salvelinusfontinalis
Active member
- Joined
- Sep 9, 2006
- Messages
- 7,284
What is it in this sport that heats your blood to run? Is it
watching caddis tango on a mirrored dance floor? Do you need a 20 inch leaping wild brown trout to make your day? How about a 15 inch wild brook trout? Is it just watching the morning break into a sun spark just over the horizon? Its something that, as anglers evolve though their career, we will ponder spiritually and mentally until we finally find that perfect harmony. Today I think I found it....No....
I know I found it.
The drive to our destination was filled with conversation of techniques, fly patterns and good old jesting. Just remember Jay and Slaymaker...24 inches will kill ya :lol: Matt...my mentor was to come on this trip but couldn't make it last minute. I understand his obligations....next time bud!
We arrived at Spring Creek just below Spring Creek Park in the
early morning. I promised these guys a good trip as Spring Creek IMO, is the best wild brown trout stream in the state. At least its arguable and worthy of such a mention. Neither of these guys have ever been to Spring and they were in for a treat. As the morning sun crested the horizon we were finished suiting up and ready to go fish. It was a cold 35 degrees.
Something about this stream always gets me going. Im enamored by its beauty and the amount of trout its waters possess. It never seems to matter what section you fish, or if your the first one there, or if a bunch of guys are there. Spring is going to impress you one way or another. I thought Jay walked passed me and I said, "DUDE look at this Hole!" Well it wasn't Jay. It was 4 guys that smiled and laughed at my high amount of energy. I apologized as I think one guy jumped. We talked some and I told them we were from Lancaster. They called us flat landers :lol:
This section of steam is listed as "Spring Creek Trout Management Area".Its really just part of the C&R ALL Tackle Regs.
I have never fished this section of Spring and it is an absolutely
lovely piece of water. Lots of riffles, deep pockets and big big holes. However Spring is much smaller in this section than what I am used to, which is not a bad thing. I think its more intimate. Typical of limestone spring creeks, Spring will get deep green anywhere there is depth. Don't let this stream fool you though, the fish can see you and the water is very clear all things considered.
The fishing was very slow and I kept reassuring Jay and Slay that things would "heat up". Something told me it was going to be a very good day for hatches....though none were to be seen. The fishing was so slow that even I began to have my doubts. I was tossing a Hares Ear Nymph and Scud tandem. Slaymaker was using the same but Jay was chuckin a Walts Worm with a Cress Bug.
I took this pic of Jay and turned to walk back to my rod and bam! Fish on! Jay caught the first of the day on his Walts Worm. I think he knew a secret....;-)
First Fish of the Day!
My Faith was restored.....things are going to get going in the afternoon, I know it
A double! Oh wait thats just Jay and Slay
We then came to an endless hole to no where. I put on a bugger and 2 huge split shots and couldn't reach bottom until 3/4 my drift! Amazing :-o There were 3 dead browns in that hole and one was huge. Shame too.....we caught no fish in that hole.
Slay and I worked a nice hole and I had my first bite. I Yelled, "Oh its a nice one!" It sure was! This fish fought and fought. Slay saw the flashing and had to come watch and see the nice trout I was landing. I was even excited...I never caught a big brown from Spring and this fish was big. Closer, closer, closer it came. Sucker! Now I know why they call them suckers. Slay got a pic of that fish, I was some what disappointed but then thought of Dan's Mentor post. Is it the suckers fault hes not a big brown? Then I got a good feeling and just remembered how beautiful it is stream side this day. Then I found the humor in it and the irony of the situation. SUCKER! Dave Wolfe is a very wise man.
Just down stream I landed my first brownand spooked several nice fish.
Nearing the end of this section we fished
We fished a ways downstream and we managed some fish each. We decided to head elsewhere. We were hungry as it was nearing 10:30 now and the subs and drinks in the cooler were calling us. It was beautiful outside so I suggested we eat lunch by the bridge @ Slab Cabin Run and watch wild trout scatter. What a cool little stream with some small trout. I went down stream as I was first to finish eating and spooked all kinds of fish upstream to Jay and Slay. I was a kid again up to my waist in water trying to run, almost catching a sculpin and getting stuck in the muck :lol:
Leaving here......
