Late October Flies

[ConMan]

Glad to see the site is back up and running again!

I will be headed up to the ANF and the Kinzua area one month from Monday!!!! Early this spring I started really having success on dries for the first time in my ff career! It was just fantastic. Normally very productive on streamers and nymphing, etc. but the top water action is truly amazing stuff. I will be fishing late October, and expect that temps will be in the 40's in the am getting up to around 60 in the afternoon that time of year. What types of dries can you fish that late in the season? Are we looking at size 18 and lower BWO's and the like or can I expect other hatches in that type of environment. Any help is sincerly appreciated.

Mike.

 

[JackM]

Mike, I can't speak specifically to the area you are heading to, but there are some Fall caddis in PA. BWOs and midges are also possibilities. Other than that, terrestrials can still produce on top late in the year. If nothing is rising or hatching, Fall is a good time to use the dry-dropper combination for prospecting. If the trout are taking the dry, lose the wet fly. If the wet is producing exclusively, well, you just have to do what the fish tell you to do.

 

[MKern]

I have to agree with Jack. Small dark caddis (16 or smaller), Black ants, Large stink-bug-looking beetles, Blue winged olives, Blue duns, Midges. Every once and a while you will catch fish on attraction patterns. Basically what comes off the water in early spring has a tendency to make an appearence in late fall.

However, if you know there are fish there and aren't catching any on dries, I would switch to nymphs. That is if you like catching fish. :-D

 

[sandfly]

stonefly nymphs, trico's,terrestrials,tan caddis,dk. grey caddis.........

 

[dano]

Good advice given by all.
I used to fish those ANF creeks quite a bit and usually by late Oct., the bigger bugs are done but you should see a good abundance of mid day midge activity. Size 26 in creams and dark gray seem to be the most prevalent. I use CDC patters and spent style. Some area of some streams hold early winter dark gray 20-ish micro caddis. I rarely see them in flight. They seem to hatch in the slower pools and try to walk or scamper to the nearest stream-side rock or boulder.
One tactic I've used in the past is to float a midge tied 18 inches off an attractor pattern. I've had them come up to inspect the big fly and then turn and take the little one.
Terrestrials still work, too, especially if the ladybugs are still around.
Allegheny River tailwater will still have 16 tan caddis.

Which streams do you plan to fish?

 

[ConMan]

Thanks for all the responses, guys. Anything smaller than an 18 and I'll never see it, though. I plan on fishing quite a few of the streams in the area. In no particular order:

Spring Creek
Salmon Creek
Kinzua Creek, including the South Branch
The Tuna
Clarion River - just below Johnsonburg
Mill Creek

And I'm sure we'll throw in a few others. I'm staying further north this year - closer to Kane than Marienville. Used to stay in Leeper for the past 15 years but we've been spending so much time driving North on 66 that we figured what the hey!

Of course, we're always open for stream recs too :-D

 

[Padraic]

When I am concerned about seeing my fly on the water, I like to do one of two things (whichever works best for the conditions)

If I can site down the leader to see the fly, I'll do that. Sometimes glare on the water makes that easier believe it or not) because the leader looks like a dark line along the water.

If the leader isn't visible, I'll cut it back so that it's fairly short and stiff, tie on a visible fly (like a 16 wulff or lime trude) and put the midge on the bend of that fly with about a foot or so of tippet between. Then I can watch for rises near the more visible fly.

Padraic