The Fly Fishing Show 2015
For those of you that have not made the trip before it is a three day event that includes a very large exhibit floor, fly tiers, retail shops, educational programs and more. Many members from Paflyfish make their way to the show every year. Here is a link to a video and recap of the show in 2014. If you are looking for trips, rods, reels, flies, waders any gear or tying materials this is the show to hit. There are many outstanding presentations about fly fishing techniques and locations to attend as well.
I enjoy going to the show to see a lot of good friends that end up there every year. Justin and team from Allen Fly Fishing can always be found at the show. Tom "afishinado" Ciannilli at the Orvis booth on Saturday. Guides and tiers from the site like Mike Heck, Dave Allbaugh, Rick Nyles & Nick Raftas are there at booths.
Details can be found on the Fly Fishing Show website.
Somerset dates: January 23-25, 2015
Show Hours
Friday: 10am – 6pm
Saturday: 8:30am – 5:30pm
Sunday: 9am – 4:30pm
If you can't make it this weekend there is the Fly Fishing Show in Lancaster on February 28 and March 1, 2015. A little smaller venue, but a good very good show as well.
Show Hours
Saturday: 9am – 5:30pm
Sunday: 9am – 4:30pm
Fly Fishing Getting Started - Spring Creek Winter Flies
Winter fly fishing can be a good opportunity to get out and take a break from your fly tying bench. The opportunities are certainly a little more limited during the winter months with many streams possibly iced up. Southcentral Pennsylvania can often offer several options in in the region during the winter with spring influenced streams and wild trout.
Trout during the winter are not as active as you might normally find them in the spring and summer. Spring fed streams offer a much more consistent temperature often in the 50's year round and thus more resistant to the cold weather conditions. Some of these popular winter streams in Southcentral Pennsylvania include Yellow Breeches Creek, Big Spring Creek and LeTort. The wild trout in these streams can be incredibly challenging when the weather is warm, so have some realistic expectations for your first trip to the region.
Dave Weaver offered some solid ideas in the forums. "My usual advice to CV [Cumberland Valley] newbies is to embrace the reality that trout in these creeks are bottom feeders and live on a year round diet of scuds, sculpins, midge pupa, and cress bugs. This isn't to imply that you won't find rising fish, you can, and there are hatches as well (mainly sulphers and BWOs) but for someone used to fishing upstate or in the Catskills....it's often a big disappointment. You can fish for days (esp this time of year) and not see any surface activity around here."
I asked Southcentral Pennsylvania fly fishing guide, Mike Heck, what are his favorite flies are for wild trout on his local spring fed streams. Mike...
Trout during the winter are not as active as you might normally find them in the spring and summer. Spring fed streams offer a much more consistent temperature often in the 50's year round and thus more resistant to the cold weather conditions. Some of these popular winter streams in Southcentral Pennsylvania include Yellow Breeches Creek, Big Spring Creek and LeTort. The wild trout in these streams can be incredibly challenging when the weather is warm, so have some realistic expectations for your first trip to the region.
Dave Weaver offered some solid ideas in the forums. "My usual advice to CV [Cumberland Valley] newbies is to embrace the reality that trout in these creeks are bottom feeders and live on a year round diet of scuds, sculpins, midge pupa, and cress bugs. This isn't to imply that you won't find rising fish, you can, and there are hatches as well (mainly sulphers and BWOs) but for someone used to fishing upstate or in the Catskills....it's often a big disappointment. You can fish for days (esp this time of year) and not see any surface activity around here."
Dave Weaver on LeTort Spring Run
I asked Southcentral Pennsylvania fly fishing guide, Mike Heck, what are his favorite flies are for wild trout on his local spring fed streams. Mike...
Join The “Fish Eye Guy”, Patrick Clayton, on a Patagonia fly fishing and photography dream trip
For those adventurous anglers with a penchant for photography our sponsors at Montana Angler are offering a unique opportunity to join photographer Patrick Clayton at their partner lodges in either Argentina or Chile in April for the upcoming 2015 South American fishing season. Patrick is better known as the “Fish Eye Guy” and his dramatic images of wild trout and salmon in their natural environment has captured the imagination of fly fisherman and conservation groups alike.