We got lost:lol: As is the exploring fisherman's legacy.....the art of wingin it to find the stream. U turns, 3 point turns and side roads. I bet since I was 16 I have put 50,000 (extra) miles on my car. Would we have it any other way? ;-)
We wanted to try the Benner Springs Area of Spring Creek as that is a section I haven't tried before. Also Jay's buddy said we should. Well good call sir! We ended up a bit upstream of the hatchery. We parked the car by this sign and rigged up.
I got stream side and it was now 12:00 pm. The first thing I noticed was the massive amount of BWO's coming off. I started to get excited again. They were pretty heavy and its my favorite mayfly. Suddenly I saw a splashy rise and then another and another and another. OMG imma changing my set up! It took me one cast to land my first trout on a dry for the day.
Slay came over and was taking a pic of the stream as I had my 3rd on and it was a very nice fish. Hopefully hell post a pic of that fish. I didn't take one as not to stress him too much.
I said, "You gotta put on a BWO."
Slay said he will if I keep catching some.
One Trout
Two Troutslater he was changing over ;-) Slaymaker doesn't have much experience using dry flies. I told him, "Go over there and cast to that foam line along the bank." Nothing was rising there but I told him to just prospect it there. BAM! BAM! BAM! He couldn't hook those fish but he got the hard part down very quickly. I couldn't even get a strike with dry flies when I was at his point in my FF career. He missed a lot of fish but we had all day I just sat back and watched him for a bit. He was so close to the timing, so so close. Then the caddis came out to tango and play.
Slay and I went upstream for a bit and I landed a bunch more fish. I went back downstream to find Jay but got distracted by all the rising fish. I had just released a fish and heard a whistle. There was Jay right behind me sitting in the grass with a massive headache.
I asked all wide eyed, "Dude you fishing dries?"
He replied, " Hell yeah!"
I asked, "You using a BWO?"
He said, "No Caddis".
Shocked I had to know, "How many you catch?"
He answered, " How many did I catch or how many should I have caught?"
Here the fish are taking both now. The Tan Caddis looked large for Caddis. Yellow Crane flies were hatching all day in both sections we fished. I wonder if the fish are keying in on them also. The fish were eager to the dries today as our numbers grew and grew. They did however seem new to the game and we missed a lot of fish. How fast does a Spring Creek Brown grow? Jay and I wonder if this was their first season eating mayflies and caddis flies. The fish sure seemed like they didn't know what they were doing today.
Slaymaker came back downstream and had talked to a guy that caught 65 trout this day. He was using a caddis and a hares ear dropper. Slay put that on his line and he sure looked like he was getting the timing down real nice now Your a quick study my friend.
I wondered downstream a good distance and I really starting catching the fish as the BWO's shutdown. Now it was all Caddis all Day. I put on a big ugly Goddard Caddis and the wild browns loved it.
REMEMBER!This is not only important to your health but the health of this wonderful stream. By all means read my report and head there for yourself and use what ever you want to catch them. Just don't keep them please!
This guy
This guy also
AND THIS GUY ALSO!DOnt belong in a frying pan. They belong in the stream. Thanks!
This guys just to small for even a stream you can keep fish ;-)
A nice One
One of Jays Trout. Sorry it got washed out. He was pretty bro!
Wow I think by this point I was up to 30 something.It was getting half ridiculous. I would see 10 or 15 fish rise in one hole. I tried to catch them all. I didn't take pics of all my fish. I woulda been taken more pics than fishing
Fish
Fish2
Fish3
Fish4
Fish5
The Stream
As the sun started to sink the trout shut off.
In the fading light the arch has run and the rising dark swells the sun. Cools to wax the trouts twilight blood, into the darkness to feed.
It was beautiful.
I walked back to the car and watch a few caddis still dancing around on the surface. I totaled out at some where around 40+ trout. Jay around the same and Slay said some where in the 20's or 30's. We still had some time to fish but we all agreed. WE CAUGHT ENOUGH! I never thought id ever say those words. We went to sheetz, ate, got jay some advil, and talked about the day.
I joked about what i was going to call this post. I wanted the 4 horseman but it didn't fit. The word Epic kept coming up. Jay was in some pain and he still said......"It was the Perfect day." The first thing I thought of wasn't all the trout we caught. It was me in Slab Cabin Run acting like a kid while Slay and Jay laughed at me. This is why I do what I do. This is why I love these environments. This is why I love fishing with friends. This is why I can sit back and watch Slay try and land fish with BWO's. It takes me back full circle to a very good place. A Perfect Place on A Perfect Day.
