North Central PA Fishing Report, 22-27 March: The Week in Review

With the stocked streams still closed to fishing, warming temps at the beginning of the week offered an opportunity to head out and try the Class A wild trout streams, which are open to year-round fishing.  The Trout Whisperer and I took advantage of the unseasonably warmer weather and headed down to fish Hunts Run, a small stream just south of Emporium in Cameron County.  We fished the stream last year with no success, but decided to return and fish further upstream.  The decision paid off.

Conditions were fantastic.  Temps rose into the upper 50s, and the stream was in great shape with good levels and flows.  

We started drifting nymphs and egg patterns with no success.  It was looking like a repeat of our previous outing.  But then the trout gods smiled on us.  I was drifting a Rainbow Warrior under a strike indicator, and a small trout came up and ... hit the indicator.  A few more casts, a few more takes on the hookless bobber, and my deductive reasoning finally kicked in.  It was time to change up.  There were no bugs coming off, so I tied on a 16 Parachute Adams, and a few casts later a 4 inch Brown Trout inhaled the fly.  My first on a dry fly for the year.

Bob followed up a short while later, throwing a Stimulator in a run that just screamed trout.  He was rewarded by the fish of the day; a 5-6 inch native Brookie.

I followed up with another small Brownie, which pretty much sealed the victory for the day.

Weather rolled in the following days, putting the kibosh on decent fishing.  With Saturday's Mentored Youth Fishing Day looming, and WBT guests arriving on Thursday, we were keeping our fingers crossed that we'd have some decent weather for the only day you can fish the stocked streams before opening day.  So I was extremely pleased to see the cold front moving through, and a return to warmer temps and sunny skies by Saturday.

Our guests for the weekend were long time friends Marcus and Sasha Jones, who brought along son Misha (15) and daughter Nadya (8) to experience a bit of life in God's Country.  Friday's plan was to spend some time up at Rainbow Paradise getting the kids familiar with fly fishing.  Unfortunately, the front was still moving through.  So instead, we went with the Potter County Plan B, and did some fine pistol shooting at Bob "Pistolero" Volkmar's home range.  Bob provided expert instruction, and the Jones' got to shoot a variety of calibers, from .22 to a .38 Special to a WWII German Army Walther P38 9mm.  

The front blew through Friday night, and Saturday dawned sunny with morning temps in the 40s.  Perfect weather for casting to the dozens of hungry trout that we had stocked the week prior.  Mary constructed one of her classic bonfires, and by the time our guests moseyed down to the Pavilion hole she had the Lox and Bagels ready, w iththe Mimosas and Bloody Marys ready to pour.

At around 8:00 am, though, it was time to wet some lines.  Temps were already climbing through the 50s when the kids started with spincasters throwing "Joe's Fly" (something like a Wooly Bugger with a spinner blade at the top of the lure, a killer in PA trout streams).  We did not have to wait long until Nadya scored the first trout of the day, a 12 inch Rainbow.  Misha followed up with his own Rainbow, and then it was game on.

Put a lot of trout in a small stream and you have the makings of catching instead of just fishing.  And that's what we did.  The beauty of Mentored Youth Fishing Day is that the adults get to fish as well.  Over the course of the morning we netted well over a dozen fish, a few going around 15 inches, and a good number on the fly rod.

It was a great day to spend time with great friends and introduce some "city slickers" to what makes Potter County so special.  The weather is supposed to take a dive into colder temps for the next few days.  But Opening Day on Saturday is looking pretty decent.  Time to tie on the Wooly Buggers, Mopp Flies, or "Meggs," and get on the stream with the horde.  The season begins!

Tight Lines,

Mikey D Fishing

Islamorada Backcountry Wrap March 10

March can be a fickle month for fishermen.  A warm day tease followed by a snow squall.  Migrating fish are on the move, but not yet ready to be on the hook.  So, when the opportunity presents to be in southern climes, in consistently warm temps with a fly rod in hand, the only answer is yes.  I found Capt. Jayce Chamizo through Florida Keys Outfitters.  Some of the best guides in the Keys can be found through their service and as a bonus, they have a well-appointed fly shop owned and operated by Florida Keys fly fishing legend - Sandy Moret.  

Heading down to the Keys for several days at Cheeca Lodge, the forecast did not look promising.  While temps were forecast in the low 70s with little chance of rain, the wind was forecast to blow 15 - 25 knots throughout the week.  Jayce suggested that we consider spin fishing in the Everglades for snook, redfish, and maybe a random tarpon.  I was adamant that we break out the fly rods if at all possible.  Luckily Jayce was able to position us on his maverick flats boat in very skinny water edging along the mangroves.  

The mangrove hammocks helped to knock down the stiff breeze and it wasn't before long before Jayce's well-trained eyes began spotting snook in the protection of cover along the shoreline.  A couple of errant shots left me frustrated but determined.  It wasn't long after that Jayce spotted a redfish actively feeding on the opposite side of the skiff.  I placed a muddler minnow a couple of feet from his nose and he darted toward the fly.  The first strike was a false take, but he wasn't to be denied and charged a second time.  A strong strip set had him tight to the line.  It was great to feel the pull again after a long winter and a 10-minute fight eventually brought him to the boat.  

