Fishing Creek, Clinton County, 5/31/2017

[TYoung]

I fished in the evening from about 6:00 to 8:30. When i drove into the narrows I was surprised that almost every pull off had a car in it. I think people were expecting the green drake hatch. I finally found an empty pull off in the cabins section, and I had a nice section to my self.

I spent most of the evening nymphing. I only managed to hook two fish on nymphs. The second fish was a nice one that put up a good fight. There were a lot of dark blue sedges buzzing around all evening. Also, there were some sulfurs hatching as well. Right before dark, there were sulfur and coffin fly spinners doing there thing. I didn't see any green drake duns at all, so I think that the hatch is coming to an end. As it was getting dark fish started to rise to the spinners. Since I didn't have any coffin fly patterns, I caught two small fish on a sulfur spinner.

 

[sidthemuffinrunner]

Dang, was heading up there tomorrow night. Guess not any more. Sigh.

 

[JackM]

You wouldn't want to make more of a crowd, for sure.

 

[allan_s]

Drakes are over. The hatch was early this year and there were no crowds during the main swarm.

I wonder if the drought conditions last year affected the timing? It certainly wasn't the weather this year, which has been completely average and a decent amount of rain.

 

[TYoung]

The temperatures through out the entire year determines the timing of the hatches. You have to remember we had some very warm temperatures in February, and last summer and early fall had some outright hot weather.

 

[troutbert]

The very warm temps in early spring accelerated the timing of all the spring biological stuff.

Arrival of migratory birds, budding of trees, flower blooming, morel mushrooms, ramps, turkeys gobbling, groundhogs appearing, etc.

Everything just got moved forward. Including aquatic insect hatches.

 

[OldLefty]

There is a contradiction to the position that, overall, hatches were accelerated this year. I was on Penns Creek last evening to photograph mayflies and observe what was going on. There were many Green drake duns hatching and spinners both on the streamside flora and flying around, including over the road. I photographed Gray fox duns that had just alighted from the stream and many different spinners hanging on the streamside flora, as well. I was surprised to see some of these critters still active on this stream so late in the season.

Fishing Creek's G. drakes are a bit behind those on Penns. Perhaps it was just a slow time for them.

 

[TYoung]

I think that some of the hatches this year have been stretched out. I think that some of the hatches started early. But, because of the cool wet spring, they have hatched in smaller bunches over a longer period of time. This week I saw light sulfur hatches still happening on Spring and Fishing Creeks.

 

[mcwillja]

I can tell you the green drakes are not over on fishing creek

 

[bigjohn58]

TYoung wrote:
I think that some of the hatches this year have been stretched out. I think that some of the hatches started early. But, because of the cool wet spring, they have hatched in smaller bunches over a longer period of time. This week I saw light sulfur hatches still happening on Spring and Fishing Creeks.

This is the answer that I believe is correct!

 

[CLSports]

I can tell you the green drakes are not over on fishing creek

The are so large you can see them all the way from NY?

Drakes on Fishing were coming off sporadically on 5/28 and 5/29 and nobody was around. It was nice. Everyone was at Penns. I heard by Wednesday word was out.

 

[Sylvaneous]

troutbert wrote:
The very warm temps in early spring accelerated the timing of all the spring biological stuff.

Arrival of migratory birds, budding of trees, flower blooming, morel mushrooms, ramps, turkeys gobbling, groundhogs appearing, etc.

Everything just got moved forward. Including aquatic insect hatches.

Additionally, the "June" bugs were heaviest in early May. They've been basically gone for over a week.

Syl

 

[Hook_Jaw]

Were heavy the 28th where I was of fishing creek I didn't see a sole fishing.

 

[sidthemuffinrunner]

I was there on the 28th. Fantastic fishing the whole day. Was able to target risers from first light until sundown. Only saw 2 other people fishing. Also went up and fished it Sunday. Slate drakes, sulphers, cahills, and big black caddis were all coming off during the morning. Was able to land some really nice fish on drakes..... then it poured for 4 or 5 hours. Nymphed right through it and slammed em. More than 30 fish on the day. Largest being 17. Love this crick. Can't wait for summer ant fishing to get here.... you will not find a better place to do it.