Penns Creek Mifflin/Centre 4/14-4/15

[discomidge]

10 days ago it was 53 at 5pm on a sunny day. But we're getting a few cool nights this week and maybe some rain next weekend. Fingers crossed.

 

[mt_flyfisher]

No way. I hope you had a great weekend camping. I am jealous of that camping spot you had. You were killing it with dries in the section you were camping at (I think you had me beat on the numbers!). If you are heading up there again soon and want to fish shoot me a PM. I'm in Lancaster and usually head up once per week. I could definitely take some critiques on my dry fly game. Here are two pictures from the day, one being best fish I was able to catch on the wet swung through using a tightline presentation

That’s a very nice looking fish.

By the way, what’s the ”406” for? That’s a good area code for fishing, except they exterminate native Brook trout there.

 

[discomidge]

No way. I hope you had a great weekend camping. I am jealous of that camping spot you had. You were killing it with dries in the section you were camping at (I think you had me beat on the numbers!). If you are heading up there again soon and want to fish shoot me a PM. I'm in Lancaster and usually head up once per week. I could definitely take some critiques on my dry fly game. Here are two pictures from the day, one being best fish I was able to catch on the wet swung through using a tightline presentation

Thanks, camping was awesome. And that's a gorgeous fish, congrats. I'm out there all the time, DM me if there's a day that works for you, maybe we can meet up. I'll probably do a day this weekend too. I'll hit you up when I know for sure.

 

[Schaefer406]

That’s a very nice looking fish.

By the way, what’s the ”406” for? That’s a good area code for fishing, except they exterminate native Brook trout there.

The 406 is just a username number I used reflecting my home address growing up. I've never been out to MT but would love to. My best friend just moved to Livingston and the Yellowstone is in his backyard. If you live there and have any suggestions on a DIY trip I could arrange for myself this year please let me know!

 

[ROVERT]

That's interesting that they were into MB duns on Friday and Saturday. I watched a lot of naturals float down the stream on Sunday and never saw one taken. My absolute favorite fishing on Penns has been when the fish are keyed in on MB duns. I've only hit it right a couple of times, though.

One drizzly day a few years ago, they rose to MB's all day between Weikert and Cherry Run. It was magic.

 

[McSneek]

No way. I hope you had a great weekend camping. I am jealous of that camping spot you had. You were killing it with dries in the section you were camping at (I think you had me beat on the numbers!). If you are heading up there again soon and want to fish shoot me a PM. I'm in Lancaster and usually head up once per week. I could definitely take some critiques on my dry fly game. Here are two pictures from the day, one being best fish I was able to catch on the wet swung through using a tightline presentation

I think I talked to you and discomidge on Friday.

discomidge - were you tent camping on the long flat below Rainbow Riffle? Had your bear bags high up in a tree? If so, I shared that stretch with you and we talked for awhile about what they were eating. Nice talking to you.

schaefer - Pretty sure I recognize that hoodie and you went above me to nymph Rainbow Riffle. I’m from Lancaster too and just make long one day trips back and forth.

That morning was crazy with hendrickson duns and spinners and a constant upstream migration of caddis. I am convinced a lot of my success was getting in the correct position to get a good drift over a fish more than the patterns I was using. I don’t think Penns fish move far to take a fly and I do best with quartering downstream drifts to rising fish.

 

[Schaefer406]

I think I talked to you and discomidge on Friday.

discomidge - were you tent camping on the long flat below Rainbow Riffle? Had your bear bags high up in a tree? If so, I shared that stretch with you and we talked for awhile about what they were eating. Nice talking to you.

schaefer - Pretty sure I recognize that hoodie and you went above me to nymph Rainbow Riffle. I’m from Lancaster too and just make long one day trips back and forth.

That morning was crazy with hendrickson duns and spinners and a constant upstream migration of caddis. I am convinced a lot of my success was getting in the correct position to get a good drift over a fish more than the patterns I was using. I don’t think Penns fish move far to take a fly and I do best with quartering downstream drifts to rising fish.

That was definitely you that I talked to as well. I think you were casting dries when I said a friendly hello for a short conversation on what you were having success with. Glad to see another Lancaster angler in here who makes the long drives as well. Same with discomidge, please let me know if you ever would like to fish together.

