Prospector
Well-known member
Four Day Summary: High, off color streams with a 16 degree drop in water temperature from Friday to Sunday made these 4 days a challenge for our camp. We probably did not surpass 15 total fish caught on any day. Starting each day with water temps between 42 and 48 made for a small window of afternoon fishing to rising fish. The insects showed up in a nice variety but March Browns seemed to be the main focus. I guess cold temps have followed me all spring so far. I’m looking forward to my next Kettle trip in 9 days.
Details by Day/Location****
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May 7
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Clinton Co
Time Fished: 1245-145pm
Weather Conditions: 46 degrees, overcast, spitting rain at times.
Water Conditions: 50 degrees, heavy flow 1170 cfs, 4-5 foot visibility
Insects: saw some small stuff but couldnt identify. About 30 swallows were over the water that entire time I fished so they must have been eating something.
Used a large dark nymph under 3 sinkers and worked area 2-3 rod lengths away. I was hoping some fish wanted to be out of the current but I had no strikes. No one else fishing for several miles on either side of me.
Potter Co
Time Fished: 515pm - 630pm
Weather Conditions: 56 degrees, Cloudy
Water Conditions: 46 degrees, off color but nice color, running fast, 510 cfs
Insects: 1 stonefly laying eggs. Some midges
At FFO, 4 cars in lower lot, 1 car above the ponds, 1 car at the upper wire., and 3 cars in next upstream pull off.
I started with a large dark nymph with 3 sinkers. No strikes. Next pass was with a streamer and caught a rainbow. That would be the only strike. I tried small light tan nymphs, small dark nymphs and a different streamer (larger size) but no more strikes.
Saw 10 elk near Leidy. One couldn’t make his mind about crossing the creek. Eventually he started across the bridge I kept going since I didn’t want to spook him. So I don’t know if he crossed the bridge or not.
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May 8
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Clinton Co
Time Fished: 1045am -1245am
Weather Conditions: Sunny, 55 degrees to start and up to 63 at end.
Water Conditions: 560 cfs, off color, Green, 42degrees to start and 44 at end
Insects: A few March Brown, 1 Hendrickson, 10 medium golden stones, midges, 3-4 Caddis
Made several passes on the same water. Had 1 strike on GRHE nymph. Tried swinging 3 wets, dunking nymphs (prince, March Brown, GRHE), fished a streamer.
Of the 6 others guys that fished, No one had a strike.
Clinton Co
Time Fished: 415pm - 715pm
Weather Conditions: Sunny 65 degrees
Water Conditions: 51 degrees, green color, running fast, 562 cfs
Insects: March Brown, small BWO, Pale Evening Dun, med golden stone, med black stone, Caddis, spinners (different sizes)
Started out swinging 3 wets for the length of the pool (Woolly Bugger, March Brown wet, Picket Pin). Had 7 strikes and landed one. Fish began to rise so I switched to a dry (Caddis). Caught one on first cast and then had a long drought. Not many rising. Eventually caught another. A variety of insects but nothing real dominant. Very mixed. Put the 3 wets back on and caught another. Not a real good day but nice to catch four in tough conditions. No one I talked to caught more than one. Just that type of day. Caught 4 browns
As a bonus saw 7 elk (same field near Leidy), 2 bear (they were together), 2 bald eagles (could have been same one) and many deer (15-20). Highlight of day was eating a Maxima12 hotdog streamside just before catching fish on his “2 dropper” leader.
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May 9
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Clinton Co
Time Fished: 500pm - 800pm
Weather Conditions: 73 degrees, sunny
Water Conditions: 54 degrees, green color, running fast
Insects: March Browns, golden stones, pale evening dun
Initially there was a light March Brown hatch with a dun floating by about every minute. None seemed to be touched. The rises were also sporadic but decent splashes, not sipping. It was a little confusing. As the evening passed the rising would ebb and flow. I didn’t have any takes on 3 types of Caddis, 2 types of PEDs, and 2 BWOs. Since I wasn’t seeing the insect I switched to a small rusty spinner and caught one. I switched to a 14 spinner and caught another. I had lots of interest in the spinner but only had a few other takes. I moved out of my spot and let a friend have a chance. He took several on a emerger. After I relocated I put on a March Brown since they were around and I wasn’t sure what else to try. As it got closer to dusk they started to take it. I got 3 more. Ended up with 4 browns and a rainbow.
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May 10
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Clinton Co
Time Fished: 1pm - 415pm
Weather Conditions: Clear, Sunny, 73 degrees
Water Conditions: 48 at 1pm, 52 at 4pm, 410cfs, nice color
Insects: March Browns, Sulphurs, maybe some small BWOs
As I approached the stream I saw sporadic rising with March Browns being the dominant fly. Also either Sulphurs or BWOs (I couldn’t catch any). Numbers were lower in the bright day but some areas were in shade from the mountain and thats where the insects were hatching. The rises were sporadic but aggressive. I started swinging 3 wets and caught a rainbow on about the 6th cast and then had a long drought before the second fish I landed at about 4pm. For a long time in between I tried finding the right dry fly after going through about a dozen options. I missed a few fish but was surprised I never found one that clicked. The water was still running very fast so my drift could have been suspect. The water was very shaded but background was very bright making it hard to detect the slight nuances like drag that can make the fly unnatural. So I’ll chalk it up to drag.
The only other angler in the vicinity landed several on sucker spawn. He also had a large palomino on that eventually worked the hook loose but not before the only “palomino jump” I’ve ever seen. It was a major leap of a 20” fish. I just can’t bring myself to use “egg type” flies for trout in the spring/summer. During fall/spring in Great Lakes tribs…no problem. I guess I like to try to imitate insects too much. Being stubborn cost me some action. Both trout I caught were rainbows.