And these guys don't hurt either :-D
watching caddis tango on a mirrored dance floor? Do you need a 20 inch leaping wild brown trout to make your day? How about a 15 inch wild brook trout? Is it just watching the morning break into a sun spark just over the horizon? Its something that, as anglers evolve though their career, we will ponder spiritually and mentally until we finally find that perfect harmony. Today I think I found it....No....
I know I found it.
The drive to our destination was filled with conversation of techniques, fly patterns and good old jesting. Just remember Jay and Slaymaker...24 inches will kill ya :lol: Matt...my mentor was to come on this trip but couldn't make it last minute. I understand his obligations....next time bud!
We arrived at Spring Creek just below Spring Creek Park in the
early morning. I promised these guys a good trip as Spring Creek IMO, is the best wild brown trout stream in the state. At least its arguable and worthy of such a mention. Neither of these guys have ever been to Spring and they were in for a treat. As the morning sun crested the horizon we were finished suiting up and ready to go fish. It was a cold 35 degrees.
Something about this stream always gets me going. Im enamored by its beauty and the amount of trout its waters possess. It never seems to matter what section you fish, or if your the first one there, or if a bunch of guys are there. Spring is going to impress you one way or another. I thought Jay walked passed me and I said, "DUDE look at this Hole!" Well it wasn't Jay. It was 4 guys that smiled and laughed at my high amount of energy. I apologized as I think one guy jumped. We talked some and I told them we were from Lancaster. They called us flat landers :lol:
This section of steam is listed as "Spring Creek Trout Management Area".Its really just part of the C&R ALL Tackle Regs.
I have never fished this section of Spring and it is an absolutely
lovely piece of water. Lots of riffles, deep pockets and big big holes. However Spring is much smaller in this section than what I am used to, which is not a bad thing. I think its more intimate. Typical of limestone spring creeks, Spring will get deep green anywhere there is depth. Don't let this stream fool you though, the fish can see you and the water is very clear all things considered.
The fishing was very slow and I kept reassuring Jay and Slay that things would "heat up". Something told me it was going to be a very good day for hatches....though none were to be seen. The fishing was so slow that even I began to have my doubts. I was tossing a Hares Ear Nymph and Scud tandem. Slaymaker was using the same but Jay was chuckin a Walts Worm with a Cress Bug.
I took this pic of Jay and turned to walk back to my rod and bam! Fish on! Jay caught the first of the day on his Walts Worm. I think he knew a secret....;-)
First Fish of the Day!
My Faith was restored.....things are going to get going in the afternoon, I know it
A double! Oh wait thats just Jay and Slay
We then came to an endless hole to no where. I put on a bugger and 2 huge split shots and couldn't reach bottom until 3/4 my drift! Amazing :-o There were 3 dead browns in that hole and one was huge. Shame too.....we caught no fish in that hole.
Slay and I worked a nice hole and I had my first bite. I Yelled, "Oh its a nice one!" It sure was! This fish fought and fought. Slay saw the flashing and had to come watch and see the nice trout I was landing. I was even excited...I never caught a big brown from Spring and this fish was big. Closer, closer, closer it came. Sucker! Now I know why they call them suckers.
Slay got a pic of that fish, I was some what disappointed but then thought of Dan's Mentor post. Is it the suckers fault hes not a big brown? Then I got a good feeling and just remembered how beautiful it is stream side this day. Then I found the humor in it and the irony of the situation. SUCKER! Dave Wolfe is a very wise man.Just down stream I landed my first brownand spooked several nice fish.
Nearing the end of this section we fished
We fished a ways downstream and we managed some fish each. We decided to head elsewhere. We were hungry as it was nearing 10:30 now and the subs and drinks in the cooler were calling us. It was beautiful outside so I suggested we eat lunch by the bridge @ Slab Cabin Run and watch wild trout scatter. What a cool little stream with some small trout. I went down stream as I was first to finish eating and spooked all kinds of fish upstream to Jay and Slay. I was a kid again up to my waist in water trying to run, almost catching a sculpin and getting stuck in the muck :lol:
Leaving here......