A word about my guide for the day, Jayce Chamizo.  If you are a regular reader of our blog, Capt Felker and I have been on the water with plenty of guides.  A few bad, most good, and a few great.  Jayce is a young guide but not inexperienced.  He's been on the water most of his life and plies his trade with patience and skill.  He knows the water, spots the fish, and provides timely tips that make the difference between fishing and catching.  Most importantly, he does all that with a relaxed attitude. That's all a fly fisherman can ask for and it puts Jayce in the great category.

Not long after we caught the red, Jayce spotted a snook tucked under some mangroves.  I dropped a the fly about 3 feet over him and stripped it across his nose.  He reacted almost immediately and inhaled the fly and simultaneously darted for the cover of grass and mangrove roots.  I followed with my rod tip but it took some twisting and handlining to get him in our grasp.   First snook on the fly!

The catching was limited, but the fishing was great.  How could it be anything less when you are in the Keys and on the fish?!

The next day, I had an opportunity to feed tarpon.  Sure, it's a little contrived, but the tarpon are huge, wild and ravenous.   For a few bucks you get a bucket of bait, fight off some pelicans, lean over the edge of the pier and wait for a 100 pound plus silver king to grab the pilchard from your grip.  A lot of fun!   As the video shows, it is also important to wear your mask since social distancing from the tarpon isn't possible :)  

Tight Lines!

Mikey D Fishing

Potter County Stocking Report: SPRING IS HERE!

Fantastic morning stocking Fishing Creek with the Roulette Rod and Gun Club.  Around 2800 trout stocked in the creek, in addition to another 750 by the state two days ago!

                                                    

 

           

Mentored Youth Trout Day: March 27

Opening Day of Trout Season on Pennsylvania stocked streams: April 3

See you on the "crik"

Tight Lines,

Mikey D Fishing

Kinzua Creek Fishing Report, 09 March: On the Board in 2021!

 It has been a long winter up here in NC PA.  Temps dropped into the 20s and below in December.  Around the middle of the month the snow arrived, and both stuck around for the next two and a half months.  Certainly a recipe for cabin fever, which was one reason that Mary and I lit out for Belize in January.

Conditions, though, seem to have started the turn to spring.  We've had a couple of weeks of not-so-cold weather, and with temps even rising into the 50s on Monday and Tuesday.  So before the melt began and the streams became unfishable, Bob "Trout Whisperer" Volkmar and I headed out to Kinzua Creek, about a 50 minute drive from the West Branch Tavern.

With the stocked trout waters closed to fishing, the special regs streams and the Class A wild trout streams are the only game in town.  We decided on Kinzua because it sports a rather generous delayed harvest section, and had been recently stocked.

We got to the stream around 1200 or so.  There are plenty of access points along the stream, which was evident by all of the vehicles in the pull offs.  Like I said, until April 3, expect to have a lot of company on these streams.  That being said, there was room enough, although with a significant amount of snow in the woods, it was tough trekking to spots.

Conditions were excellent.  Temps climbed into the upper 50s, the melt had yet to begin, and the stream was low and the water clear.  We had set the bar low; the purpose of the outing was simply to get outside and wet a line.  The other reason was to try out a pair of Korkers felt-soled boots that I had recently purchased.   After cruising along the road next to the creek, we decided to put in near an overpass.  The perfect spot for stocking.  And we were not disappointed.  I moved upstream to a deep hole that was loaded with trout (and three other anglers), while Bob took a position under the bridge, a Golden Rainbow giving away the presence of trout.  While Bob fished I hung out on the bank and just watched the other anglers for a bit.  Then one had to go to work, the other decided to go back and get his fly rod, and voila, I had the hole virtually to myself.

For this trip I decided to fish my Tenkara, and tied on a tandem rig of a Kebari, kind of a Japanese cross between a nymph and a wet, with a size 16 Rainbow Warrior as a dropper.  Tenkara fishing essentially takes one back to kid-fishing days, when all you used was a length of mono tied to the end of a cane pole.  Not having a reel presents challenges; your cast is limited to the 10 feet of furled line and a 4 foot leader, and especially tricky when trying to land a fish.  But the advantage of the collapsible rod is clearly evident when trying to navigate a fly rod through thick cover.

While I had the hole virtually to myself I managed three hook ups, and got a standard stocked 12-inch Rainbow to the net.  The other two fish I lost trying to get them to the net.  That's the challenge of Tenkara.  Once the fish is on, you have to bend the rod behind you to get the fish close enough to grab the line, then drag the fish to the net.

Bob was also successful in netting his first trout for 2021, so as far as we were concerned, the day was gravy.  The Korkers worked great.  The boa lacing system, which consists of a wire lace and dial winding device, makes tightening and loosening the boot incredible easy.  And the felt soles were far more grippy than the rubber soled boots I've been using (even with metal studs).  I realize the potential for transporting little critters and algae microbes associated with felt.  But as a senior angler, its worth limiting the risk of slipping and falling in the water.

We scouted a couple of other spots, but as we'd completed the mission, decided to head back to God's Country.  

Within a day the melt was on.  Except for the tops of the mountains, the snow is gone.  Fishing Creek is close to overflowing the bank.  But you can tell that the fishing season is upon us.  The Roulette Rod and Gun Club began stocking on Fishing Creek on Wednesday, and put some decent fish behind the WBT.  The state stocks the stream on March 18, then the rod and gun club returns and empties out the rest of  their hatchery two days later.  Should be plenty of trout for opening day and beyond.

Tight Lines,

Mikey D Fishing