Spring Creek, Centre County, 7/24/2015

[TYoung]

I fished the Benner's Spring section from 7AM to 10:30AM. It was a borderline cold early morning. The air temperature was in the 50's when I got there, but it didn't keep the fish from biting. I hooked at least 15 fish, but some got away before landed them. All fish were hooked on nymphs fished Euro style (high sticking). I caught them on muskrat nymphs, scuds, and zebra midges. The water conditions were close to perfect for any time of the year. Those heavy storms in State College came at the perfect time with this small heat wave coming. I expected to see a trico spinner fall, but that didn't pan out. The guy at the TCO shop said that the high water conditions messed up the trico hatch, and he thought that the hatch was over for the year. This was the third time fishing Spring Creek in the morning this year, and every time the catching would cut off by mid morning after a furious start. I wonder if it's the sunlight shining on the water that causes the fish to stop feeding, or maybe the fish get full after heavy early morning feeding.

 

[Tiogadog]

Glad you did well.

I would argue that the reports of the tricos (a hatch that lasts until September) being finished for the season are grossly incorrect.

 

[pcray1231]

Agreed.

The Benner stretch was never one of the better ones for tricos anyway. Not that there weren't ANY up there, but not as heavy as Paradise and below.

 

[Hook_Jaw]

I haven"t fished benner since the cicada came off heavy that year was a pile of trout in there and was pet fish by a bridge that were dumber then a box of rocks.

 

[TYoung]

Benner's is my favorite section of Spring Creek. I love those long stretches of pocket water. It's perfect water for high stick nymphing. When the fish are active, you can have banner outings.

 

[Wetfly01]

I also fished the Benner Springs area on 7/24/15. Got there little before 6:00am was the third vehicle in the lot. Fished a good ways down in the canyon midway down where the old hatchery used to be. Water was in great shape, riffles were open of any moss but the pools were clogged with moss. Definitely a little cool in the am. I had a water temp of 56 in the morning. Seen some trico’s no fish working them. Fished sinking ants and beetles and the fish liked what I was throwing. In the afternoon fished lower Spring. Flow was a little high but it fished pretty well. Sinking Ants and beetles were magic. But I guess when your throwing three at a time something is going to happen. Felt good to get back on the water and thank goodness it wasn’t raining.

 

[zephyr]

I'm planning on making a trip up to spring this Saturday. Hoping for an early morning trico hatch buy if not scuds and zebra midge will be my choice of nymphing.