Penns Creek, Centre Co, 4/2/2023

[discomidge]

It was a bluebird day yesterday with highs in the low 50s with some wind that died down by the late afternoon. Penns was around 430cfs and had decent color. I didn't expect to catch much (or anything, friggin sun), but managed a few fish from 1 to 6pm as well as a wading staff that was floating down the stream. Never bumped into its owner tho. A couple of the fish - one on a nymph and the other on a dry - were mean 16's and are pictured below. Good times.

Bugs are really the headline here tho, not fish. Penns is once again starting up. There were toooons of midges, a couple little black stones (18), slightly more little brown stones (14), some olives (18-22), very few small caddis, a bunch of #14-18 UFOs (quill gordons and blue quills maybe?), and freaking female HENDRICKSONS. Seems pretty early for hendos and there's weren't a ton of them, but dang they look huge after 4 months of winter bugs. Nothing (but midges) was coming off in good numbers and the fish weren't really keying on the bugs on top. I did managed to get some on dries later in the day, but they were sporadic risers that I sniped. The variety of bugs was at least nice to see, can't wait for their quantity to match.

I was also out a 4 days ago and it was mainly stones and midges. There were a lot more stones then, seems like they're ending. Amazing how quickly it changes. I'll probably go out again tomorrow. And every other day or so for the next 2.5 months. Viva springtime!

 

[McSneek]

I was there on Friday, 3/31 and had a very slow day fishing in a cold rain much of the time. No bug activity to speak of. Didn’t get a hit on nymphs. Had to resort to an olive woolly bugger and that at least produced a couple. Had a number of other hits on the bugger but they just wouldn’t commit to it. Late afternoon I got one more swinging a hendrickson wet. Temperature never got above 45. Looks like the stream got a slight bump from the rain but it is low for this time of year. Hoping the bugs turn on by the next time I get up there. I was due for a slow day after some very good outings last season. Such is Penns Creek.

 

[Silent Ocelot]

Good to hear a report from Penns. I'll be up at the end of April, probably with 1,000 dries in my box haha. That pic of the brown is gorgeous! A fine catch! I swear Penns has the best looking browns, although I caught a really pretty brown on the Little Lehigh last year, the only place I took stocked trout on the dry and that fish was on a sulfur 18. The aesthetic quality of that brown is a much-needed breath of fresh air compared to the color-lacking gross rainbows I pulled up yesterday (one was missing a side fin!).

 

[tjsingle]

I assume (even though assuming really isn't a good idea), that the roads back to Poe Paddy are drivable? I haven't been paying much attention to the weather in the area. Thinking about making the trek up to Penns soon.

 

[discomidge]

I assume (even though assuming really isn't a good idea), that the roads back to Poe Paddy are drivable? I haven't been paying much attention to the weather in the area. Thinking about making the trek up to Penns soon.

Yeah, no snow AFAIK. Hell we've barely had any rain. Not great.

 

[discomidge]

Good to hear a report from Penns. I'll be up at the end of April, probably with 1,000 dries in my box haha. That pic of the brown is gorgeous! A fine catch! I swear Penns has the best looking browns, although I caught a really pretty brown on the Little Lehigh last year, the only place I took stocked trout on the dry and that fish was on a sulfur 18. The aesthetic quality of that brown is a much-needed breath of fresh air compared to the color-lacking gross rainbows I pulled up yesterday (one was missing a side fin!).

Thanks, a pretty one indeed, but for me the BFC browns are tough to beat, aesthetically. Lots have bright white rings around the red spots. And this one even has bedroom eyes:

 

[ROVERT]

There's definitely no snow but plenty of potholes going back Havice.

I'm glad you were seeing insect activity. I only saw some midges and I believe one Hendrickson at a distance in the mornings.

I was out Saturday morning with my daughter. I timed it to get there as the rain stopped since she was along. I was hoping for a couple of hours of clouds. That didn't happen. Bluebird skies and wind appeared almost instantly after the rain stopped. I knew that combination would make fishing tough, especially for her, so we didn't stay long.

The thunderstorms never materialized Saturday evening but I heard enough trees snapping off in the wind to be glad I didn't go back out.

I went back out alone for about an hour and a half on Sunday morning and managed a couple on golden stones. I felt ok with that given the conditions and getting high holed by a couple of spin fishermen.

 

[Penns Woods]

It's good to see more fishing reports, I was beginning to think Spring would never get here.

 

[Driverdoc]

I fished the Cherry Run area for a few hours last Monday and only saw the stoneflies and midges. Glad to hear things are picking up. One of my goals this year is to spend more time on Penns this year. Thanks for the report.

 

[Weikertgal]

The roads over the mountain at Cherry Run are clear. We went over the mountain from Weikert road last weekend. The wind was insane Saturday so no doubt a few branches came down.

 

[pcray1231]

I'll be camped at Poe Paddy this weekend, tonight-Saturday. Doubt I'll be in time to fish any this evening, but shooting for it. In any case will put a full day on Penns tomorrow, and the first half of the day Saturday.

Thank God for tent heaters, lol.