That morning was definitely one of the buggiest I have seen on Penns - Action was non-stop for hours, with some fish I saw jumping 1-2' out of the water to eat, and the morning started off with tons of splashy rises. I found my best action with the wet fly, but when I tossed on the dry for a bit I found success quartering downstream and giving little rod twitches to give the dry some life. Very cool to be able to meet you guys in-person!

 

[discomidge]

I think I talked to you and discomidge on Friday.

discomidge - were you tent camping on the long flat below Rainbow Riffle? Had your bear bags high up in a tree? If so, I shared that stretch with you and we talked for awhile about what they were eating. Nice talking to you.

schaefer - Pretty sure I recognize that hoodie and you went above me to nymph Rainbow Riffle. I’m from Lancaster too and just make long one day trips back and forth.

That morning was crazy with hendrickson duns and spinners and a constant upstream migration of caddis. I am convinced a lot of my success was getting in the correct position to get a good drift over a fish more than the patterns I was using. I don’t think Penns fish move far to take a fly and I do best with quartering downstream drifts to rising fish.

Yup that was me. I'm having a hard time placing you, though I'm sure I enjoyed chatting. It's just that I talked to a ton of people about what they were eating - it has been BUSY out there (not complaining - I'm fully aware that I'm part of the crowd). But yeah, that morning was absolutely nuts. I love waking up to good bugs all over/in my tent.

Totally agree that they don't move far for a fly. I'd guess there's not much of a need to change lanes when bugs are everywhere.

 

[mt_flyfisher]

The 406 is just a username number I used reflecting my home address growing up. I've never been out to MT but would love to. My best friend just moved to Livingston and the Yellowstone is in his backyard. If you live there and have any suggestions on a DIY trip I could arrange for myself this year please let me know!

If your friend was in Livingston last spring the Yellowstone might have been in his FRONT yard. I’ll send you a PM here in the next couple days with a suggestion or 2 about a DIY trip to 406. I actually live here in PA but have probably spent as much time in MT as half of MT’s residents (at least the million who moved there in the past couple years.)

In the meantime I’ll be looking for some fish in Penns that you guys haven’t already given trismus.

 

[nymphingmaniac]

Man, with all of this talk of everyone doing so well and us taking such a beating, I may just have to head back this weekend and try it out. There were some March Browns around that I saw but not many.

I guess I should have just stuck with tossing the Hendrickson parachutes more than I did. I was just having such a rough time maintaining confidence in a pattern or approach. Swinging the wets were the only thing getting looks at all for me and while it wasn't setting the world ablaze I had to keep with it.

Sometimes fishing is mental and I think it got the best of me on this trip. Penns is just a short drive from my home so I will be back soon.

I have had similar experiences as you on finicky streams. Don't beat yourself up. I have (partially) "cracked the code" by greasing unweighted nymphs. I am mystified by situations where rising fish are rare on one stretch, but a mile away on the same stream, the water is boiling.

 

[coyoterahn]

I fished Penns, above the Weikert area yesterday morning 10:30-12:30. Caught 2 on wet flies, my own version which is basically a hares ear size 12. My intent was to get some takes on wets and I accomplished that. Probably saw a dozen or so fish rising in that period of time. Nice color to the water which I had hoped for. A bit windy though.
I was a bit surprised by the amount of anglers though. For a weekday, there were quite a few guys out.
Lastly, to the azzholes who left their 2 Miller lite beer cans and an empty water bottle laying on the bank of the creek, I picked it up for you! This is one of the private sections that still allow walk in fishing. People like you screw it up for the rest of us!

 

[JeffP]

Man, with all of this talk of everyone doing so well and us taking such a beating, I may just have to head back this weekend and try it out. There were some March Browns around that I saw but not many.

I guess I should have just stuck with tossing the Hendrickson parachutes more than I did. I was just having such a rough time maintaining confidence in a pattern or approach. Swinging the wets were the only thing getting looks at all for me and while it wasn't setting the world ablaze I had to keep with it.

Sometimes fishing is mental and I think it got the best of me on this trip. Penns is just a short drive from my home so I will be back soon.

Don't feel bad. I can't catch a stocked trout on a local stream filled with rising trout.