Patrick’s work has been featured by Patagonia, Field and Stream, The Drake, Orvis, The Flyfish Journal, and Catch Magazine, among many others. His work has also been used extensively by conservation groups across the country including national and local Trout Unlimited chapters, The Nature Conservancy, National Wildlife Federation,American Rivers, Greater Yellowstone Coalition, Trout Magazine, California Trout, Western Environmental Law Center, and Western Rivers Conservancy. His photography was also featured in the movie “The Breach“, an exploration of the decline of salmon in the Northwest.
Patrick will be basing out of two Orvis endorsed lodges in Patagonia during the month of April, the Carrileufu River Lodge in Argentina and Magic Waters Patagonia in Chile. He will be at Magic Waters in Chile the weeks of April 4th and 11th and at Carrileufu River Lodge the weeks of April 18th and 25th . Guests can join for as short as one week or as long as two weeks - combining both countries can also be arranged by Montana Angler.
Patagonia is famous for its aquarium clear rivers and will provide the perfect backdrop for Patrick’s work. Guests on the trip will have...
Patrick’s work has been featured by Patagonia, Field and Stream, The Drake, Orvis, The Flyfish Journal, and Catch Magazine, among many others. His work has also been used extensively by conservation groups across the country including national and local Trout Unlimited chapters, The Nature Conservancy, National Wildlife Federation,American Rivers, Greater Yellowstone Coalition, Trout Magazine, California Trout, Western Environmental Law Center, and Western Rivers Conservancy. His photography was also featured in the movie “The Breach“, an exploration of the decline of salmon in the Northwest.
Patrick will be basing out of two Orvis endorsed lodges in Patagonia during the month of April, the Carrileufu River Lodge in Argentina and Magic Waters Patagonia in Chile. He will be at Magic Waters in Chile the weeks of April 4th and 11th and at Carrileufu River Lodge the weeks of April 18th and 25th . Guests can join for as short as one week or as long as two weeks - combining both countries can also be arranged by Montana Angler.
Patagonia is famous for its aquarium clear rivers and will provide the perfect backdrop for Patrick’s work. Guests on the trip will have...
A Thanksgiving Fly Fishing Outing
By Salmonoid
For the past eight years or so, I've managed to make it out to fish on Thanksgiving Day. I guess it has become a bit of a tradition, made possible by our decision to no longer travel during the Thanksgiving holiday. Spending a few too many hours going nowhere between New Stanton and Breezewood on the Turnpike will eventually lead one to that conclusion.
This year, I was looking forward my outing, but the forecast was calling for snow the day before, so I started to temper my expectations as the week went along. Wednesday, the snow started falling around 9AM and continued to fall for the next eleven hours. While the ground is still relatively warm, we still ended up with four or more inches, but by evening, the outside sounds were filled with constant dripping. Overnight temps were supposed to dip below freezing too, and I did not have the luxury of waiting until afternoon to fish, since Thanksgiving meal was scheduled for 1PM.
So I told my wife that I would enjoy my day anyway, just thankful that I have the ability to be out walking around in the snow. Since I've never really had stellar outings on Thanksgiving Day, and since the conditions were far from ideal (snow melt, air temperatures below freezing, water levels low, and I added crystal-clear when I arrived Thursday morning), I really wasn't expecting much.
I only managed to fish the stream I was at one other time this year, in mid-January. It must have been a temporary thaw from our Arctic blast, or I was starting to go stir-crazy and needed to get out then. As I was walking in, I noticed quite a bit more blowdown of trees and I remembered the ice storm we had. I've seen the effects of the...
For the past eight years or so, I've managed to make it out to fish on Thanksgiving Day. I guess it has become a bit of a tradition, made possible by our decision to no longer travel during the Thanksgiving holiday. Spending a few too many hours going nowhere between New Stanton and Breezewood on the Turnpike will eventually lead one to that conclusion.
This year, I was looking forward my outing, but the forecast was calling for snow the day before, so I started to temper my expectations as the week went along. Wednesday, the snow started falling around 9AM and continued to fall for the next eleven hours. While the ground is still relatively warm, we still ended up with four or more inches, but by evening, the outside sounds were filled with constant dripping. Overnight temps were supposed to dip below freezing too, and I did not have the luxury of waiting until afternoon to fish, since Thanksgiving meal was scheduled for 1PM.
