I've never caught native brookies fly fishing

T

timmyt

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Jun 20, 2007
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Only spin fishing many years ago.

What do i need to know before i go out and attempt this for the first time?
 
just go where there are... time of day, fly, is not that important...
 
Bring size 14 hi vis dry flies and have at it. They aren't that difficult on the right streams.
 
I guess the biggest thing i need to do is find some water that holds these purty little guys, i keep seeing pics posted on here of these super cool looking fish, and now i gotta do it. Now, do i go north south or west is the question...
 
timmyt wrote:
I guess the biggest thing i need to do is find some water that holds these purty little guys, i keep seeing pics posted on here of these super cool looking fish, and now i gotta do it. Now, do i go north south or west is the question...

Depends. Lots of info on the PABC website on where to find them. Actually too much information IMHO, but MHO doesn't count on that.

Native brook trout are the easiest trout to catch in PA. The difficulty is not in catching them or even finding them. It's finding them without spooking them and the locations are usually very difficult for fly fishing.

 
timmy, approx in what area do you live?

There's often some rigamarole regarding finding streams, access, etc. There's some frustration when you're there regarding casting in tight places and being hung up all the time.

And of course, once you are to a good place, some people will catch more than others. But pretty much everyone can catch some fish. It's very enjoyable even for beginners. From what I've seen, when you take beginners out to such places, it fires them up and encourages them rather than turning them off.
 
Pat, I sent him a PM and suggested the stream where you hit triple digits.
 
come up here for a few days and we'll take ya out for N. Central pa. flies included. will learn a lot.
 
IT's not at all hard, look for streams in State Forests or on SGL's, then you take some big stimulators size 12 is big enough, and go fishing. You'll find fish.
 
I too am a beginner - I've been fishing several times but I've never really caught much. I live in Pittsburgh and I am very interested in fishing small streams for brookies. I was planning to go out to Ohiopyle on Monday and Tuesday of next week to hike in along the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail, stay the night, and do some fishing in some small streams along the trail. The idea of backpacking in a really beautiful place and doing some fishing while there really appeals to me.

There was an article in the Tribune Review early this month about fishing along the LHHT which also named a lot of small streams, including those in the area I'm targeting. I'm wondering if a lot of others may have been similarly inspired and as a result the area is now fished out. Also, there is now the possibility of some rain and thunderstorms forecast for the weekend and continuing into Monday. I can deal with some rain but I wonder how it will affect the fishing. It seems to me that maybe small streams like these don't cloud up as easily as other waters but I'm still wondering if it is a good idea to go as planned. I can always cancel this trip and go another time if necessary.

Any advice on my plans for Labor Day is appreciated and if anyone else is in the Pittsburgh area, has similar interests and doesn't mind having a newbie tag along I would be happy to join them to do some fishing sometime.

 
In my opinion having water a bit couldy can make the fishing better. This is just me now, but in clear water for brookies, I would use dries but in off color water, try a little streamer. Actually I use a streamer in deeper clear pools too and the brookies hit them rather aggressively.

As to fishing them out, I doubt that's a problem. You are generally going to be catching 4 to 7 inch fish which are normally only fished for by C&R guys.

Have a blast.
 
My offer stands for anyone who has never caught a brookie, call me and we can set up a time to go out. I'll even supply rods, reels, and flies in trade for lunch.
 
sandfly wrote:
My offer stands for anyone who has never caught a brookie, call me and we can set up a time to go out. I'll even supply rods, reels, and flies in trade for lunch.

Oh thanks Bob. So those of us who have caught brookies before are not welcome? :-o
 
open to you foxy, only you have to buy me dinner and a movie too.. ;-) :lol: :lol:
 
How about if I act like I never caught brookies before? Can I then get away a snickers bar?
 
sorry budy no sweets diabetic, has to be a cheese steak and a beer from you, and we can walk from here to get them both.
 
I am going to take you up on this offer one of these days. I think it would be an enjoyable outing!
 
BrentL-

I have fished the Laurel Highlands several times in the last month-Fayette,Westmoreland and Somerset Co's.

I have hiked the LH trail many times. My expereince is the trail is up high on the ridge and the streams and creeks are very small at that elevation.

You can hit the streams down lower where they may be a bit larger (thats more my taste though). There is no doubt fish in all of the streams along the trail.

There has been a copious amount of rain this summer and the fishing has been good. The Laurel Highlands got blasted with rain yesterday so it is setting up for some good fishing this weekend.

In the summer I head further east to fish, but this summers precipiation has allowed me to stay closer to home for trouting.

Good luck- it will be a tad cooler in the highlands which is nice for camping.

 
Thanks for the advice acristickid and Foxgap. That's good information about using streamers, I'll make sure I bring a couple along. Also, I was actually planning to hike down from the trail to the Yough and fish the lower part of the streams, working upstream from the mouth. Maybe even doing some fishing in the Yough itself too.

And I'd love to take up your offer, Sandfly, but I looked up Tioga County on the google and it's a long way from here! Though I've been to Potter County before and it's beautiful up that way. I had a lot of time on my hands in the summer of 2011 and went fishing there for a few days. Unfortunately that summer was hot and dry and generally the worst possible time to be fishing for trout.
 
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