Oil Creek, Venango Co, 6-29-19

Prospector

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Jul 7, 2015
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City
Butler Co home, Forest Co camp
Time Fished: 7am - Noon

Weather Conditions: 68-82,degrees; early fog followed by mixture clouds and sun; some distant thunder but it never rained

Water Conditions: 67-68 degrees, Main flow was a little cloudy but edges were clear; about 295 cfs

Insects: About 4 different types of Caddis (sz 18 tan, size 18 dark, sz 14 dark, forget the last one, had several in my hand or in my hat but had problems getting them in a bottle to look at later). caddis were active in the riffle and were fluttering in the shoreline brush; also saw what looked like a lone Coffin fly. May have been a yellow drake spinner; I saw no Tricos; only saw 4-5 rises; witnessed 7-9 fish jump far out of the water but I think they were suckers;

The fish were fairly active early but I only landed 2 rainbow and 1 brown. For some reason, I was having trouble detecting strikes and I was late on the hookset. I caught all fish on wooly bugger swinging it like a wet fly. I also tried a sawyers killer bug, prince nymph, medium size black stonefly nymph. Also tried stripping a large wooly bugger like a streamer for the full length of the hole and got a SMB. I even experimented bringing up fish on a tan Caddis and a dark Caddis but had no takes. Before heading upstream to fish another area, I checked the temp of a trib and it was 58 degrees (10 degrees colder than Oil). That should pay some dividends as Oil warms up

Upstream I got 1 more brown on my only strike. It was a long time between fish #3 and #4.

Of note, one of the rainbows I caught was full of eggs and ready to lay. They were releasing like crazy.

Only about the 4th time I wore my lightweight stocking foot waders and they leaked. I probably have 4 other ones that also leak that I hope patch someday. Does anyone have a good way to find a hole in lightweight waders and then patch it? Similarly has anyone found a brand of lightweight stocking foot that doesn’t seem to get holes as often.

Saw a bald eagle (they always seem to be flying upstream) and 8 deer.
 
A well done and thorough report (as usual).
Thanks.

Regarding the leak, I would simply fill (carefully) the boot with water and then watch the outside to try and find the leaks. Mark them with a magic marker, dump the boot and set it out to dry, then patch the hole on both inside and outside with aquaseal. If there is any more than a tiny pin-hole or crease, you'll need a patch. I get my patches by cutting pieces of old waders.
 
To find pinholes, turn the clean and dry waders inside-out. Spray them with isopropyl alcohol. Any leaks will show on the outside of the wader as a dark spot from the alcohol. Mark the spot, let the alcohol dry then repair.
 
The alcohol trick doesn't work on all waders.

But the ones it does work on, it's awesome. And you don't even have to let the alcohol dry fully. Just wipe it with a paper towel so there isn't standing alcohol on it and repair. If it's truly a pinhole, dab some aquaseal on a fingertip and rub it in. Works like a charm.
 
I've used a flashlight as a quick way to locate leaks. Make sure the room is dark, shine the light on the inside of the waders in the area of the suspected leak. You have to experiment on how close of the fabric to place the light; the flashlight lens may have to be be right up against it. A pinhole leak should show up on the outside of the waders as a bright pinpoint of light coming through the hole.
 
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