We got lost:lol: As is the exploring fisherman's legacy.....the art of wingin it to find the stream. U turns, 3 point turns and side roads. I bet since I was 16 I have put 50,000 (extra) miles on my car. Would we have it any other way? ;-)
We wanted to try the Benner Springs Area of Spring Creek as that is a section I haven't tried before. Also Jay's buddy said we should. Well good call sir! We ended up a bit upstream of the hatchery. We parked the car by this sign
and rigged up. I got stream side and it was now 12:00 pm. The first thing I noticed was the massive amount of BWO's coming off. I started to get excited again. They were pretty heavy and its my favorite mayfly. Suddenly I saw a splashy rise and then another and another and another. OMG imma changing my set up! It took me one cast to land my first trout on a dry for the day.
Slay came over and was taking a pic of the stream as I had my 3rd on and it was a very nice fish. Hopefully hell post a pic of that fish. I didn't take one as not to stress him too much.
I said, "You gotta put on a BWO."
Slay said he will if I keep catching some.
One Trout
Two Troutslater he was changing over ;-) Slaymaker doesn't have much experience using dry flies. I told him, "Go over there and cast to that foam line along the bank." Nothing was rising there but I told him to just prospect it there. BAM! BAM! BAM! He couldn't hook those fish but he got the hard part down very quickly. I couldn't even get a strike with dry flies when I was at his point in my FF career. He missed a lot of fish but we had all day
I just sat back and watched him for a bit. He was so close to the timing, so so close. Then the caddis came out to tango and play.Slay and I went upstream for a bit and I landed a bunch more fish. I went back downstream to find Jay but got distracted by all the rising fish. I had just released a fish and heard a whistle. There was Jay right behind me sitting in the grass with a massive headache.
I asked all wide eyed, "Dude you fishing dries?"
He replied, " Hell yeah!"
I asked, "You using a BWO?"
He said, "No Caddis".
Shocked I had to know, "How many you catch?"
He answered, " How many did I catch or how many should I have caught?"
Here the fish are taking both now. The Tan Caddis looked large for Caddis. Yellow Crane flies were hatching all day in both sections we fished. I wonder if the fish are keying in on them also. The fish were eager to the dries today as our numbers grew and grew. They did however seem new to the game and we missed a lot of fish. How fast does a Spring Creek Brown grow? Jay and I wonder if this was their first season eating mayflies and caddis flies. The fish sure seemed like they didn't know what they were doing today.
Slaymaker came back downstream and had talked to a guy that caught 65 trout this day. He was using a caddis and a hares ear dropper. Slay put that on his line and he sure looked like he was getting the timing down real nice now
Your a quick study my friend.I wondered downstream a good distance and I really starting catching the fish as the BWO's shutdown. Now it was all Caddis all Day. I put on a big ugly Goddard Caddis and the wild browns loved it.
REMEMBER!This is not only important to your health but the health of this wonderful stream. By all means read my report and head there for yourself and use what ever you want to catch them. Just don't keep them please!
This guy
This guy also
AND THIS GUY ALSO!DOnt belong in a frying pan. They belong in the stream. Thanks!
This guys just to small for even a stream you can keep fish ;-)
A nice One
One of Jays Trout. Sorry it got washed out. He was pretty bro!
Wow I think by this point I was up to 30 something.It was getting half ridiculous. I would see 10 or 15 fish rise in one hole. I tried to catch them all. I didn't take pics of all my fish. I woulda been taken more pics than fishing
Fish
Fish2
Fish3
Fish4
Fish5
The Stream
As the sun started to sink the trout shut off.
In the fading light the arch has run and the rising dark swells the sun. Cools to wax the trouts twilight blood, into the darkness to feed.
It was beautiful.
I walked back to the car and watch a few caddis still dancing around on the surface. I totaled out at some where around 40+ trout. Jay around the same and Slay said some where in the 20's or 30's. We still had some time to fish but we all agreed. WE CAUGHT ENOUGH! I never thought id ever say those words. We went to sheetz, ate, got jay some advil, and talked about the day.
I joked about what i was going to call this post. I wanted the 4 horseman but it didn't fit. The word Epic kept coming up. Jay was in some pain and he still said......"It was the Perfect day." The first thing I thought of wasn't all the trout we caught. It was me in Slab Cabin Run acting like a kid while Slay and Jay laughed at me. This is why I do what I do. This is why I love these environments. This is why I love fishing with friends. This is why I can sit back and watch Slay try and land fish with BWO's. It takes me back full circle to a very good place. A Perfect Place on A Perfect Day.
And these guys don't hurt either :-D
