Penn's Creek, Centre County, Trophy Section, 4/6/2012

[DaveKile]

Brought my son along for his first time to Penn's Creek. Started off stopping in the see Jonas at the Feathered Hook Fly Shop in Coburn. The shop was pretty busy at 10:00 am. Met up with Stevie-B, Maurice and an impromptu visit by JF_ on the stream. There had been a couple of earlier stream reports from Penn's Creek, but found the number of cars and people to be pretty light.

Conditions:
Sunny all day, air temps in the mid 50's and wind gusty at times. Water was clear, low at about 280 cfs. Mixed hatches were going all day. Grannom hatch and another small tan caddis were on the stream especially when the wind let up all day. Hendrickson's were coming off in the afternoon from about 1:30 - 6:00. Also say some other small mayflies through out the day review my pictures seemed to be Blue Quills.

The fish were rising pretty well during late morning and I was able to target a few heads. Greg was able to pick up a fish pretty early as well all on caddis. After a well deserved break, I went back at it with Hendrickson's. I was pretty lazy and just threw on a #12 Adams and did very well. The other guys had mixed results on different parts of the stream and time of day.

Thanks Stevie-B for the invite!

 

[Foxgap239]

Nice report and sounds like a fabulous day on the water. That kind of day is what this sport is all about. I, too, got them on grannoms and Henrickson's. Thanks Dave.

 

[Maurice]

Here are some shots of my fish...only two, fish rising all day in between wind gusts. Grannoms were heavy in the air but I think we missed the emergence. Did catch the hendricksons emerging though. But no fish to be had underneath. Lots of kiss and runs from the fish where they would pop the fly and not really take it.

I got the brown on a dark hendrickson parachute and the brookie on a light hendrickson parachute

 

[DaveKile]

Maurice nice fish. Forgot to mention, we were all happy to see that all but one fish was all over 12".

More picts on Facebook here.

 

[mrchunk]

Cool report. I was there as well on Friday and agree 100% with your observations. I got into a debate over whether we were seeing Hendricksens or March Browns. Saw some free swimming nymphs which sealed the Hendricksen deal for me. Had good luck with Parachute Adams and Grannom patterns all day as well. BWO in the evening.

 

[SBecker]

Well I was not going to post a report about DaveS and I meeting up on Penns the same day as not to "Hatch Burn". However, yea it was really good. We really put some numbers up between the three of us (cousin was with). I will post a few pictures.

 

[SBecker]

Like usual Dave and I had a blast. Only thing different was we had my cousin along. Now, he knows how to fly fish, but I warned Dave ahead of time, he is not like him or I with obsession. However, he is quickly turning. Thought the day was going to be really bad. As I strung up my rod on stream, it broke two inches above the last ferrule. I did not even get to cast it! Think it got hit with split shot on the first day. O well, I brought a back up rod. By the time I walked back to the car strung up my 6wt and got back on stream (20 minutes) My cousin had already landed 4 fish and long released a couple more. It turned out to be a great day fishing, and I tried to get Csoult to skip work and join us, but he just couldn't. Geez, we could have had a mini JAM if everybody knew they were going to be there. Here is a couple pictures.

Morning on Penns

My first Penns Brown 16 inches

My cousins largest wild brown to date. Was caught on top as well, 17 inches

This stonefly was easily 2 inches

Staking our claim to water before the insanity took place.

 

[DaveS]

I just wish I had a picture of Shane rearending my car in front of Jonas's shop! Hey no harm no foul!

What I can't firgure out is how so many PA FFers got together and it didn't RAIN?

I'll add a few pics tomorrow from work. Glad everyone had such a good time. I actually considered going back on Saturday, but man that is a haul!

 

[Stevie-B]

Dave - You are welcome anytime. I had a great time with you and Maurice. I was great meeting Greg.

I had soo many kiss and runs I lost count. Couple that with the number of fish I stuck and couldn't keep buttoned up and I was about to snap my rod. I did manage to six between 12" and 15" so I can't complain too much. All were caught or almost caught with a caddis

Everytime I go to Penns I am blown away by the amount of bugs, the size of the fish and the quantity of fish. I need to go there more often.

 

[SBecker]

I was not in the car when it happened! Lmao it was a gradual glide into your bumper. They just wanted to kiss.

 

[DaveKile]

Funny it looks like we will all be dry until the Jam in May.

I usually get my butt handed to me at Penn's. It was one of the few times I actually felt like I knew what I was doing on that stream. I shouldn't go back for a while!!

 

[SBecker]

Jonas just laughed when I told him it was my first time. He just said "great, now everytime you come back you are going to yell at me for the sucky fishing".

 

[Foxgap239]

Thursday, Friday and Saturday were great on Penn's and Fishing Creek. I said to my friend Don Saturday evening when almost every fish we casted to from 7 to 7:45 took our flies, "it isn't supposed to be this easy". And its not. I go to Penn's 4 or 5 times a year and by far the last two weekends I was there, fishing was incredible. And those fish are strong. You're fighting a fish and swear its a monster only to find out its only 12 or 13 inches. And they do like to jump which is always a blast.

 

[DaveS]

Lets see if this works: This is from Friday.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuhMXkp-lU0

Sadly there were very few risers that evening near me.

 

[SBecker]

Nice, bit you can not see the billion yellow midges lol. Nice upgrade from a film camera huh?

 

[sipe]

So in the video posted above...the caddis are laying eggs on the water? So how long have they been adults st that point. How can I differentiate this from caddid that are emerging from pupa?

 

[SBecker]

Time of day. That video was taken in the evening ( egg layers). In the morning the emergance usually happens.......I think.

 

[krayfish]

Dave'S, that video is sick! It sounds like everyone did well on Penns. That is awesome to see. That creek isn't always so eager to give up fish.

 

[just_jon]

I was on Penn's on Sunday. Fished in the Cherry Run area and despite some struggles (falling and sliding down the mountain in my new waders, taking two swims in 44 degree water, dunking my camera, losing my reading glasses), I had one of the most productive days ever. The grannom and Hendrickson hatch and the return of the egg laying grannoms put on quite a show. On top of that, I nearly had the stream to myself.

Seeing no risers, I started off nymphing with zero success. Tried fishing soft hackles also with no success. Decided to slow down and pick out a calm pool and just watch. After 30 minutes without seeing a rise, I moved to faster water and was able to pick out fair number of heads popping up. A #14 CDC and elk hair was the ticket. The wind made accurate casts difficult at times, but it did not seem to matter as I had several trout leave their holding station and travel 3-4 feet to take my fly. Switched to Hendricksons about 3:00 with only moderate success. Just as I was starting to get frustrated, the egg layers came on strong and really brought the trout to the surface. Cannot wait to get back in two weeks. Surely hope we get some much needed rain in the meantime.

 

[mrchunk]

I had pretty much the exact same scenario on Saturday. The egg layers saved the day. From 4-6 while it was overcast and even a bit rainy, the trout were dialed in to the grannoms. Although I had to go to #12 as they were refusing #14s. I probably took a dozen in those 2 hours in the faster pocket water and missed as many or more. It was a feeding frenzy. Other than that, the rest of the day was extremely slow.