 

[Schaefer406]

I fished Penns, above the Weikert area yesterday morning 10:30-12:30. Caught 2 on wet flies, my own version which is basically a hares ear size 12. My intent was to get some takes on wets and I accomplished that. Probably saw a dozen or so fish rising in that period of time. Nice color to the water which I had hoped for. A bit windy though.
I was a bit surprised by the amount of anglers though. For a weekday, there were quite a few guys out.
Lastly, to the azzholes who left their 2 Miller lite beer cans and an empty water bottle laying on the bank of the creek, I picked it up for you! This is one of the private sections that still allow walk in fishing. People like you screw it up for the rest of us!

I have also been suprised by the amount of people on Penns thus far compared to previous years. Even on a weekday, the parking lot above Weikert has been full by noon. I also have found a lot more trash than usual in the lot and along the trail.

This is a good and a bad thing, Good because other rivers I fish have had basically no crowds, Bad because more people = more pressure, trash, and higher risk of property owners raising a fit. Saw many cars parked in the "private property" lots who definitely were not supposed to be there

 

[Schaefer406]

Man, with all of this talk of everyone doing so well and us taking such a beating, I may just have to head back this weekend and try it out. There were some March Browns around that I saw but not many.

I guess I should have just stuck with tossing the Hendrickson parachutes more than I did. I was just having such a rough time maintaining confidence in a pattern or approach. Swinging the wets were the only thing getting looks at all for me and while it wasn't setting the world ablaze I had to keep with it.

Sometimes fishing is mental and I think it got the best of me on this trip. Penns is just a short drive from my home so I will be back soon.

Last time I fished Penns before my last outing I caught one fish! I take a beating there sometimes.

 

[Swattie87]

I suspect some of the Penns crowds this year thus far has to do with the much lower (and more fishable) flows than is usual for this time of year. I like Penns at 300-400 cfs, and will fish it up to 600 or 700 cfs or so. Above that, as it often is this time of year, I don’t bother with it. I usually miss out on a lot of the early season hatches. It’s usually not into my comfort window flow wise until mid-May, and it’s always a zoo from then through the Drakes.

Just a thought.

 

[Wild_Trouter]

IMHO...Penns Creek is much more forgiving than BFC. I've taken the skunk a few times on BFC. Where BFC is constantly moody, you can almost always catch fish on Penns- be it moving around to different sections/fishing different types of water/patterns, etc. Even catching a few on Penns beats catching none on BFC for me. This is why they call it "fishing" instead of "catching" 🙂

 

[Swattie87]

IMHO...Penns Creek is much more forgiving than BFC. I've taken the skunk a few times on BFC. Where BFC is constantly moody, you can almost always catch fish on Penns- be it moving around to different sections/fishing different types of water/patterns, etc. Even catching a few on Penns beats catching none on BFC for me. This is why they call it "fishing" instead of "catching" 🙂

That’s funny. I feel like I’ve got a better handle on BFC. May in part be that I fish the “easier” water down closer to Mill Hall a lot. The Narrows is pretty tough.

 

[JeffP]

My friend that has a cabin right on the water in Ingleby, said there were 8 guys fishing there 2 weekends ago. It's a nice spot but no glory hole.

 

[Fish Sticks]

That’s funny. I feel like I’ve got a better handle on BFC. May in part be that I fish the “easier” water down closer to Mill Hall a lot. The Narrows is pretty tough.

I feel like the narrows are easier for me than mill hall. Trying to get the tanks to bite down there is near impossible near the park and concrete wall

 

[Weikertgal]

I have also been suprised by the amount of people on Penns thus far compared to previous years. Even on a weekday, the parking lot above Weikert has been full by noon. I also have found a lot more trash than usual in the lot and along the trail.

This is a good and a bad thing, Good because other rivers I fish have had basically no crowds, Bad because more people = more pressure, trash, and higher risk of property owners raising a fit. Saw many cars parked in the "private property" lots who definitely were not supposed to be there

As one of the property owners, it is becoming a problem. Several with excellent frontage are simply worn out by bad behavior, including bad behavior by a so-called professional guide service.

I was really surprised by the number of people fishing this weekend. It felt more like late May than mid April.