On the ride home I saw 4 elk really close to the road near Hicks Run in Cameron Co.
Details by Day/Location****
=========
May 7
=========
Clinton Co
Time Fished: 1245-145pm
Weather Conditions: 46 degrees, overcast, spitting rain at times.
Water Conditions: 50 degrees, heavy flow 1170 cfs, 4-5 foot visibility
Insects: saw some small stuff but couldnt identify. About 30 swallows were over the water that entire time I fished so they must have been eating something.
Used a large dark nymph under 3 sinkers and worked area 2-3 rod lengths away. I was hoping some fish wanted to be out of the current but I had no strikes. No one else fishing for several miles on either side of me.
Potter Co
Time Fished: 515pm - 630pm
Weather Conditions: 56 degrees, Cloudy
Water Conditions: 46 degrees, off color but nice color, running fast, 510 cfs
Insects: 1 stonefly laying eggs. Some midges
At FFO, 4 cars in lower lot, 1 car above the ponds, 1 car at the upper wire., and 3 cars in next upstream pull off.
I started with a large dark nymph with 3 sinkers. No strikes. Next pass was with a streamer and caught a rainbow. That would be the only strike. I tried small light tan nymphs, small dark nymphs and a different streamer (larger size) but no more strikes.
Saw 10 elk near Leidy. One couldn’t make his mind about crossing the creek. Eventually he started across the bridge I kept going since I didn’t want to spook him. So I don’t know if he crossed the bridge or not.
==========
May 8
==========
Clinton Co
Time Fished: 1045am -1245am
Weather Conditions: Sunny, 55 degrees to start and up to 63 at end.
Water Conditions: 560 cfs, off color, Green, 42degrees to start and 44 at end
Insects: A few March Brown, 1 Hendrickson, 10 medium golden stones, midges, 3-4 Caddis
Made several passes on the same water. Had 1 strike on GRHE nymph. Tried swinging 3 wets, dunking nymphs (prince, March Brown, GRHE), fished a streamer.
Of the 6 others guys that fished, No one had a strike.
Clinton Co
Time Fished: 415pm - 715pm
Weather Conditions: Sunny 65 degrees
Water Conditions: 51 degrees, green color, running fast, 562 cfs
Insects: March Brown, small BWO, Pale Evening Dun, med golden stone, med black stone, Caddis, spinners (different sizes)
Started out swinging 3 wets for the length of the pool (Woolly Bugger, March Brown wet, Picket Pin). Had 7 strikes and landed one. Fish began to rise so I switched to a dry (Caddis). Caught one on first cast and then had a long drought. Not many rising. Eventually caught another. A variety of insects but nothing real dominant. Very mixed. Put the 3 wets back on and caught another. Not a real good day but nice to catch four in tough conditions. No one I talked to caught more than one. Just that type of day. Caught 4 browns
As a bonus saw 7 elk (same field near Leidy), 2 bear (they were together), 2 bald eagles (could have been same one) and many deer (15-20). Highlight of day was eating a Maxima12 hotdog streamside just before catching fish on his “2 dropper” leader.
==========
May 9
==========
Clinton Co
Time Fished: 500pm - 800pm
Weather Conditions: 73 degrees, sunny
Water Conditions: 54 degrees, green color, running fast
Insects: March Browns, golden stones, pale evening dun
Initially there was a light March Brown hatch with a dun floating by about every minute. None seemed to be touched. The rises were also sporadic but decent splashes, not sipping. It was a little confusing. As the evening passed the rising would ebb and flow. I didn’t have any takes on 3 types of Caddis, 2 types of PEDs, and 2 BWOs. Since I wasn’t seeing the insect I switched to a small rusty spinner and caught one. I switched to a 14 spinner and caught another. I had lots of interest in the spinner but only had a few other takes. I moved out of my spot and let a friend have a chance. He took several on a emerger. After I relocated I put on a March Brown since they were around and I wasn’t sure what else to try. As it got closer to dusk they started to take it. I got 3 more. Ended up with 4 browns and a rainbow.
=========
May 10
=========
Clinton Co
Time Fished: 1pm - 415pm
Weather Conditions: Clear, Sunny, 73 degrees
Water Conditions: 48 at 1pm, 52 at 4pm, 410cfs, nice color
Insects: March Browns, Sulphurs, maybe some small BWOs
As I approached the stream I saw sporadic rising with March Browns being the dominant fly. Also either Sulphurs or BWOs (I couldn’t catch any). Numbers were lower in the bright day but some areas were in shade from the mountain and thats where the insects were hatching. The rises were sporadic but aggressive. I started swinging 3 wets and caught a rainbow on about the 6th cast and then had a long drought before the second fish I landed at about 4pm. For a long time in between I tried finding the right dry fly after going through about a dozen options. I missed a few fish but was surprised I never found one that clicked. The water was still running very fast so my drift could have been suspect. The water was very shaded but background was very bright making it hard to detect the slight nuances like drag that can make the fly unnatural. So I’ll chalk it up to drag.
The only other angler in the vicinity landed several on sucker spawn. He also had a large palomino on that eventually worked the hook loose but not before the only “palomino jump” I’ve ever seen. It was a major leap of a 20” fish. I just can’t bring myself to use “egg type” flies for trout in the spring/summer. During fall/spring in Great Lakes tribs…no problem. I guess I like to try to imitate insects too much. Being stubborn cost me some action. Both trout I caught were rainbows.
On the ride home I saw 4 elk really close to the road near Hicks Run in Cameron Co.
