Fall Is Coming…

[Swattie87]

Had probably my best day out of 2026 today, measured in terms of fun anyway. Definitely saw some very early signs of Fall. The mountaintop I parked on was covered in ripe wild blueberry, and the mile or so gated SGL road that descended about 500 feet to the valley floor had just the beginning signs of some ferns starting to brown, and a random tree every once in a while with a little color.

When I hiked back up and out, and got back to my vehicle at about 2:00, the air temp was 68F when I started it. Good stuff. This was at about 2200 feet in the general “Allegheny Front” part of the state, FWIW. It read 79F when I turned it off when I got home (general Harrisburg area). Anyone else fish this weekend? See any early signs of Fall?

Edit: I did a lot of “Hey Bear” calls today. 😜 I found 3 piles on the hike in (one pictured was the biggest), none of which had flies on them yet.

 

[rustbeltwilds]

Nice

 

[rustbeltwilds]

Off today spent a couple hrs on bills today got one nice one and a couple gerbers ...cmon fall !!!!!!

 

[Swattie87]

Off today spent a couple hrs on bills today got one nice one and a couple gerbers ...cmon fall !!!!!!

Best stream in the state IMO. Very generous to share its name. 😜

 

[hooker-of-men]

I fished through the morning on the Battenkill. The air temp was in the 50s when I left the house, and I almost wanted a jacket. The temp stayed cool all day, the water was cold, and the fishing, as it always seems to for me there, sucked terribly.

Happy to be rid of summer, though.

 

[jifigz]

Yo, Swattzilla, nice brookies, brother! Always got to love a good picture of some bear scat, too. Were they munching on dries?

 

[Swattie87]

Fished a size 12(ish) foam mini hopper thing all day. Can kinda see it in the bear scat pic, hooked to the reel. Somebody on the board tied me up a dozen or so a good while back. Think it was Hopback or Klingy maybe? Down to my last couple, and I’m half scared to fish them and lose them they work so good. Tend to save them for days like today when flows are up and you can get away with pretty heavy tippet (was using 3x today) for retrieving them from tree excursions. If one of you guys recognizes them as yours I’ll gladly pay for another dozen.

 

[Swattie87]

Better pic. Actual (only) fly used today.

 

[jifigz]

Better pic. Actual (only) fly used today.

View attachment 1641253717

HopBack tied those up for you I do believe. We tied a bunch of those for CO a few years back, and the fish ended up munching on wulffs so much better. Go figure.

 

[Swattie87]

HopBack tied those up for you I do believe. We tied a bunch of those for CO a few years back, and the fish ended up munching on wulffs so much better. Go figure.

Hahaha. Figures. I think it was Hopback too.

 

[jifigz]

I fished through the morning on the Battenkill. The air temp was in the 50s when I left the house, and I almost wanted a jacket. The temp stayed cool all day, the water was cold, and the fishing, as it always seems to for me there, sucked terribly.

Happy to be rid of summer, though.

You're really selling the Battenkill to me. I'm a sucker for a good arse-kicking once a year; that's why I go to Penns one time each year. 🤪 It sounds like the Battenkill could provide that experience for me.

 

[hooker-of-men]

You're really selling the Battenkill to me. I'm a sucker for a good arse-kicking once a year; that's why I go to Penns one time each year. 🤪 It sounds like the Battenkill could provide that experience for me.

It certainly has some appeal - history, good access, wild fish - and every so often I pop a few. Most trips, though, were like today: in 4 hours of fishing 2 stretches in NY and VT, I saw few bugs, zero rises, and 1 fish that I spooked out of slow water where it wasn't actively feeding (which I'm certain I wouldn't have gotten to eat even if I had seen it in time).

People seem to do well ripping streamers out of boats early in spring / during high water (though the more floatable sections are also the NY stocked stretches). There's also actual substantial dry fly opportunities during the Hendricksons, if you time it right. Most of the time, it's just tough to the point of not even being an enjoyable challenge.

 

[CinnamonJoe]

Beautiful stuff there! Thanks for sharing! I so wanted to fish while I was back in PA this weekend, but with so much stuff going on, it was mission impossible. Jone'sing big time to wet a line as I drove up a ridge, and down a valley: a maple here and there showing a little skin, as my Uhaul trailer careened behind the Frontier! At least, I can live vicariously through this thread!

Well done!

Joe

 

[jifigz]

Beautiful stuff there! Thanks for sharing! I so wanted to fish while I was back in PA this weekend, but with so much stuff going on, it was mission impossible. Jone'sing big time to wet a line as I drove up a ridge, and down a valley: a maple here and there showing a little skin, as my Uhaul trailer careened behind the Frontier! At least, I can live vicariously through this thread!

Well done!

Joe

I'd imagine those Driftless streams would be fishing well right now with terrestrial dry flies. You just need to carve some time to drive there once you're back in Iowa.