So I told my wife that I would enjoy my day anyway, just thankful that I have the ability to be out walking around in the snow. Since I've never really had stellar outings on Thanksgiving Day, and since the conditions were far from ideal (snow melt, air temperatures below freezing, water levels low, and I added crystal-clear when I arrived Thursday morning), I really wasn't expecting much.
I only managed to fish the stream I was at one other time this year, in mid-January. It must have been a temporary thaw from our Arctic blast, or I was starting to go stir-crazy and needed to get out then. As I was walking in, I noticed quite a bit more blowdown of trees and I remembered the ice storm we had. I've seen the effects of the...
Anglers Choose Pink
Who would of guessed pink would be the favorite color for the new Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission’s (PFBC) 2015 fishing license button?
There were almost 5,000 votes cast online this fall, and by a significant number decided that pink was the new favorite color. I guess if the NFL can sport some pink shoes an angler show off a pink button. It turns out teal and green were in the hunt.
“Once again this year, our anglers have voted and told us what color they would like to have for the 2015 button,” said PFBC Executive Director John Arway. “With nearly 35 percent of the votes, pink was the favorite among the seven available colors.”
Buttons go on sale December 1 and are available for $5 each. They can be purchased through the PFBC's online store (The Outdoor Shop), PFBC regional offices, and through the network of license issuing agents.
More details can be found at the PFBC website.
“Once again this year, our anglers have voted and told us what color they would like to have for the 2015 button,” said PFBC Executive Director John Arway. “With nearly 35 percent of the votes, pink was the favorite among the seven available colors.”
Buttons go on sale December 1 and are available for $5 each. They can be purchased through the PFBC's online store (The Outdoor Shop), PFBC regional offices, and through the network of license issuing agents.
More details can be found at the PFBC website.
2014 October Caddis Summit Recap
This year we tried something new with the annual Quill Gordon Summit-we bumped to the Fall in hopes of better fishing. I would say the move was the right thing to do. The conditions were tough in God's Country, as water was low and gin clear in most every place we went. Despite tough conditions, everyone was able to find trout and the fishing was much better than it had been when we had our summit in the Spring. Mid to late April is simply too early to have great fishing in the Potter/Tioga/Clinton area.
My dad, Sal, and I arrived at camp around 9am on Thursday after what was possibly the fastest stop in at Sandfly's shop, Big Meadow Fly Shop, in history. Camp was in good shape, and we unpacked, got the cabin's heat and plumbing up and running, and Skybay arrived around 11:30am. He didn't even unpack his car. We headed straight for the first stream of the weekend.
The hike in was beautiful. We split into 2 groups. On the first stream, there's a series of beaver ponds. My dad and I cut off the trail at the first pond and fished upstream. Skybay and Sal headed up a way to the second pond and fished downstream. I picked up a nice brownie in the first pond, but because of the low, clear conditions, that was the only trout we were able to pick up. Sal and Skybay met us halfway between the two ponds, and fishing was slow for everyone. After hiking out, we headed straight for Lyman Run. We dropped Sal off at the beaver pond just upstream of Thompson Rd, and Skbay, my dad, and myself drove further upstream and met Sal in the middle. Lyman fished a little better. The three of us all picked up some small brookies and brownies, nothing of great size. Sal picked up two absolutely beautifuly brookies out of the beaver pond and just below.
We arrived back at camp to find Artifishal sitting around the fire ring playing guitar and enjoying a quiet evening on top of...
The hike in was beautiful. We split into 2 groups. On the first stream, there's a series of beaver ponds. My dad and I cut off the trail at the first pond and fished upstream. Skybay and Sal headed up a way to the second pond and fished downstream. I picked up a nice brownie in the first pond, but because of the low, clear conditions, that was the only trout we were able to pick up. Sal and Skybay met us halfway between the two ponds, and fishing was slow for everyone. After hiking out, we headed straight for Lyman Run. We dropped Sal off at the beaver pond just upstream of Thompson Rd, and Skbay, my dad, and myself drove further upstream and met Sal in the middle. Lyman fished a little better. The three of us all picked up some small brookies and brownies, nothing of great size. Sal picked up two absolutely beautifuly brookies out of the beaver pond and just below.
We arrived back at camp to find Artifishal sitting around the fire ring playing guitar and enjoying a quiet evening on top of...
