Letort/Conodoguinet 10-15-13/Cumberland

LetortAngler

LetortAngler

Member
Joined
Sep 6, 2013
Messages
609
City
SWPA
LeTort Spring Run 10/15/13. It's really looking like fall now, and I've been stocking up on streamers as well as trying some new ones. My Orvis package arrived with a few new Motos Minnows that I've read many good reviews about in light gray and brown. As I arrived at the upper LeTort I quickly noticed that the water levels were up but clear. I tied my Moto Minnow to a 10 foot leader tapered to 4x, and started at the top of Quarry Meadow and worked my way downstream. The meadow was a bit flooded more than usual and i took adavante of the high water to test my new streamer. I casted the fly in to the water to see how it looked, and it looked great like all the other Maribous, but the colors and form were very exact to a real minnow. I really took my time today, and just fished the deeper likely areas that a big ol Brown would be up to no good in. Right along the near bank I gave a few twitches and moments later a nice 12-13 inch brown was released and one missed in the Quarry. On my way back up to Bonnybrook parking lot, I tryed the streamer where the left branch meets the right branch and was rewarded with 1 more 9" brown and missed one. After a nice walk up through Tregos meadow, I was off to fish the lower LeTort. I kept my streamer setup on with the Moto minnow and walked far upstream from the sport emporium, and again started stripping and swinging my streamer in the high water downstream which produced 3 more wild browns of about 12-13" each, plus one taken on a Shenk white minnow Sz 12. Before getting on the turnpike I thought I would check out the mouth of the LeTort where it flows into the condoguinet, (I've never felt the need to fish in this section), and saw about 5 bait fisherman trying to catch and keep those legendary letort wild browns. The falls were nice though, and I saw a hatch of tan caddis and little olives that could of put the Little J up for a run for its money. They were everywhere coming off the condoguinet and flying upstream of the letort, however I saw no rising fish and was only just watching, I've not seen such a concentrated hatch like that in awhile.
 
I picked up a few Moto Minnows last fall and have had good success everywhere I fished it. My favorite streamer is Shenk's white minnow and while somewhat similar in color, the Moto Minnow has a fuller profile and, I believe, appeals to fish looking for a bigger meal.
 
I agree, if it can catch more than a few trout on the LeTort, I usually tie/order a dozen and it will be a permanent in my fly box.
 
I had tied a few motos earlier this year. Hammered the stockies this past spring, they loved it!
 
LetortAngler,

The Mouth of the LeTort is often my go to location. A staging area to meet others or just a familiar spot for me to chill / meditate. (In the Summer...don't go there unless you want to fight the water churning crowds of swimmers and kayaks. Muskie and Bass can be successfully targeted then.)

The hatches can be very intense. Caddis and Hexagenia can make you stop fishing due to the volume colliding with your face. If you wear a white shirt...they land all over you. Winter black stonefly hatches are awesome. Small LeTort Browns are often actively rising over 200 yards of the confluence.

Above the falls offers the most diverse terrain on the LeTort. It is just another facet of the Run. As the weather changes, you should make it a point to go this last half mile of the Run. Post Spawn...It's On!

The people I see bait fishing there often do not even know trout are around. A month ago, I witnessed one fine gentleman and his dripping wet herd, proudly carrying his stringer of fallfish and suckers to his truck. He stated how he fillets them and cooks them in butter. I have found chicken liver there also. As I have stated previously, "meat keepers" do target trout there when the word is out. I tell them to go to the Breeches to eat.

With the colder weather the people disappear. The fish reappear.

Motos and bigger streamers on minimum 4X.

 
NS, I've seen some of the pics of the browns that you've caught at that section that were very nice. Do the little black stoneflys appear earlier than Feburary on the Letort?
 
That moto fly seems like a lot of work. Why not just palmer white marabou and be done with it.
 
tough to beat the simplicity of Shenk's White Minnow imo. the right profile, the right motion, the right amount of chewiness. I'd like to find some in a color other than white, though.

The Motos Minnow looks like a Sculpzilla to me, only using marabou instead of rabbit fur. Especially with that tungsten cone head. After all the time I spent chucking weight into the wind in Colorado last week, I'm like "give me a spinning rod, already." Not only that, I missed every fish that took on a streamer. They all shook off within a couple of seconds.

And the Yampa muddied up on me. Which was interesting- I spent a couple of fruitless hours swinging streamers on a long line through murky pools along the seams before I finally figured out what many of you already know: shortline a streamer on a tight line past bank-hugging fish in undercuts instead. Still got no fish to hand, but I got them to strike.

(I got all of my fish in Colorado on dries, on a little meadow stream not much different from Falling Springs. All browns, the best around 14". Not super classic Colorado big-fish action, but plenty of fun.)
 
Tye them?

Trout are dumb. Do you really think that they only hit certain streamers?

I think presentation trumps pattern so much more with streamers than in other baits of fly fishing. Color may be second to size in the overall scheme of things.

Keep in mind, I have no idea what I am talking about.
 
my favorite streamer is a bronze kreelex.
 
Trout may be dumb in alot of the starved freestoners, but some spring creeks, you would think these trout are smart. There has been plenty of occasions where my muddler didn't work, and my bugger took all the glory.
 
On my way home from working in southern Huntingdon County today spun off the T.P. at Carlisle to hit the Letort. I tried to do the math and I think it had been 28+ years since I actually fished the Letort. I checked out the mouth (took a few photos at the falls) and fished the outflow of the Letort into the Conodoguinet. Had a couple of quick hits in the Connie but very effectively missed everything. Then I went up to the Bonniebrook parking area and fished up through the meadow above the bridge. The water was flowing good and was very clear, I didn't even see a trout. The sunny skies and stiff breeze also made it even more challenging. I fully expected to get skunked because history has proved that this stream has done nothing but kick my butt! I tried to fish one of my sculpin patterns in the deeper runs between the weeds, but to no avail. However, it was great just to get back to the Letort, sneak around a bit and wet a line. What a gorgeous stream!
 
Any particular reason why so many who speak of the Letort on this message board seem to spend their time in the special reg area when the fish population numbers and abundance of large trout are higher outside of the special reg area?
 
Dc410, it's pretty tough up near Bonnybrook and a good day up there for me is 2-3 trout. I don't know if you know about shady lane there by motel 6, but that is great water and if you ever get another chance try there. Don't Forget Polarized Glasses!
 
LetortAngler,

Thanks for the heads up. I'm sure I will get another opportunity. I'll definitely give that area a shot the next time.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Montana Angler Fly Fishing
Montana Angler Fly Fishing
Harman's North Fork Cottages

Share this page

Back
Top