 

[Nocktavius]

We fished Penns the 31st and I had one of my best days out there (20+ fish to the net in like 2 hours and more lost) using a modified Grannom larva on the dropper. Fish out there right now are looking for olive- there’s a ton of caddis larvae moving around getting ready to hatch (A few snagged limbs provided the feedback). After the water colored up Sunday we had good luck with an olive sexy Walt’s with a pink hot spot. Tiny BWO imitations like the WD-40 and golden stones were also productive when the bite started to slow.

 

[jifigz]

I'll be camped at Poe Paddy this weekend, tonight-Saturday. Doubt I'll be in time to fish any this evening, but shooting for it. In any case will put a full day on Penns tomorrow, and the first half of the day Saturday.

Thank God for tent heaters, lol.

I'm staying at Poe Valley next weekend, Friday through Sunday. I am ready. I am taking someone who has never fly fished before so we will see how they handle Penns. I'll have another forum regular there, too, so maybe between two of us we can coach the newbie together. But I am hoping the new guy can swing some caddis type wets and hook up with fish.

 

[pcray1231]

Report for 4/6-4/8.

Arrived late day Thursday. Started fishing like 5:30 p.m. Nymphed up a couple. Minor spinner fall in evening, 1 fish rose, but it was a tank of a 19" brown which took 1st cast. Back at the campsite met 2 good dudes, shot the sh!t, and had a little too much to drink.

Friday - Cold and cloudy. Up at dawn and nymphed in morning. Had a couple on but real slow. Around 2:30 a smattering of quills, olives, hendricksons, and grannoms started. Few fish rising along the banks, I missed a few and landed a few. That ended around 5. Nothing doing therafter, no spinners at dark. Ended up with 4 on the day, but that was probably 11 hrs of work to get that, dawn till dusk with just a short late morning break for lunch.

Saturday - Super cold in morning, took down tent while waiting for Swattie. He arrived, we started around 10. Nymphed a while, it was slow, I did land one. Around 1 bugs started a little, we slid down into a hole and played with a few bank risers with moderate success. I had to start out around 2, Swattie stayed. I walked out and went through the tunnel, when I got to the bridge all heck had broken loose. The entire water was covered in sailboats (Hendricksons) and every fish in the stream was rising. I couldnt leave with that going on so I fished up through the cabin stretch. Was tough at first, too many naturals, but then started nailing them as the hatch backed off to reasonable levels. Ended with 12 on the day, 11 on dries, and left the water with fish still rising and catching fish at a fast pace, I was already pushing what time I had to be back. Swattie texted me later, he had the same thing happen below and also took advantage and had a good day.

 

[Swattie87]

04/08/23 - Sunny skies, slight haze set in in the later afternoon, but if you still called it sunny, I wouldn’t have questioned it. Water temp was 47 at about 10 am. Didn’t take it again. Air temp rose from about freezing to a high of 50ish. Winds were light, but any gust was enough to remind you it’s still early Spring.

Ditto to what pcray posted. We were about halfway between the tunnel and Cherry Run and it was typical Penns slow until about 1:00. We noticed a handful of BWO’s starting and pcray picked off a couple bank risers and I whiffed on two or three. Always takes me a little bit to get back into the groove of big water dry fly fishing each Spring, and the importance of a half second pause before setting after you see the rise to your fly.

pcray had to head out about 2:00, and things were still pretty slow then. Occasional bank risers only. About 2:30 or so, Hendricksons started heavy, and fish in the heavier water were on them. I felt bad for pcray, but was glad to hear he got on them back closer to the parking area. Things were on to about about 4:30 or so. Tons of duns, too much really, as your fly would get lost in the naturals. I picked up 8 or so, all solid 12”+ fish, most in the 14-16” range. Things slowed back to the harder to fool occasional bank/eddy risers, and by 5:00 I was satisfied with a good day on Penns and started the hike out.

A couple misc notes…There were fair numbers of Caddis (Grannoms I assume?) but the fish showed no interest in them.

Most of my Hendrickson fishing to date has been on the larger NC freestoners. My Hendrickson/Red Quills were a good size to a size and a half too small. I caught the first two on the biggest Red Quill I had, size 14ish, but the second fish barrel rolled as I was landing it and tore it to shreds. Fished the remainder of the day with a size 12 March Brown. The fish in the faster water were pretty forgiving, but as I tried to pick off a few more late bank risers after things slowed down, they weren’t impressed.

Was nice to fish for rising fish during the mid-afternoon light, as opposed to Sulphurs for instance where everything is typically right at dark. Gonna have to do more of this early season big water stuff.

Lots were nearly full at 10 am, lots of guys nymphing the riffs. Place was a ghost town when I got back to my vehicle at about 5:30.

 

[riverwhy]

Report for 4/6-4/8.

Arrived late day Thursday. Started fishing like 5:30 p.m. Nymphed up a couple. Minor spinner fall in evening, 1 fish rose, but it was a tank of a 19" brown which took 1st cast. Back at the campsite met 2 good dudes, shot the sh!t, and had a little too much to drink.