2014 Pennsylvania Fly Casting Champions Crowned
The 2nd Annual Pennsylvania Fly Casting Competition was held at the Carlisle Events Outdoor Show at the Carlisle Fairgrounds on September 6. Contestants were challenged for accuracy and distance events in several different skill categories. In the distance component, casters earned points for the length of their casts and had to place their flies within a narrow 10-feet wide lane. Accuracy casting required contestants to land their flies within 30-inch and 54-inch target rings at random ranges between 25 to 60 feet.
Derek Eberly of East Petersburg, Pennsylvania, was overall high scorer as well as champion in the Expert Division. Eberly also achieved high score in accuracy casting.
Dave "Old Lefty" Rothrock of Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania, earned second place in the Expert Division and also made the longest cast of the day at 100 feet. Ranking third among the Expert casters was Eric "stenonema" Richard of New Bloomfield, Pennsylvania.
Angler Division first place went to Tom Miller of Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Darren Wishard of Hagerstown, Maryland, took second place among the Anglers, and Rod Cross of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, was third.
Two contestants competed in the Youth Division this year. DaCota Leader of Everett, Pennsylvania, was the Youth champion. Second place went to William Sweger of Landisburg, Pennsylvania. Congratulations to these two young fly casters for competing.
The competition was organized and conducted by the Cumberland Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited, the Chesapeake Council of the International Federation of Fly Fishers, and the Antietam Fly Anglers.
A special thanks to Chris "Artifishal" Haag (pictured above) for help getting some of the photographs and event info together for me. Photo by Ken Tidy.
Dave "Old Lefty" Rothrock of Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania, earned second place in the Expert Division and also made the longest cast of the day at 100 feet. Ranking third among the Expert casters was Eric "stenonema" Richard of New Bloomfield, Pennsylvania.
Angler Division first place went to Tom Miller of Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Darren Wishard of Hagerstown, Maryland, took second place among the Anglers, and Rod Cross of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, was third.
Two contestants competed in the Youth Division this year. DaCota Leader of Everett, Pennsylvania, was the Youth champion. Second place went to William Sweger of Landisburg, Pennsylvania. Congratulations to these two young fly casters for competing.
The competition was organized and conducted by the Cumberland Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited, the Chesapeake Council of the International Federation of Fly Fishers, and the Antietam Fly Anglers.
A special thanks to Chris "Artifishal" Haag (pictured above) for help getting some of the photographs and event info together for me. Photo by Ken Tidy.
Where should I fly fish?
This is one of the more popular questions asked on Paflyfish. Truthfully the answer is bigger than the question and one worth exploring. There are hundreds of fantastic streams for all types of anglers in the region. A little homework will yield you your own personal hot spots.
Paflyfish is chocked full of maps, tips, news, stories and conversations already at you fingertips. Pennsylvania is a sizable state so starting with the Pa Trout Streams section under the site menu is a good place to begin. There are six regions with hundreds of stocked and special regulation streams that are ideal for fly fishing. Take advantage of the maps to explore the areas you want to travel to. Maryland, New Jersey, and New York offer many exciting opportunities as well.
The best advice I can offer for the site is taking the time to do a little research in the forums. Stream Reports can usually yield a string of information. There are plenty of guides, trout bums, locals, scientists, and enthusiasts who hang out here. Jumping onto the site and making your first post, Where do I fish in Potter County? This approach does not build a lot of trust. Take some time to participate and then ask some good specific questions about where to fish.
A host of highly regarded authors can be found in the Fly Fishing Books section. Some good old fashion book reading is worth some time.
A quick trek to the PFBC website can offer an additional collection of streams and detailed regulations.
Spend some time with your local fly shop can very helpful. Becoming active with your local Trout Unlimited Chapter is a great way to meet up with others and get a lot of local knowledge. They often provide a...
The best advice I can offer for the site is taking the time to do a little research in the forums. Stream Reports can usually yield a string of information. There are plenty of guides, trout bums, locals, scientists, and enthusiasts who hang out here. Jumping onto the site and making your first post, Where do I fish in Potter County? This approach does not build a lot of trust. Take some time to participate and then ask some good specific questions about where to fish.
A host of highly regarded authors can be found in the Fly Fishing Books section. Some good old fashion book reading is worth some time.
A quick trek to the PFBC website can offer an additional collection of streams and detailed regulations.
Spend some time with your local fly shop can very helpful. Becoming active with your local Trout Unlimited Chapter is a great way to meet up with others and get a lot of local knowledge. They often provide a...
