Penns Creek, Centre County, 2/9/23

[JackNiem]

I haven't really noticed much of a temperature dependence on our limestone streams here in central PA, unless there's significant snow melt. Have had great days of both many fish and big fish with the temperature trending down and many skunks on unseasonably warm days in the winter. To me its all about flow/sun conditions. Showing up to a heavily pressured, gin clear limestone stream on a sunny day while being able to see every rock on the streambed like pcrays picture is a nightmare for me nymphing or streamer fishing. Especially for bigger fish. Have had many of those "off" days on a stream that looks like that. On the other hand, regardless of temperature, if I can't see my streamer in a foot of water I don't think I've ever had a day where I haven't move at least a handful of fish. And if the waters up and its cloudy/rainy, that's when I've seen most of the large trout I have here in PA.

 

[Mike]

Streams are very clear right now and starting to get a little low in some cases in SE Pa and I assume the clarity is similar on a lot of other streams since we have not had much rain or snow melt. I was along a small limestoner yesterday and even it was “gin clear,” so much so that with the clarity and fertility/nutrients, bright green filamentous algae clumps comprised of 4 inch strands were waving in the current. Two weeks ago there was none at the same riffle. It shoildn’t be long before the nearly annual question arises here as to why the stream bottoms are so dark brown (clear water, bright sunshine, no shade over stream channels = perfect conditions for diatom growth on the rocks). The diatoms make the rocks quite slippery too, also known as slippy in some parts of Pa.😉

 

[Swattie87]

Streams are very clear right now and starting to get a little low in some cases in SE Pa and I assume the clarity is similar on a lot of other streams since we have not had much rain or snow melt. I was along a small limestoner yesterday and even it was “gin clear,” so much so that with the clarity and fertility/nutrients, bright green filamentous algae clumps comprised of 4 inch strands were waving in the current. Two weeks ago there was none at the same riffle. It shoildn’t be long before the nearly annual question arises here as to why the stream bottoms are so dark brown (clear water, bright sunshine, no shade over stream channels = perfect conditions for diatom growth on the rocks). The diatoms make the rocks quite slippery too, also known as slippy in some parts of Pa.😉

So you’re saying we’re in need of a Spring time “freshet” to coincide with leaf out? 😁

 

[NRD]

The diatoms make the rocks quite slippery too, also known as slippy in some parts of Pa.😉

I noticed that on Penns yesterday afternoon. Luckily, I was wearing a rain jacket over my waders, and I was about ready to leave anyway.
No luck swinging streamers.