Penns Creek, Centre Co., 6/26/21

discomidge

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Jan 13, 2021
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359
City
Lewisburg
Was hoping to do some mousing last night but near rainbow riffle the water was 73 degrees at 9:30pm. Desperately hoping my fancy thermometer was wrong I took my own temp - 98.5. Bummer. I left.

With the looooow water and hot weather this coming week, I think Penns is done until the fall. Clearly a lot of other people who were fishing last night disagree with me. Because I like to use the internet to make myself angry, this morning I checked the "stream conditions" page of a prominent local fly shop chain:

"Highlight: Penns is in typical summer shape, get on the water early and late. Be sure to carry a thermometer as temps increase this week. Small nymphs, weenies, and ants work well in the summer.

Stream Level: Penns gauge is 128 cfs median is 216 cfs.

Water Temp: high 50's/low 60's

Clarity: Clear

Fishing Overview: Penns has been fishing well. Don't skip over the riffles, fish are spread out.

Specifics and Tips: Early and late are producing best. Wait till dark for spinner fall. Terrestrials (ants, beetles, inchworm patterns) have been productive."

MAYBE they get points for advising people to carry a thermometer, but this just seems so wrong. MAYBE if they temp it at Penns Cave it's "high 50's/low 60's", but c'mon. Total BS that's steering people to the stream (or their shop). At least they got the discharge right.

I had a similar experience last September when their site said Penns was safely fishable. Shocked, I called another shop that's a few doors down from the stream and asked if they'd temped it lately. They laughed and said it was in the 70s and advised me to fish elsewhere, which is what a good shop should say. They also advised waiting a few weeks after the temps get to safe levels before fishing it because they think the fish need time to recover from a hot, dry summer. I then bought a fancy outfit from them last winter. And fancy waders.

Ok rant over. I really just wanted to say Penns was 73 at 9:30 pm last night.

 
Disco,

You’ve had a really good first half of year on Penns dating back to those early days in March I believe when you were slaying them in just a few warmer hours of the day. September will be here in no time. Also you are right in trying to protect the resource. No need to apologize.
 
No matter where you parked that was a healthy walk not to fish. Good for you for doing the right thing.

Memorial Day Weekend or so last year, plus or minus a week, as I forget the exact date, I drove out to the FBJR and found the water at 72 deg at 5:00 PM. I turned around and drove home. Stopped briefly and got an hour or so in on Kish (which was 63 deg), but got skunked. Drove 6 hours round trip for about one hour of junky fishing. It happens.

I wasn’t relying on a professional fishing report for that trip, I just guessed wrong on how warm it would be. But still, you’d like to be able to rely on that stuff when making a trip out.
 
In general geographical terms, where is Rainbow Riffle? Never heard of it, but I would like to get an idea of how far downstream from Elk Ck or how far up from Cherry Rn this warmer temp was measured.
 
Mike wrote:
In general geographical terms, where is Rainbow Riffle? Never heard of it, but I would like to get an idea of how far downstream from Elk Ck or how far up from Cherry Rn this warmer temp was measured.

It’s roughly halfway between Poe Paddy and Cherry Run.
 
discomidge wrote:
Was hoping to do some mousing last night but near rainbow riffle the water was 73 degrees at 9:30pm. Desperately hoping my fancy thermometer was wrong I took my own temp - 98.5. Bummer. I left.

With the looooow water and hot weather this coming week, I think Penns is done until the fall. Clearly a lot of other people who were fishing last night disagree with me. Because I like to use the internet to make myself angry, this morning I checked the "stream conditions" page of a prominent local fly shop chain:

"Highlight: Penns is in typical summer shape, get on the water early and late. Be sure to carry a thermometer as temps increase this week. Small nymphs, weenies, and ants work well in the summer.

Stream Level: Penns gauge is 128 cfs median is 216 cfs.

