Prospector
Well-known member
Time Fished: 430pm - 745pm
Weather Conditions:Mostly Cloudy with periods of sun, 75-76
Water Conditions: Temp at 7pm was 60 degrees It was stained a brown color but that could be normal
Insects: A few Sulphurs hatched at 545pm caddis began to show up at 7pm, a coffin fly made an appearance about 6pm but that was the only one I saw
This was my first time on Penns and I wanted some room to roam so I fished between Coburn and Spring Mills. I knew it was green drake time when the first 3 cars parked streamside were from NJ, Ohio and VA. I picked a location away from everyone else. There was virtually no insect activity when I started and I only saw a few rises.
I used nymphs for a while in the couple holes where I started but I really like streamers so I fished them most of the time. I caught 2 on streamers (1 brown, 1 brook) and had about 12 strikes.
Since there were no rises in the last 45 minutes before dark I decided to hop in the truck and check things out below Coburn. After rounding the S turn I could see the cars lining the road ahead. I stopped where the creek runs along the road and fisherman were lined the whole way down the riffle. Coffin flies were in pretty good numbers and I caught several, for samples, that were landing on the road.
The body measurements from the from the mouth to where the tail begins was either 10/16” or 11/16” depending on the fly being measured. I matched it up to some hooks and I tie coffin flies with a Live Body white tube that extends just past the bend of the hook. A standard size 12 hook seems just right. Maybe even better are ones my father ties on a short shank wide gap hook. Despite the short hook, the Live Body length extends to be a perfect match to the Penn Creek sample length. Which tells me the Coffin flies on Kettle Creek are same size as the flies on Penns. Most coffin flies are tied too large which may not make a difference to the fish but it certainly will impact your hook up rate.
After my little scouting mission I drove back upstream to survey the water. No rises so I tore down my rod, took off my waders and as I was lacing up my shoes I heard the first rise. Then another. I stood and watched about a half dozen fish become active and maybe as many as 12 in a short stretch. So the spinner fall was late.
I was not disappointed I missed this late surge. I was happy to watch it from the bank. My day started at 430am because I never fished central PA so I started the long drive in the dark and I ended it watching rising trout on Penns in the dark. I was able to land trout on both Big Fishing Creek and Penns Creek. Got to see some Coffin Flies dance over a famous riffle and I still had the next morning to hit one more stream before my weeklong trip on Kettle begins.
One observation I have on both Big Fishing Creek and Penns was how trusting the wildlife was. On Big Fishing creek I walked within a rods length of a chipmunk feeding on log. I stopped he looked at me then went back to his business rather than flee or just be on high alert. On Penns a tree swallow landed 20 feet from me while I fished on a gravel bar. He picked some grit for 20-30 secs and then took back to the air. Later I was eating a streamside sandwich along Penns and a flicker landed across the road from me to dust in the dry dirt. He never paid attention to me. These occurrences are rare in NW & NC Pa, yet I see all three in the same day in central PA.
Another observation was the abundance of game only trails. Where I typically fish every trail along a stream has boot prints. Here I’d see a trail and assume it led to a good hole and sometimes it did, but most often it was just a game trail with deer tracks and raccoon track. There sure are a lot of racoon down there.
Weather Conditions:Mostly Cloudy with periods of sun, 75-76
Water Conditions: Temp at 7pm was 60 degrees It was stained a brown color but that could be normal
Insects: A few Sulphurs hatched at 545pm caddis began to show up at 7pm, a coffin fly made an appearance about 6pm but that was the only one I saw
This was my first time on Penns and I wanted some room to roam so I fished between Coburn and Spring Mills. I knew it was green drake time when the first 3 cars parked streamside were from NJ, Ohio and VA. I picked a location away from everyone else. There was virtually no insect activity when I started and I only saw a few rises.
I used nymphs for a while in the couple holes where I started but I really like streamers so I fished them most of the time. I caught 2 on streamers (1 brown, 1 brook) and had about 12 strikes.
Since there were no rises in the last 45 minutes before dark I decided to hop in the truck and check things out below Coburn. After rounding the S turn I could see the cars lining the road ahead. I stopped where the creek runs along the road and fisherman were lined the whole way down the riffle. Coffin flies were in pretty good numbers and I caught several, for samples, that were landing on the road.
The body measurements from the from the mouth to where the tail begins was either 10/16” or 11/16” depending on the fly being measured. I matched it up to some hooks and I tie coffin flies with a Live Body white tube that extends just past the bend of the hook. A standard size 12 hook seems just right. Maybe even better are ones my father ties on a short shank wide gap hook. Despite the short hook, the Live Body length extends to be a perfect match to the Penn Creek sample length. Which tells me the Coffin flies on Kettle Creek are same size as the flies on Penns. Most coffin flies are tied too large which may not make a difference to the fish but it certainly will impact your hook up rate.
After my little scouting mission I drove back upstream to survey the water. No rises so I tore down my rod, took off my waders and as I was lacing up my shoes I heard the first rise. Then another. I stood and watched about a half dozen fish become active and maybe as many as 12 in a short stretch. So the spinner fall was late.
I was not disappointed I missed this late surge. I was happy to watch it from the bank. My day started at 430am because I never fished central PA so I started the long drive in the dark and I ended it watching rising trout on Penns in the dark. I was able to land trout on both Big Fishing Creek and Penns Creek. Got to see some Coffin Flies dance over a famous riffle and I still had the next morning to hit one more stream before my weeklong trip on Kettle begins.
One observation I have on both Big Fishing Creek and Penns was how trusting the wildlife was. On Big Fishing creek I walked within a rods length of a chipmunk feeding on log. I stopped he looked at me then went back to his business rather than flee or just be on high alert. On Penns a tree swallow landed 20 feet from me while I fished on a gravel bar. He picked some grit for 20-30 secs and then took back to the air. Later I was eating a streamside sandwich along Penns and a flicker landed across the road from me to dust in the dry dirt. He never paid attention to me. These occurrences are rare in NW & NC Pa, yet I see all three in the same day in central PA.
Another observation was the abundance of game only trails. Where I typically fish every trail along a stream has boot prints. Here I’d see a trail and assume it led to a good hole and sometimes it did, but most often it was just a game trail with deer tracks and raccoon track. There sure are a lot of racoon down there.
