East Branch Codorus York County 5/3/16

[TigerTrout4wt]

Was Near Ridgeview Road from 4:30pm to 7:30pm I pulled rocks before fishing and saw crazy amounts of mayfly nymphs. colors were brown black and gray and sizes all over 12 to very small about 18. I used a lot of different flies nymphing. started out with 12 beadhead hares ear with a 18 flashback hares ear drop. I rolled one trout. then went to a 18 yellow sucker spawn with a 18 flashback beadhead pheasant tail. got one 6in rainbow off the pheasant tail.
Around 5:45 was when the fish started hitting top water. I saw some yellowish light tan duns that looked to be suflers? but I dont know for sure. The fish seemed to be hitting something smaller though because I couldnt see a fly get taken. Could they have been hitting emergers that I couldnt see? I did catch a bluish small dun about size 18. I dont know what this is as well. Saw some black size 20 midge adults as well.
I tried just about every dry fly I could. Blue quill, march brown, bwo, light cahil, yellow sulfer, black midges, black caddis (getting desprate... lol) Has anyone fished here that could know what they were eating. im still new to fly fishing but I know a little. also me reading insects isnt 100% yet so use my info at your own risk.

 

[mikeyl72]

there's been a lot of nice midge hatches coming off along with some mays but not a lot of feeding activity that I've noticed and that was in the seven valleys area. From the hollow to the ikes I haven't noticed any bug activity

 

[SteveG]

Try a soft hackle cast upstream like a dry fly if they refused your dries.

 

[Maurice]

Kevin,

Are you sure you don't mean the East Branch Codorus? Were you at the Steel Grate Bridge along Swamp Road, down the hill from the Dallastown High School?

 

[TigerTrout4wt]

Maurice you would be correct it was the east branch... I'm sorry I don't know why I put the west in... that was a mistake by me. I do apologize for the subject being incorrect. I'm still learning my areas around here. Would the bugs on the west branch and east branch be very similar though? Just wondering now how much can bugs change from stretch to stretch?

 

[TigerTrout4wt]

The other thing I would like to ask is I don't have any soft hackle flies. What is a soft hackle supposed to do that would of improved my chances over my dry? I looked them up and can see the difference just not sure what do they do. Also thanks for all the imput so far it has indeed been very helpful.

 

[Maurice]

No big deal on the correction. Just wanted to get the title right. Its corrected.

As for the soft hackle..I will let SteveG take that one but basically Dry flys are for surface (Sub imago)and wet flys/soft hackles sink and look more like an emerger or hatching fly coming out of the shuck.

 

[Shaner]

I haven't been to the east branch in a few years. Think the last time I went was in May like 3 years ago. Couldn't find a place to park for a while-cars everywhere in May! I did catch a bunch of 7-10in browns and bows however the fish looked like death. They were beat up and colors were so faded some you couldn't even tell which one they were.

All those people and beat up fish just not my thing. Sure its stocked hard(PFBC&IWL multiple times from each) so it gets pressure. I prefer to go catch 3-9" colorful wild brookies over that. Idk if its still like that on the EB or not? Out of the 3 times I was there it was always like that.

 

[TigerTrout4wt]

Thanks on the info on the soft hackle. Shaner I would say with the bow I caught not a whole lot has changed. It my be a little better. The bow was a dull color and the top of the lips were beat up. Not a whole lot of people there though. It's only like 8mins from me so I thought I would try it. The insect life looked good. More nymphs then I see on some class a streams. Surprised me.

 

[Shaner]

The time it takes me to get to the East Dorus I can be on some of my favorite local wild steams in about 10 more minutes. I been blowing them up on drys last 2weeks. Used Drys only the past 10 times I been out-besides once with streamers(last pic-from Wed)
Here's some pics of the locals with much better color ;-)

 

[TigerTrout4wt]

Wow that's really what I'm looking for. I love pretty fish. Would rambo run be one of these streams? Also where are those fish caught? You don't need to tell me. I know some people don't like giving spots out. But it's worth the ask lol.

 

[Shaner]

Rambo run would be 0 of those or these ;-) I have fished it before but the best part(rapids)is the clubbed section which is stupid stocked...don't know why you would pay that much to catch a stocked fish pretty much every cast?

 

[Shaner]

"Also where are those fish caught?" :hammer: ALL things posted here are York County ;-)

 

[HopBack]

I was expecting to see a stream report for East Codorus creek?

 

[SteveG]

Maurice is correct. To elaborate, when you see fish rising, it doesn't necessarily mean that they're taking something on the surface. If it's a splashy rise, often they are taking insects as they ascend through the water column to emerge. Soft hackles (I prefer to tie mine on dry fly hooks) will drift right under the surface of the water, especially if cast upstream, due to drag on your thicker leader and fly line. The takes are often easily seen, but keep an eye on your tippet and gently lift your rod if you see it move at all. Sometimes the takes are imperceptible.

If you're ever north near Mechanicsburg, give me a shout and I'll give you a few flies.

 

[Stevie-B]

Shaner, We may have to get together sometime. I'll even volunteer to be blindfolded as to not find my way back. I probably have all those streams mapped/identified but have never visited them. The stream(s) in the first two pictures look like an amazing place.

 

[Shaner]

I'm usually out by myself so if someone wants to tag along no problem. No blindfold needed I'm not that ugly!

 

[Stevie-B]

You may not be, but I could be.

 

[TigerTrout4wt]

Shaner I wouldn't mind fishing with you sometime. I can post my number on here im not worried and If any of you on here wanted to try to get out fishing im down. love to make new fishing friends lol. SteveG thank you very much for that offer. I do from time to time hit big springs and yellow breeches up. next time im around that area I will let you know. I just need to get your information. If anyone wants to invite me out. My number is (717)-881-1438 My name is Kevin.

 

[Mike]

You should be finding a good number of wild Browns in the county park on the East Branch. Going there also puts you at Blymire Hollow Rn, which was recently removed from the stocking program in deference to its Class A brown trout population.