Penns Creek, Centre County, 6/15,16,17/2012

beeber2

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Arrived downstream of Coburn on Friday night after 7 pm. As I was suiting up I looked through the trees at the stream and saw one rise, then another, then a third. Fish were rising steadily. The first bug I saw was a caddis, so I tied one on and caught a nice 14 incher right away. I saw a few sulphurs so I tied on a CDC sulphur emerger. A good drift and fish on, a bigger fish. I pulled the fish to the middle of the stream three times, only to have the fish turn and go back to the far bank. Finally I got to land a chunky 18 inch brown, nice! I landed four, but I knew they were eating something else. It turns out there was a very good olive spinner fall that night.

Saturday I hit fly fishers paradise shop for some fly tying stuff. Asking about Penns, I got some advise to get a few olive spinners. Cornutas. Fished Penns again in the afternoon. Pre hatch I swung pheasant tail soft hackles to the spots I saw risers the night before, and I was into fish right away. Things picked up as the evening progressed and there were plenty of risers. I tied on the olive spinner and nailed a bunch of fish. Ended the day with 16 fish, mostly small, but very entertaining. Swarms of olives were seen in the early afternoon, slate drakes later, then sulphurs even later. I didn't notice a spinner fall that night, or many bugs on the water like Friday. Maybe they came off late or after dark?

Of particular interest was a very good bikini hatch in the afternoon, very pleasing to the eyes. I lost at least one fish because of the distraction. Most floaters were very polite, except for one idiot in a kayak who just had to paddle into the shade 50 feet below me and cause a ruckus just for fun.

Late Saturday afternoon I did something I haven't done in a long time. I was stepping over a slippery flat rock about the size of a dinner table and instead of going around the rock, I put my other foot on it. Whoosh I went for a quick swim in knee deep water. I got right back up, checked the camera and it survived. Went to the bank to empty about a quart of water out of my right leg and a small amount from the left. The water felt pretty good, and the damage was minimal. It could have been worse and everything dried out that night.

Sunday I fished the lower regulated stretch, there was not much happening until the sun got off the water. I found plenty of risers but they were extra-picky. Again I didn't see any spinner fall or bugs over the water late. I managed a few on sulphur emergers, though they were eating something in the film that I couldn't figure out. I need to get one of those bug nets to skim the water and see what was there.

All in all a great weekend, great weather and superb fishing, the best I've had on Penns. I was reading that the olive hatch was underrated, and now I know why.
 
Excellent report Beeber. I feel like I was there with you. Only thing better would be a picture or two...preferably the one of you floundering in a foot of water. Or pouring out your boots! :-D
 
Beeber,
When the olive spinners were blanketing the water the fish became super selective, also noticed at times the olives would start hatching in between spinner falls. Their were so many olive spinners where I was they didn't all fall at once, but kind of in waves, for the lack of a better explanation.
 
Skipper, I noticed the same thing. The fish would frenzy feed for maybe half an hour and then all would be quiet for a spell, and that would repeat several times a night.
 
Unlike Maurice, I'd prefer a picture of the Bikini Hatch. I like the tiny ones the best!
 
I prefer the waist to be much smaller then 18 though.
 
^ this
 
Here's a heads up for anyone looking to fish Penns below the Elk, Pine junction there is reclaimation work being done on Pine Creek and from this point down Penns is muddy,don't know when the work will be done might want to call the feathered hook to see if it cleared up.
 
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