Conestoga River, Lancaster Co., 5/27/13

[dc410]

On a beautiful evening and the official kick-off of summer I just couldn't stay away from the WW game. I spent the last few hours of Memorial Day evening fishing the Conestoga River. I didn't catch a lot of fish or any big ones for that matter but it was absolutely an awesome evening on the river. The river was extremely low for this time of year and the water temp was at 64 degrees. I got into the middle of a long slow glide with many fish working the surface all around me. There were some caddis and light cahills coming off but I only had my smallie box with me. If I would of had my dry fly box I probably would have slayed 'em. The only thing I had that was light colored and floated was a size 4 pencil popper so I went with it. I missed many takes simply because I think they were too small to get the hook. Guess I need to tie up some of them panfish poppers for my WW box. However, I did manage to bring a few smallies, rock bass and some gorgeous redbreast sunnies to hand for a few pictures. Working slowly up through that glide casting to all the risers without any outside interference of anything was awesome. The only human sound I was hearing was a local farmer baling hay (no tractor - just the hay baler ... this is Lancaster County, ya know). Also, the occasional sound of a male ringneck sounding off in one of the adjacent meadows (made me feel like it was in the 1970's). Anyway, it was one of the most enjoyable, relaxing evenings of flyfishing I had experienced for some time. Summer is not my favorite season, but I sure love this warmwater flyfishing. Lots more to come!

 

[Fishidiot]

Awesome - two thumbs up John!

Easy summer days on a warm water creek are tough to beat. That's a gorgeous redbreast sunfish. RBS are, in my opinion, among the prettiest of PA fishes and can give a brook trout a run for it's money (not to mention being much stronger fighters for their size). Good to hear some ringnecks too. 🙂

Nice report.

 

[The_Sasquatch]

Dude I always keep a box of dries w/ me when fishing the 'Stoga! It actually has pretty solid hatches (as you saw for yourself). This past summer, I sure was glad to have some size 10 white wulffs with me...

 

[dc410]

Squatch,

You nailed it. A size 10 white wulff would have been the ticket. I think I would have rocked 'em if I had some of them to chuck. Great advice. Thanks.

 

[The_Sasquatch]

Heck, put a green drake on! Last year there was a big brown mayfly hatching in August-I assume some sort of hex. I didn' thave anything that big, so I put a drake on. Closest thing I had, profile wise. I caught the biggest smallie of the year on that fly! Gotta love the Lancaster County drake hatch ;-)

 

[dc410]

Squatch,

Yeah. I remember those big hex hatches coming off last year on several stretches of the 'Stoga later in the season. Like you said there definitely is a lot of decent hatches happening. I was amazed on Monday how clean the water looked. It was really low, but the weed growth with the very clean gravelly bottom made it look like pretty good quality water. It is so neat just to stand out there in the middle and watch those hatches unfold around you in that last hour before dark. It's gonna be a blast!! :-D

 

[The_Sasquatch]

The Conestoga has come a long way since when I was a kid. I used to fish it almost every day during the summer when I was old enough to fish by myself. My brother and I would "put in" at the stone bridge at the end of Main Street in Brownstown (where we lived), and fished all day the whole way back behind the developments, the farms, the elementary school, and come out down at Talmage. I can't believe how clean the stream is now compared to back then. It always impresses me.

 

[McSneek]

Kid found a 16" alligator near the bridge in Talmage yesterday! Better watch out!

 

[The_Sasquatch]

I'm praying to God my wife doesn't read the paper!

 

[CarpePisces]

So I've got two kids who are dying to go for bass but I find it hard to gt to the river. All of us just starting the fly fishing adventure. Is the Conestoga canoe-able? Or are there places fishable from the shore?

Thanks.

 

[The_Sasquatch]

Yes to both!