2013 - Some Great Trout Fishing

[Fishidiot]

By all accounts that I'm hearing.....this has been one of the best trout fishing years (so far anyway) in recent memory. To be sure, I don't focus as much on trout fishing as many of you do, but when I've been out I have had some pretty good days. It really started for me with the Jam.....best hatches and fishing many had seen in years and the reports keep getting better. From what I'm hearing from my hard core trout friends is that the fishing and hatches this year have just been off the charts. Just the last 24 hours I've chatted with buddies who have returned from the Potter County/Pine Creek region and they just had epic fishing and tremendous hatches.
Perhaps it's been a combination of cool weather (at least until recently) and good, stable water flows without many storms that may partially explain things this year(?). More broadly, I've felt for some years that central PA is going through something of a wild trout boom with many streams seeing increased populations of wild trout and improving conditions (generally). Perhaps those who constantly lament the supposedly lost Good Ole Days of trout fishing in PA ought to get out more. However, this year in particular - from what I'm hearing - has been an especially good one for hatch matching and trout catching.

Thoughts?

Have you and your fishing buddies noticed this? If so, any theories or opinions you'd care to share?

 

[krayfish]

I don't think my numbers have been alll that good this year but inthink most of the fish have been good sized. I've missed most of the good hatches yet again.

 

[dryflyguy]

I've also had a banner spring.
I can't recall a single incidence where I had to change my plans, because the stream I wanted to fish was blown out.
Everything I wanted to do this year went pretty much exactly as I planned it out.
And that's rare.

Last year was also very good - but the earlier timing of the hatches, forced me to scramble around quite a bit to hit them.

These past 2 years have certainly made up for spring of 2011 - which was pretty much a big wash out

 

[csoult]

My year has been great also. Not amazing on the WW end though.

 

[afishinado]

Agree with FI. Just about every angler I talk to reports a good trout season, overall. This spring gave us good flows + temps + hatches = good fishing. Also maybe a fairly mild winter may have helped a little with fish survival.

Trout fishing is winding down in many streams.....about time for the WW Insurgents to do some probing missions on some of the PA streams and rivers. FI?

 

[k-bob]

NEPA small streams have been getting low, but rain is on the way

 

[krayfish]

If you haven't had a good season so far, call off work and go. The next 48 hours should provide some excellent fishing (cloud cover & drizzle). Wish I were out there.

 

[wgmiller]

I would have to agree with the sentiment that it has been a good spring for trout fishing. For all the reasons listed (stream fishability, hatches, etc.). I've bent a lot of graphite this spring!

 

[midnightangler]

My impression (personally and from a few others) is that last year the fishing was better in central and northcentral PA. The hatches were so early in 2012 that most people missed them entirely, but February through April were outstanding.

I think people who have to plan trips probably had it easier this year, since the hatches were actually on schedule. This year I did have outstanding fishing with drakes.

 

[troutbert]

The mountain stream fishing is just starting to get into the really good period. The rains in the forecast should be very helpful.

I like to hear the Rattling Runs rattle and the Roaring Runs roar.

 

[Hook_Jaw]

Has not been a good year at all for me this year other then some big trout throwing streamers in the high water earlier this spring I did far better last year but that's fishing.

 

[cvlimestoner]

I moved back to PA from Ohio, so heck yeah it's been good!

 

[jdaddy]

Fishidiot wrote:

Perhaps it's been a combination of cool weather (at least until recently) and good, stable water flows without many storms that may partially explain things this year(?). More broadly, I've felt for some years that central PA is going through something of a wild trout boom with many streams seeing increased populations of wild trout and improving conditions (generally).

Thoughts?

I agree with all of those factors, along with the fact that the lack of storms has resulted in much more available time to fish the streams for me personally. It's been a very good year.

 

[rrt]

Would say it's been about average. It seemed to take the higher water of spring longer than usual to come down, but since then, we've had no monsoons to foul things up badly, so much of May was good for hatch matching. Hatches seem about the same as normal, and the fishing to sulfurs, etc. has been all right.

 

[laszlo]

I've done good around my local streams, but my yearly trip to Kettle Creek was disappointing I only caught a handful in 3 days. I didn't hit the hatches right for that week.

 

[ryguyfi]

All I know is that I haven't had anything besides a dry fly on the end of my leader for the whole month of May...

 

[Coughlin]

Just got back from the Pine and Allegheny. Did well on both Sunday and Monday, then the clouds lifted, the sun shone, and the trout took cover. Did well enough close to dark when the fish started moving again. We didn't run into much hatching action. Some sulphers on the Pine and a goofy #10 something with greenish wings and a white abdomen on the Allegheny. Caddis, of course---most fish caught on a hare's ear soft hackle. All in all, though, it has been a good season so far!
Coughlin

 

[blueheron]

Pretty much standard year, average in all respects. Now last year, that was one weird year and if you knew where and when to fish was epic in quality and quantity. I saw more large fish in places I've rarely if ever seen them. Just a personal observation.

 

[dc410]

For me numbers probably about equaled last year at this time but I didn't get as much chance to fish for native brookies this year. Overall, this was a great year. Got a chance to catch fish on sulphurs, March Browns, Caddis and Tricos. Also, being able to catch one of those beautiful wild browns on the Little Juniata, Penns and Spring Creek at the jam this spring (thanks to PAFF) definitely made it a season to remember for me.

 

[tulenkot]

I fish Slate Run every year in late may and early June. This year there seems to be alot more trout, especially small trout and they are holding in places where I haven't seen them hold in 6 or 7 years. So on that note, I agree that wild trout may be rebounding. It could be a year class thing I suppose, but I feel its improving after feeling like it was declining over the last 5-10 years. I've seen it on other streams too but felg that Slate was a good example of a wild freestoner.