dc410
Well-known member
Got a chance to spend about 3 hours fishing a section of Lower Penns Creek for smallies last evening. It was an unbelievable experience - the Smallmouth bite was like nothing I had ever witnessed. I fished a number of different patterns and they all worked great. The following patterns all produced very well: Olive Wooly Bomber, a Crayfish Pattern that they absolutely demolished, Shenks White Minnow, a brown soft hackle streamer, a Zuddler pattern and a Pencil popper for the topwater action.
I actually brought 100 Smallmouth to hand last evening (which is something that I have never done in my flyfishing career and probably will never do again). I also caught a number of Redbreast Sunnies and Fallfish as well as a 14" stocked Rainbow. I thought about actually setting up a tandem rig to try to catch doubles but opted to avoid the tangles and did it one at time.
The lower Penns Creek is a bug factory just like the upper portions of the Creek are and the topwater action really picked up toward dusk. I saw White flies (with a spinnerfall at dusk), Slate Drakes, small mayflies that I assume were Olives (didn't have a chance to catch one to confirm), caddis and some smallies were coming out of the water in attempt to catch damselflies as they cruised just above the surface. I caught several fish as I was digging through my pack looking for a new pattern to try and had the rod in the crook of my arm with the leader and fly dangling in the current below me. The ledgerock and bottom structure of Penns in this section was absolutely classic Smallmouth habitat as I fished only one long pool (approx. 200 yards) from the head to the tail. It was a really great experience and by nightfall I was totally wore out but I am glad that I stuck it out. What a fishery!
I actually brought 100 Smallmouth to hand last evening (which is something that I have never done in my flyfishing career and probably will never do again). I also caught a number of Redbreast Sunnies and Fallfish as well as a 14" stocked Rainbow. I thought about actually setting up a tandem rig to try to catch doubles but opted to avoid the tangles and did it one at time.
The lower Penns Creek is a bug factory just like the upper portions of the Creek are and the topwater action really picked up toward dusk. I saw White flies (with a spinnerfall at dusk), Slate Drakes, small mayflies that I assume were Olives (didn't have a chance to catch one to confirm), caddis and some smallies were coming out of the water in attempt to catch damselflies as they cruised just above the surface. I caught several fish as I was digging through my pack looking for a new pattern to try and had the rod in the crook of my arm with the leader and fly dangling in the current below me. The ledgerock and bottom structure of Penns in this section was absolutely classic Smallmouth habitat as I fished only one long pool (approx. 200 yards) from the head to the tail. It was a really great experience and by nightfall I was totally wore out but I am glad that I stuck it out. What a fishery!
