Falling Springs Branch

[greenlander]

Decided to make the almost 3 hour drive to fish Falling Springs Branch for the first time yesterday.

Wow.

Not exactly the right choice for the day.

Surprisingly, I was able to get what I thought were quality drifts through that maze of watercress and weeds, but wasn't able to lure any fish out.

Conditions seemed primed for an evening hatch, but despite prowling the stream till I wouldn't have been able to see to tie on a fly, I saw only a single rising fish, which I succeeded in spooking.

 

[The_Sasquatch]

Fish don't rise in the Cumberland Valley ;-)

Was it super sunny out?

 

[greenlander]

At times, but there were large stretches when clouds rolled in and the stream was completely overcast, including the evening hours.

I probably should have tried some more scud patterns. but I was blaming my fishing instead of the drifts. I'm also a complete idiot for heading there with my 9' z-axis instead of my 7 foot 3 weight.

I drove off that stream cursing myself for having chosen to go there and swearing to never return.

I woke up today and want to go back.

But seriously. That stream is ridiculous.

 

[The_Sasquatch]

You know, that's the draw of the CV. It'll kick your arse, you hate it, but then the next day all you can think about is how you can beat the streams. The first time I took my dad to Big Spring, he got rocked. That's rare for him. He's a master on freestoners, but never fished limestoners like that before. Taking a skunking was tough on him. I managed a beautiful bow, and he said he never saw a fish like that in his life. We drove home and he was pissed. The whole way home, he talked about what a waste of gas and time it was...

The next day I was over at his house w/ my wife and kids, and the first thing he started talking about was how he was going to approach that stream the next time we go. It worked, as he caught a couple of the brookies (harder than the bows!) the next trip out.

Scuds, cress bugs, and sculpins, dude. In the heat of summer, you can use beetles and such (at least, that's what Sal has told me...I haven't been to the CV in the dead heat of summer), but generally its not a surface game out there. I constantly get my arse kicked on those streams, though, so don't put a lot of stock in my "advice" haha!

 

[greenlander]

I was underneath virtually all day. But I was fairly limited in patterns I was trying, as I said, blaming my read of water or drift.

I didn't start getting hopeful about a hatch until around 6pm when a few sulphurs started showing up (which promptly stopped 20 minutes later). I actually left FSB frustrated around 5:10 hoping to give Big Spring a shot for the last couple hours of the day. I made it about 8 miles up 81 and turned around, determined to -- as you said -- beat the stream.

Yeah, right.

I just got done writing about being confident about your fishing when approaching challenges on the water. I threw it all out the window the moment I saw that creek for the first time yesterday, and spent the entire afternoon and evening bumbling around like a goddamned idiot.

 

[The_Sasquatch]

Dude, at least you have the balls to try it. Guys show up on those streams, get intimidated, and head for Yellow Breeches or something. Those are the streams that make us better.

 

[greenlander]

The_Sasquatch wrote:
Dude, at least you have the balls to try it. Guys show up on those streams, get intimidated, and head for Yellow Breeches or something. Those are the streams that make us better.

After being there less than an hour, a text message sent to a friend of mine at 3:25pm reads:

"I should leave and head to the Breeches right now."

 

[Broad_Top]

Yeah don't feel bad. I've spent several days worth of hours on that stream in the last few months and can't fill two sets of fingers with fish I've caught.

 

[klingy]

Greenlander,
It's all part of the game. They letort gave me a good spanking tonight, but it's the fact that I know the fish are there that always brings me back. I generally stay sub-surface unless there are risers (except during terrestrial season) on the CV streams. I also prefer weighted flies - I find them easier to work in the lanes of the weeds and such. Bottom line - dont give up - when you finally have a good day in the CV, you'll feel like you accomplished something...then you'll want to do it again! Good luck!

 

[midgeman]

The fish in falling springs don't usually show themselves too often. My success there or should I say successful outings have been determined by the following:
1) fishing the bridges from the upstream side, drifting the fly down (usually a duel rigged dry set up or streamer)
2) fishing the open water by fishing up stream and dropping streamers along the cut banks made of cress / grass / improvements.
3) going slower than slow! Wearing green, brown or light blue clothes and never anything bright.
4) big fish lay where you least suspect them to be. Usually right off the bank and at my feet. Flipping a streamer and going slow really improves my chances of connecting with one.

Be prepared to have a heart attack or immediate depression if you follow the above steps.

I bring 2 rods, and 8 weight for flipping streamers or a 3 wt for the finesse fishing.

 

[greenlander]

Threw this up today. Not crazy about how the article turned out, but it has a few photos of the stream you might enjoy:

http://hatchmag.com/blog/falling-hopes-falling-springs/771660

 

[troutwilleatflies]

I have never been there but arter looking at those pictures I would like to visit to see it in person.That is a really nice looking stream and I can see why you would fish it even though the catching is tough.
There was a stream in my local similar to that but then they destroyed it in the name of "progress" many years ago.

 

[greenlander]

troutwilleatflies wrote:
I have never been there but arter looking at those pictures I would like to visit to see it in person.

Yeah, the meadows section is really beautiful, even though there are residences most of the way along that section. The lower portion flows through a more developed area and ... well, not so much.

I was actually surprised how populated that area was. Not at all what I was expecting.

 

[Troy]

I enjoyed your article. I have a love/hate relationship with those streams, but it's more love than hate.

 

[greenlander]

Troy wrote:
I enjoyed your article. I have a love/hate relationship with those streams, but it's more love than hate.

Ah, glad to hear it.

And, I agree. I really want to hate that stream, but can't seem to manage it.

 

[addictedangler]

Perhaps try some of the not so popular streams in our valley. I will not mention names but there are atleast 3 or 4 I use that seem to be more productive . Also try some areas on those streams that are not pounded. Pressure makes fish very smart. I try to stop by and fish for a hour or so a few times a year to keep some knowledge for future trips. The Letort is one of my home waters and hatches have been off for many years. I do not put in as much time in the evenings as in the past so on her but I do not get good reports of bugs from other locals. I know the fish are there because I have seen them and catch a few few when the time is right . It is good you try and enjoy these streams and post true reports.

 

[greenlander]

addictedangler wrote:
Perhaps try some of the not so popular streams in our valley. I will not mention names but there are atleast 3 or 4 I use that seem to be more productive.

Absolutely. As long as the water has strong numbers of wild fish in it, I'm interested.

 

[addictedangler]

I decided to fish FS this morning. Hooked 5 and landed 3 on Testelated darters. I got one in the tourist section and the others were below rt. 81. There were a few small fish rising but nothing really on the water.