White Deer Creek 10/29, 10/30

[tabasco_joe]

Moved from Penns to White Deer Creek FF section in the afternoon on Monday. Water temp was 42 and the water clear but tannic stained. Each large pool held a few trout and for four pools in a row I caught a trout on the first cast into the pool. All browns, two about 16” and the others maybe 12”. It seems that each pool has an order of fish and at this time of the year the master of the pool has the first shot at any food coming by. Once the pool got stirred up with the first fish the others were reluctant to take.

I came back to the same pools on Tuesday morning (at least the air temp was up to 31 compared to the 27 on Monday). Had an interesting experience. I figured a change was in order from the BHGRHE used the previous day. I tied on a woven caddis larva (one that Beadhead is using in the caddis swap). Also put on a red/yellow Styrofoam stick indicator. I cast into the pool and left it slowly drift down the pool. (The flow was so slow that any weighted nymph would just sink to the bottom and stay there without an indicator to hold it up.) All of a sudden there was a tremendous splash and the line went taught. The fish was swimming back and forth in the pool tugging on the line. I was about to give kudos to Beadhead for his fly when I realized I couldn’t see the indicator on the line. Nor was it floating in the pool. As I started to pull the trout in it jumped and the indicator flew out of it’s mount. I think it was the same 16” I caught in the pool the day before. Now I’m in search for a red/yellow indicator pattern.

I did notice that I had hits on that indicator in several other pools up the stream. I tried several flies, both dry and sub-surface, with red or orange bodies. None worked like the indicator.

 

[tomgamber]

You mean like this?

 

[beeber2]

tabasco_joe,

I've also had incidents where fish would hit the indicator. I've had good results following up with a foam beetle. In fact, I'll use the foam beetle as the indicator.

Bill

 

[tabasco_joe]

I tried a number of flies on top with no success. I'm thinking of an egg pattern like Tom posted but with a more aggressive two tone. More like 50/50 with the two colors. Interesting thing is I never had this happen so much with browns before. I often get a small brookie in a riffle chase the indicator but never had large browns before. I did not have any eggs with me but they would have been worth trying.

 

[albud1962]

Joe, Try tying some bright chartreuse or red sucker spawns size 14 or 16. I know many people think this is cheating but when all else fails its a good stand by. I use micro yarn because I don't have to mess with separating the strands of angora and stockies they aren't real chosey.