Spring Creek (Fisherman's Paradise), Centre County, 05/26/2007

[ezpickins]

Spring Creek @ Fisherman's Paradise, Centre County, 05/26/2007

Arrived at stream at approximately 6:30 PM

Weather was partly cloudy and warm, probably air temps in mid to high 70's at arrival. There had been periods of rain recently and the stream was a bit up and more off-color than usual in the paradise area.

Fish were very active initially more so above the bridge, in the riffled broken water and as evening progressed I moved down below the bridge, just at the end of the Paradise area and the fish were feeding like mad in this area just before dusk.

Initially there was no visible sulfur dun activity, however the fish were obviously gorging on the nymphs and emergers. Later, just at dusk, there was a brief, but fairly intense hatch of small duns in the size 18 range.

Throughout the evening, I and the others with me had no real success with the comparaduns that we tried. Emergers, though, were instantly successful. Among the three of us we managed only to land five fish, but we all had many hits and long distance releases - including one fish that almost instantly parted the fly from the leader.

The emergers that we had were size 16 - and I believe that we may have had even more action with a size 18 emerger. However, I won't rule out rusty, anxious fly fishers as the real issue.

The emerger pattern that we used was tied with FlyRite Orange Sulfur dubbing for the body, bronze mallard flank fibers for trailing shuck, several grouse fibers on each side as legs, and a tuft of muskrat as the wing.

I would be very interested to hear of any one else's successes for this hatch on Spring Creek and any successful patterns and tactics.

Thanks

 

[Wulff-Man]

ez, I fished Spring three times last week. I'm not a regular. If I'm lucky I make 2 or 3 trips a year for a few days. I had some success with an emerger tied like a Klinkhammer: a PT nymph abdomen on the lower half of a scud hook, and a yellow-orange dubbed thorax with a ginger-hackled parachute post. I was there until about 7:30 on 2 nights (the Benner Springs area) with a few sulphurs coming off, although there was not much of a hatch. The third night I stayed until dark to see if much would happen, but nothing developed at all. That night I had more success with comparaduns, and it was fun but frustrating - I must have caught 10 fish in the last 45 minutes, and all but two shook the hook, usually after I thought I had them on solidly with a good fight for awhile. All patterns were #14 to #16. The naturals I saw were this size, don't think I saw any 18's, althought they may get more prevalent soon.

If you want a good sulphur hatch, go to the Little J. I was there one night last week in the gorge, and at about 8:15 there was an absolute blizzard of sulphurs. Man. I wish I lived in central PA!