Anyone Else out with Fly Rod Opening Day?

[Letort]

Was on Yellow Breeches open water this morning. Air temp was 29* and water temp was 44*, breeze was up and down. Water was low for opening day.

Saw one other fly rodder, which is unusual to even see that. Stream section was busy, but I have seen much more crowded conditions. Not sure if the cold weather, Easter weekend or the single opening day accounted for the decline. Saw local police cruise by and also PBFC officers.

Landed and released one nice rainbow, about 14". Hooked and lost 2 others and had one solid hit. I did not see any other fish caught up or down the line in the first hour 15 minutes. Very slow. Was using a wooly bugger.

Anyone else out with your fly rod today?

 

[TimMurphy]

Dear Letort,

I didn't fish today but I took a ride to a couple of local creeks. I saw at least a half dozen people fishing with fly rods on open water. What I don't know though is if they were actually fly fishing or drifting bait?

A few people were all dolled up with $ 1000.00 worth of waders, boots and a vest so I imagine they were actually fly fishing? The folks with muck boots and fly rods might have been rolling Pautzke's or salted minnies through the runs and needed the extra reach of the fly rod.

Regards,

Tim Murphy

 

[Jay_H]

I went out with a fly rod this morning from about 8:00-10:00. Was the only fly fisher I saw. Streams were incredibly full, but everyone was in good spirits. Was able to find a nice hole considering we got there around 7:00 and staked out our spot. Landed and released 4 rainbows between 8”-14” or so. Around 10:00 they really slowed down, but for a cold morning I left happy.

 

[kobalt335]

I was on Little Pine this morning and saw 4 others with fly rods in the open section. Went above the lake to the DHALO and saw about 10 more.

 

[Lkyboots]

Bad day for me, two of my favorite spots are posted so went to plan c. Caught one rainbow, no other fisherman on the creek I was fishing.

 

[TimMurphy]

Dear Lkyboots,

When you say that two of your favorite spots were posted were they on a stocked stream.

If the answer is no, then don't read anymore. But if the answer is yes, the landowners who posted need to be paid a visit.

I fully realize that I fish many places because of the courtesy of the landowner. I'm grateful for that. I always leave it as well or better than I found it because I'm just some old dumbass who was raised right.

But if someone accepted stocked fish, and then changed their mind they need to come up with some change to pay for the fish they stole. I'm an old dumbass who also believes actions have consequences.

Regards,

Tim Murphy

 

[Dave_W]

I too was out on Yellow Breeches this morning with the fly rod.

Other than my buddy, I saw perhaps four or five other FFers. Fishing pressure was heavy but few folks were catching much, perhaps due to the cold.

 

[Swattie87]

I fished a short stretch of a STW stream today, though I was far upstream (by a whole county) of the upstream most stocking point. There was a short (1/4 mile), relatively hard to get to, section of it near a Brookie stream. I was fishing with kbob, who put up with me fishing this larger stream for a little while before we went up the trib for Brookies. Caught one 11” range wild Brown on a heavy brown stonefly beneath an egg. It ate the stonefly.

Went up the Brookie trib and had relatively good Brookie fishing for upper 30’s water temps in early April. kbob fished exclusively a dry, and I fished a big X Caddis with a BH BWO dropped off the back. Most fish took the dry, but got a few on the nymph.

Zero other anglers observed. Though the popular Luzerne County STW I drove by en route had probably 100 or so vehicles spaced out over a couple miles. Didn’t look that close driving by, but all I saw were spin rods.

 

[Trico3]

I fly fished on STW along with my daughter. She is 22 and fished bait, Garden Hackle. She caught 6 and does quite well. I caught 6 trout on Picket Pins and Gordons. We started fishing around 11:00. We left it warm up a little. I saw no other FF'ers.

 

[NittanyBearcat]

My brother and I had the fly rods out for a little bit this afternoon on a stocked stream in Blair county. The parking lot was nearly full so we hiked in about two miles to try and get away from the crowds. I missed one Brook trout on a dry fly but that was our only action of the trip. Pretty slow day in terms of angling but it was a great day for a hike along a nice little mountain stream.

 

[Baron]

On a ration basis I beat you all. I flyfished Gouldsboro Lake. Only one other guy out on lake and and he was using a baitcaster. 50/50. No Trout so no crowd.

 

[STONEMAN]

Took my ceremonial drive up the Breeches this afternoon. Stopping and observing a few times. Stopped at Precision to say hi and get some cicada flys. Really hadn’t planned on fishing but couldn’t resist some splashy rises being ignored by the spin guys. Crazy late afternoon Hendrickson action. A first day first.

 

[CRB]

in Northwestern PA crowds were common air temp a 8 29* up to low 40*s by afternoon. A few fish were rising . Lots of room by mid afternoon as cold feet took their toll.

 

[Clams]

Fished a Class A in Berks County this afternoon and caught two decent browns. Had the entire stretch of stream to myself, no one else was there.

 

[caddis75]

Went to the Tully. It was high and cold. Some spin fisherman at Reber's. I think I saw four flyfishermen between there and Swiftwater lane. All rainbows. BWO hatch was pretty solid around 4, with nothing rising to it. Nice quiet day on the water, me and the herons.

 

[fritz]

Went to the East Branch/Codorus with a young family in the morning. Was cold. WT there was 41F. The kids caught a couple. I didn't move anything with a fly but I did not give it much of a go (my excuse).

Left there a bit before lunch and met a friend on Muddy Creek for the afternoon. Did real well on stockie bows mainly on a Prince Nymph. Saw one rise to maybe a midge. That's the only thing I saw in the air. WT was 50F about 3P.

Lots of people out. And a polite crowd at that. Picked up some litter but did not see a whole lot. The first season opener for me in many years.

 

[afishinado]

FFed French Creek (Chester County) 11am-3pm. Not as many anglers as others years. Found lots of open areas to fish. Picked up 10 or 12, all rainbows on a wooly bugger and hares ear nymph. Water temp was 42* at 11am. Saw some early black stoneflies flying around but nothing on the water. A little chilly early, but a nice day to be on the stream.

 

[larkmark]

I had my fly rod out and had a few chasers on a wooly bigger.
Switched over to the spinning rod and the famous Stroehmann
Nymph and caught about a dozen.

 

[drossi]

Not just my fly rod but a bamboo one at that. I fished the Broadhead. I guess the cold kept people away cause I had entire 100 yard stretches to myself. I never had to worry about interacting with anyone. It’s worse during the major hatches.

I managed 4 stockie rainbows on an olive bugger. It was a deep and slow morning with a lot of cold feet.

 

[bdfish]

i took mine out yesterday at a buddies camp in Snow Shoe. South Form Beech Creek. A sportsman club stocks it. Some kids were having fun and others were catching on spinners and bait. In the afternoon i got into some and brought in a nice 18 inch rainbow. Sucker spawn and san Juan works worked.