Potter County Fishing Report: The "Trout Whisperer" Finds His Mojo

While you never know for sure in Potter County, it's beginning to look like spring.  The Robins are back, the Peepers are, well, peeping, and the trees are starting to bud. 

With a Saturday forecast looking ideal for fishing, Bob Volkmar and I lit out to fish Lyman Run, a small Class A stream that runs through Lyman Run State Park.  The stream empties into a large lake, and then at the lower end spills out and resumes as Lyman Run.  The lower end is stocked and so can't be fished until the trout season opener on April 18.  But the upper section's designation as Wild Trout water permits fishing year round.

We got to the stream and geared up by 1100 or so.  Lyman Run is what you would expect in a small PA freestone trout stream.  Water levels are the determining factor of its fishability.  These small freestone streams are dependent on snow melt, rain, and run off from the surrounding mountains.  So spring is ideal for hitting these streams.  But as the season wears on, and the mountain springs start drying up, lower water levels reduce the number of holding areas for the fish.

That wasn't the case yesterday.  There was plenty of water in the stream, flows were excellent, and there were plenty of fishy-looking spots.  Although a bit tight in spots, most of the stream was relatively easy to cast.  We both began nymphing.  I had a Mary-tied Rainbow Warrior, and at the first fishy-looking spot quickly picked up two Brookies and, surprisingly, a wild Rainbow.

As we moved upstream I managed a couple more Brookies, but noticed that the "Trout Whisperer" had yet to hook a fish.  We moved up to a bend in the stream that just had to hold fish.  I was thinking that I might have to write a memo to the Trout Whisperer Committee; remediation might have to be assigned.  But that's when Bob found his mojo.  He switched to a Royal Wolf dry, and on the second cast a nice little Brookie slammed the fly.

Not long afterward he caught the first wild Brown of the day, completing the NC slam of a wild Brookie, Rainbow, and Brownie.

After a quick lunch we decided to drive downstream and closer to the park, thinking that we'd see more water.  We were right; a lot more water and more holding spots.  I picked up my Brookie for the day on the Rainbow Warrior.

There was a good deal of bug activity in the morning, mostly olives, but also little black stones here and there.  By the afternoon, though, we began to start seeing mayflies (Grey Wolfs?).  The Trout Whisperer's instincts were right on, so much so that by 1330 or so we started seeing rising fish!  Bob parked in a great spot and picked up several Brookies on his Royal Wolf. 

I was doing well on the Rainbow Warrior.  But the chance to catch my first trout on a dry led me to tied on a big Adams and move a bit upstream.  I came across a hole with a log paralleling the far bank.  The spot screamed fish.  And on my second or third cast I saw a nice Brownie chase the fly before darting back to the deep.  A few more casts, interspersed by Bob's calls of "fish on," and the fish slammed the Adams.  Turned out to be a beautiful buttery-colored Brownie that went 12 inches; a nice fish for such a small stream.

Didn't get a picture of the guy, but I know where he's lurking, along with at least one more nice Brownie.  Another day of good weather tomorrow, and we're back in the 40s and snow.  Another spring in Potter County.

Tight Lines,
Mikey D Fishing