Water Temp: high 50's/low 60's

Clarity: Clear

Fishing Overview: Penns has been fishing well. Don't skip over the riffles, fish are spread out.

Specifics and Tips: Early and late are producing best. Wait till dark for spinner fall. Terrestrials (ants, beetles, inchworm patterns) have been productive."

MAYBE they get points for advising people to carry a thermometer, but this just seems so wrong. MAYBE if they temp it at Penns Cave it's "high 50's/low 60's", but c'mon. Total BS that's steering people to the stream (or their shop). At least they got the discharge right.

I had a similar experience last September when their site said Penns was safely fishable. Shocked, I called another shop that's a few doors down from the stream and asked if they'd temped it lately. They laughed and said it was in the 70s and advised me to fish elsewhere, which is what a good shop should say. They also advised waiting a few weeks after the temps get to safe levels before fishing it because they think the fish need time to recover from a hot, dry summer. I then bought a fancy outfit from them last winter. And fancy waders.

Ok rant over. I really just wanted to say Penns was 73 at 9:30 pm last night.

Here is the stream report from Penns Creek Angler >

Penns Creek Angler

Penn's Creek Angler Fly Shop Weikert Pa an Orvis Dealer. The shop is closed for the Summer but here's a stream report. Penn's 130cfs, Clear Water, 76 Degrees at 8pm Saturday. Cahills are almost hatched out except the smaller #14-18, I've only see a few good rises over the past two days.

So, I cleaned off the rod, reel and line on the 4 weight today. I want it to be ready to go in October. The H3F 9ft 4 weight is a sweetie pie rod!.

Here are the different Cahills I've seen in the last month. I hope we get some rain soon the water is getting very skinny and the temp is getting hotter by the day. The shop is open by appointment only for the next two weeks, just send a text.

I just got a Helios H3F 9ft 5 Weight, should I keep it for myself or find it a new home? Pop, Pop, Pop, its time for poppers and small mouth bass. But first a trip to Brook Trout Heaven with the 2 weight.
Happy Summer, see you in the Fall. All the Best!

Bruce Fisher
 
Thanks for sharing that great report. I too dug out my poppers this weekend. Also walked down to the Susky last night with my 5yo who, for the first time, was actually able to cast a spinning rod farther than 5 feet, It was so cool. Smallies beware.

Boy do I wish I knew where Bruce's "brook trout heaven" is.
 
RIP. unfortunately just like we predicted the party is over.

That shops river reports have become laughable. BFC report is a joke 90% of the time and it's def become more of an advertising thing imo. There can be some decent hatch timing though that's about it.
 
Yes, the particular fly shop that has the OP's report always has glowing fishing reports of all waters it seems. And all of them are the best fishing on the east coast!
 
The forecast is for a high of 93F for today, Tues and Wed here in Centre County.

Penns Creek will be "cooked" under those conditions.

So will many other trout streams.
 
Rain and cooler temps coming through later in the week/ weekend. Hoping the rain in particular comes through. Take a few days off trout, fish for bass and the trout streams will be back in action soon.
 
I’ve only fished Penn’s one time about 3-4 years ago near Coburn. I will return someday but probably not for a few more years.

Right now with all the talk about water temps, how much public access or access via landowner permission is available from Spring Mills up to the cave?

I assume that stretch would be a fishable temperature and decent insects.. It might require knocking on doors and bringing along a few apples pies. Last time I did that on a stream was about 5 years ago and I brought apple pies and pork chops. Some people are thrilled and some people could care less about goodwill.
 
They don't care about the streams. $$$$$ But I bet their guys all have the hip conservation slogan decals on their vehicles.
 
By the time TCO mentions the 60's on Penns, you can pretty much bet on it being too warm to fish. They almost always have Penns in the 50's. They must call Penns Cave each morning for a temp reading.
 
Spring Creek was 70F at 5:45 pm today at Fishermans Paradise.

Penns Creek runs warmer in the summer than Spring Creek.

 
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