2nd it was everywhere on the creek, upper, mid and lower and continued to hatch for another week or so.
**This same exact process is happening this year 2019**
There are many variables and conditions that effect the Drake hatch but this gives you a start.
Pic #1 Immature Male Drake, #2, Immature Female Drake, #3 Mature Male Drake, #4 Mature Female Drake. Find these four stages of the drake and you have found your fishing spot for the evening.
Wet Mountain Roads are Extremely Dangerous be Very Very Careful and go SLOW!!!. But the hatch is on the lower creek for a while.so stay down by the shop and lower for a while.
All the Best!
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