Flies for Slippery Rock Creek?

[RJD]

What type of patterns and sizes are most effective for trout at Slippery Rock Creek that flows through McConnell's Mill State Park? I am a warmwater fly fisherman from Ohio, and was going to try a few trout spots in nearby Western PA this season. Thanks.

Ron

 

[David]

There are a variety of mayflies and caddis (olives, sulphers, etc.), but two that I always have on the Slippery Rock is my giant stonefly nymphs and my yellow cranefly dries.
Although it is very pretty through the gorge, there is good fishing up and down the creek...there is a DHALO just downstream of the park, too.

 

[ryguyfi]

David wrote:
There are a variety of mayflies and caddis (olives, sulphers, etc.), but two that I always have on the Slippery Rock is my giant stonefly nymphs and my yellow cranefly dries.
Although it is very pretty through the gorge, there is good fishing up and down the creek...there is a DHALO just downstream of the park, too.

It's actually a Fly Fish Only section just below the Heinz Camp.

I fish that stretch a few times a year. I see BWO's and Sulphurs pretty regularly during the appropriate season. I Tie a pretty large rubber leg stone to represent a hellgrammite. They are pretty abundant in the stream, and the smallies go crazy for them. I have had a little bit of success with small midge nymph patterns... zebra in sz 20. Caught both smallies and trout on them. But for trout, just go for standard nymph patterns - HE, prince, PT, etc. BWO's, sulphurs, terrestrials, and adams for dries, and poppers and streamers. I have had good success with anything in white on that stream. I've had great days of the smallies smacking a sz 8 white marabou streamer, especially up by the Heinz Camp Dam. The thing with trout there, is that stream gets low and warm pretty quick, so the trout don't last too far into the season. It turns quickly into a warm water fishery. It's not unusual to go up and catch 20 fall fish during the summer.

I'm sure you're aware, but be careful wading. It is slippery, and you can go from 2 feet of water to 6 feet very quickly...Got it's name somehow...

Have fun and tight lines.

 

[David]

ryguyfi wrote:


It's actually a Fly Fish Only section just below the Heinz Camp.

Yep, just typin' faster than I think.