A Riddle, Wrapped in a Mystery, Inside an Enigma

salmo

salmo

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Apr 24, 2009
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Last week I met another member for a visit to Spring Creek to fish the evening sulfur hatch. We both had the same experience. Fish were rising regularly. We each had a hookup on the first cast and then lost them. We continued to have takes from each visible rise but without being able to hook and land each. I had at least 12-15 strikes without a hard take. I fished a sulfur, Adams, BWO dries and emergers. Others on the creek said the same. Regardless of the frustration it was a great evening and even better company.
 
In the evening, you may have been looking at a spinner fall rather than a hatch. I've had good results there at times like that by dead drifting a Partridge and Orange in the film.
 
redietz said:
In the evening, you may have been looking at a spinner fall rather than a hatch. I've had good results there at times like that by dead drifting a Partridge and Orange in the film.
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There was no visible evidence of a hatch or spinner fall.
 
My theory is well-trained, hook-shy trout.

Maybe a little out there, but if Spring Creek is fished as frequently as it was 35 yrs ago when I lived in State College, those fish might get to see a lot of flies, and be on the business end of many hook points. Just sayin'.

Joe
 
redietz said:
In the evening, you may have been looking at a spinner fall rather than a hatch. I've had good results there at times like that by dead drifting a Partridge and Orange in the film.
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this is probably the correct answer
 
gfenlikestolosepasswords said:
little black caddis flies.
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This in spades EVERYWHERE I fish Sulphurs...

Next time, get your head as low to the surface as possible and look for the Little Back Caddis dancing an inch or two above the surface...

If you see them, try a size 16 all black EWC or even an all black beetle has worked for me in a pinch.
 
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gfenlikestolosepasswords said:
little black caddis flies.
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One common theme for me on the big popular PA limestoners is that when these are around in any significant numbers, I tend to struggle to get fish to eat my dry flies, no matter what other bugs are actively in the mix, and no matter what flies I fish, or which bug I’m trying to imitate. If little black Caddis are around, I usually have a rough evening hatch fishing. Penns and BFC especially. Usually, I don’t find fish rising and eating these things. And when they are rising, they won’t eat my imitation/presentation - It’s usually fairly easy to get fish to eat Caddis, since you can be super draggy and sloppy. (Not necessarily saying this was the OP’s issue on Spring, just reporting my experiences.)

I’ve observed this enough to recognize it, but I haven’t found a solution or reason why I stink in this scenario. When there’s tan Caddis in the mix, I catch fish just fine, both on tan Caddis patterns or whatever mayflies are actively hatching at the time too.
 
CinnamonJoe said:
My theory is well-trained, hook-shy trout.

Maybe a little out there, but if Spring Creek is fished as frequently as it was 35 yrs ago when I lived in State College, those fish might get to see a lot of flies, and be on the business end of many hook points. Just sayin'.

Joe
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I think Spring Creek is fished way more than it was thirty five years ago. I think Spring Creek is the most fished stream in the state. Spring Creek might be the most pressured trout stream in the country.

It could be a really great stream, too, but as it currently stands, it ain't my cup of tea.
 
jifigz said:
I think Spring Creek is fished way more than it was thirty five years ago. I think Spring Creek is the most fished stream in the state. Spring Creek might be the most pressured trout stream in the country.

It could be a really great stream, too, but as it currently stands, it ain't my cup of tea.
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I think you are probably right about spring if you averaged it out over the entire year but I bet Penns is more pressured from April - June.

Was there 2 weeks ago and barely anywhere to park at Cherry Run at 10 Am. On Friday we could have did hands across america the length of it.
 
dudemanspecial said:
Were you fishing anywhere above the paradise section? If so it was probably small fish headbutting your flies.
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Yep. But some of the fish were quite sizable.
 
To quote the late, great George Wendt "Women. You can't live with them....... Pass the beer nuts."
 
I’ve fished Spring Creek around forty times over the last 20+ years mainly above Bellfonte. From the first time there fishing dries, I noticed the fish took the flies a little slower. Let’s say normally you would go 1, 2 set the hook, I started going 1, 2, 2 and a half and then set the hook, I had more hook ups. I experienced this last year when I was bringing up fish on a sulphur pattern. When there was a more prolific hatch of BWOs or sulphurs and even midges, the fish seemed a bit more aggressive especially the bigger fish. I think with a lot of food sources on the stream, the fish just take surface flies a little slower so you just have to be a little patient at least that’s my experience.
 
That may have been it. I do get "trout fever" occasionally.
 
Swattie87 said:
ually, I don’t find fish rising and eating these things. And when they are rising, they won’t eat my imitation/presentation
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Very similar until the actual sulphur hatch or spinner fall comes into full effect.

I tend to try little starling-and-peacok or starling-and-black up and across, and it's just so much wasted time. I feel like it should work, and it doesn't.

And I'm sure I won't do something different next time, either. 🙂
 
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