Friday - Cold and cloudy. Up at dawn and nymphed in morning. Had a couple on but real slow. Around 2:30 a smattering of quills, olives, hendricksons, and grannoms started. Few fish rising along the banks, I missed a few and landed a few. That ended around 5. Nothing doing therafter, no spinners at dark. Ended up with 4 on the day, but that was probably 11 hrs of work to get that, dawn till dusk with just a short late morning break for lunch.

Saturday - Super cold in morning, took down tent while waiting for Swattie. He arrived, we started around 10. Nymphed a while, it was slow, I did land one. Around 1 bugs started a little, we slid down into a hole and played with a few bank risers with moderate success. I had to start out around 2, Swattie stayed. I walked out and went through the tunnel, when I got to the bridge all heck had broken loose. The entire water was covered in sailboats (Hendricksons) and every fish in the stream was rising. I couldnt leave with that going on so I fished up through the cabin stretch. Was tough at first, too many naturals, but then started nailing them as the hatch backed off to reasonable levels. Ended with 12 on the day, 11 on dries, and left the water with fish still rising and catching fish at a fast pace, I was already pushing what time I had to be back. Swattie texted me later, he had the same thing happen below and also took advantage and had a good day.View attachment 1641229704

Did you fish the Taylor Dynamix you just got? If so how do you like it? I am looking at one and Penn's is where I would use it a good deal.

 

[pcray1231]

Did you fish the Taylor Dynamix you just got? If so how do you like it? I am looking at one and Penn's is where I would use it a good deal.

Yessir. I think I still like the loomis gl3 a touch better. But I did fish the Taylor all weekend to really put it through its paces, and I do like it a lot. It was a good purchase.

 

[KeviR]

Two friends and I fished a new (for us) area on Penn's below Cherry Run. Walked in about 1/2 mi and saw only a few other fishermen all day. Grannoms started pretty heavily around late morning and we caught a few risers on grannom dries. Most of our fish were on olive walt's or olive threadbody like an iron lotus. Between three of us we caught 35 or so on the day. At mid-afternoon the water temp was 52. Three of the fish were brook trout. One of them was 13" and one was 15". I've not caught or seen a PA brook trout that big in a ...ever.
There were lots of bugs on the water all afternoon. Grannoms, hendricksons, quill gordons, BWOs. Fished until about 7. On the way back, we were walking by a pool with a few consistent risers, so we stopped to try them. Between 3 guys with several fly changes each, we couldn't figure them out. After 1/2 hour or so, we gave up and walked back. At the big flat pool by the parking area, there were several fish rising. No obvious naturals on the surface, but two of us were gluttons for punishment. Very surprisingly, I had great success on a quill gordon parachute and my buddy at the same time had good success with a hendrickson dry. I don't think they were taking these naturals, but both flies worked well. Go figure. It had all the hallmarks of a humbling encounter, but it was a blast. Every one of my fish took on the first good drift over them. 5 fish fooled in about 10 minutes. (Only landed 2 of them) Penn's almost never does that. Especially on the big pool by the parking lot. Goes to show why hope springs eternal in the hearts of all fishermen...

 

[discomidge]

Yeah the risers coming up around 6 or 7 were tough to figure out. There was a decent spinner fall, but the fish were eating something else where I was fishing. I threw logical things at them but finally ended up tying on a silly bright yellow emerger pattern and bingo, it worked for a bunch of fish. No idea why, just got lucky. But all in all I had a banging day on Penns today. Around 3 I had some hot hendrickson action along the banks. And at 6 it was a caddis blizzard. Fun to see, but none on the water obv. It's officially on. I need some good excuses to tell my job for why I'll be taking afternoons off for a while.

 

[troutbert]

Two friends and I fished a new (for us) area on Penn's below Cherry Run. Walked in about 1/2 mi and saw only a few other fishermen all day. Grannoms started pretty heavily around late morning and we caught a few risers on grannom dries. Most of our fish were on olive walt's or olive threadbody like an iron lotus. Between three of us we caught 35 or so on the day. At mid-afternoon the water temp was 52. Three of the fish were brook trout. One of them was 13" and one was 15". I've not caught or seen a PA brook trout that big in a ...ever.
There were lots of bugs on the water all afternoon. Grannoms, hendricksons, quill gordons, BWOs. Fished until about 7. On the way back, we were walking by a pool with a few consistent risers, so we stopped to try them. Between 3 guys with several fly changes each, we couldn't figure them out. After 1/2 hour or so, we gave up and walked back. At the big flat pool by the parking area, there were several fish rising. No obvious naturals on the surface, but two of us were gluttons for punishment. Very surprisingly, I had great success on a quill gordon parachute and my buddy at the same time had good success with a hendrickson dry. I don't think they were taking these naturals, but both flies worked well. Go figure. It had all the hallmarks of a humbling encounter, but it was a blast. Every one of my fish took on the first good drift over them. 5 fish fooled in about 10 minutes. (Only landed 2 of them) Penn's almost never does that. Especially on the big pool by the parking lot. Goes to show why hope springs eternal in the hearts of all fishermen...

Do you think these brookies were wild or stocked?

The trout rising late in the day might have been taking BWO spinners. They are small and hard to see in the waning light.