Little Juniata (Barree Gorge), 04/19/2010

[ezpickins]

Fished the Gorge Area above Barree. Weather was beautiful, coolish but sunny. It never did get very warm in the Gorge though.

Hatches - I won't get too scientific here (not that I could). Several different caddis were present. The large black bodied (I'm guessing grannoms) were around all day. I had no luck on matching dries (or wet flies) for this bug - they did seem to be ovipositing, but I couldn't get action with what I tried.

Also present were green caddis (size 14) perhaps also a type of Grannom. These were indeed emerging, plenty of spents shucks floating in the water. However it looked like others of this caddis were also ovipositing. This is the fly that resulted in most of our success for the day. Elk-hair type caddis in light green seemed to work the best. Although I didn't have any of these my father did and used them to land some nice fish. I used an assortment of similiar flies and caught fish on various caddis imitations including a bright yellow bodied elk-hair caddis (this fly actually produced quite well). We caught fish for several hours in the afternoon over this hatch.

There were also a smattering of other caddis: smaller green caddis (size 16/18), small gray/tan bodied caddis (size 18), small black caddis (size 18).

Also very few yellow craneflies here and there.

I didn't notice any mayflies where we were fishing.

Here's some pics of a typical fish and scenery:

 

[PennKev]

Looks like good conditions and not many people out fishing. Doesn't get much better... 😛int:

 

[sight_nymph_17109]

Wow. You had the place to yourself. I need to get to the lower half of the gorge. I've walked in from Spruce and all the way down to the beginning of the gorge. I've NEVER had any part of that river to myself. Sounds like a great day and thanks for the report.

 

[ezpickins]

Later in the day a few guys showed up - but for a good part of the day we had it to ourselves. That area already feels so remote, so to be in there essentially alone gave a feeling of wildness that you don't get that often.

It was a good day - a convergence of weather, bugs and fish that doesn't always happen. But is magical when it does.

 

[skybay]

Well, looks great and peaceful.
Great day.
Have you noticed any Midges activity (any size) or Sulphurs?

 

[ezpickins]

skybay,
I didn't see any significant midge activity where and when I was fishing - but that wouldn't rule out other times and places. We had to leave the stream around 4:30 PM.

As far a sulphurs, we were too early for that. However, that being a week ago now, and with the apparent "early hatches" a lot of streams are reportedly seeing this year, I wouldn't be surprised to see them soon now.

There were some sporadic yellow/orange craneflies in our vicinity, but not to amount to much.