Conquering the Falling Springs

[Mikey2006]

Well after many long afternoons spent fishing (and getting skunked) on the fly fishing only section of the Falling Springs Branch, it finally happened. I was able to land a trout. Not just one trout, actually, but three trout, all wild rainbows. It took a lot of exploring and lots of spooked fish, but today it all paid off. Yesterday I had three little fish hooked out of the same pool that all came unhooked, so I went back today and after about 10 minutes of fishing I landed a small wild rainbow. I then landed an even smaller rainbow further downstream. I was more than happy catching small fish after all the effort I had put in prior, but then it happened. I was drifting a small caddis nymph under an indicator through one of the only spots I could actually cast at effectively without spooking everything, and my indicator dropped.

An 18 inch wild rainbow. Somehow I didn’t spook the pool with my sloppy casting and even more incredibly, the fish was actually fooled and took the fly. I’ll remember that fish for the rest of my life, and even if it’s another month or more until I land my next trout on the falling spring, that fish will keep me coming back as much as possible.
The other two rainbows I landed:


Some more pictures of the big bow:

(Fish was kept in the net in the water except for a few seconds to take a couple of pictures, and was then immediately released)

 

[nativebrownie]

Not sure if there was a conquer, but seems like Falling Springs took you in and let you dream a bit ... enjoy.

Don't forget the many, many individuals who have worked constantly to maintain & protect those waters ...
Imo, considering the development of the area, FS is a miracle at this point.

 

[Mikey2006]

Not sure if there was a conquer, but seems like Falling Springs took you in and let you dream a bit ... enjoy.

Don't forget the many, many individuals who have worked constantly to maintain & protect those waters ...
Imo, considering the development of the area, FS is a miracle at this point.

I meant “conquer” as in conquering my goal of just catching fish there. And yeah, it’s a beautiful and special place. It’s kind of unsettling when you look up from the creek and there’s a major road 20 feet away, a whole neighborhood, or some other thing you wouldn’t expect a gem of a trout stream to flow through. It’s amazing that it supports as good of a trout population as it does. Not sure where or how but if theres anything I could do to volunteer and help protect it I might, now that I’ve spent some time on it I can better understand just how valuable it is

 

[jifigz]

The stream's resiliency is the power of limestone and dolomite springs. I have never fished Falling Spring, but I'll take a trip down this summer and try to fish terrestrials.

 

[Mikey2006]

The stream's resiliency is the power of limestone and dolomite springs. I have never fished Falling Spring, but I'll take a trip down this summer and try to fish terrestrials.

It’s an awesome creek, I’m really lucky to live like 10 minutes from it. Really frustrating, but beautiful

 

[moon1284]

That's a really nice fish anywhere. I haven't fished falling spring in years but I never caught one that big there. It is (or was for me), a very tough creek. It's harder than Letort for me. Great job.

 

[Mikey2006]

That's a really nice fish anywhere. I haven't fished falling spring in years but I never caught one that big there. It is (or was for me), a very tough creek. It's harder than Letort for me. Great job.

It’s a really tough creek for everyone I’ve talked to and usually is for me, I just had some crazy good luck on my side today. Prior to the past two days where I finally had some action, I had been fishing both the fly only sections and delayed harvest sections almost every evening, and I didn’t even move a single fish in the fly only section. Its a little easier for me in the delayed harvest section but the best day I had there was a small wild brown and a small wild bow

 

[blitzinstripes]

Gin clear water, endless food, and constant angling pressure is a sure recipe for trout to earn PhD's. Congratulations on achieving a true milestone.

I will sheepishly admit that I am terrified of most pure Limestoners. I still have never fished Letort, FS, and BS, though I'm frequently within five minutes of them while fishing other waters. I occasionally take a walk and observe. Someday I will actually wet a line. But today is not that day.

Exceptions are Spring Creek in State College, and Yellow Creek in Bedford, both of which I have had some consistent success.

Adding to my fears is that I am a 90% nymph fisherman, and sub surface vegetation is my arch-nemesis.

I have a feeling that when I do finally take a swing at the spring creeks, it will be with a hopper pattern in the summer.

You can keep your size 30 midges and 9x tippet. 😁

 

[caddisflyer]

Years ago Falling Springs had a tremendous Sulphur hatch. There would be clouds of them. I don't know these days?

 

[jifigz]

Gin clear water, endless food, and constant angling pressure is a sure recipe for trout to earn PhD's. Congratulations on achieving a true milestone.

I will sheepishly admit that I am terrified of most pure Limestoners. I still have never fished Letort, FS, and BS, though I'm frequently within five minutes of them while fishing other waters. I occasionally take a walk and observe. Someday I will actually wet a line. But today is not that day.

Exceptions are Spring Creek in State College, and Yellow Creek in Bedford, both of which I have had some consistent success.

Adding to my fears is that I am a 90% nymph fisherman, and sub surface vegetation is my arch-nemesis.

I have a feeling that when I do finally take a swing at the spring creeks, it will be with a hopper pattern in the summer.

You can keep your size 30 midges and 9x tippet. 😁

I like Big Spring. It is the only stream out of the bunch that I have actually fished, but I like it. Terrestrials in the summer with long leaders, slow movements, little disturbance, and maybe you'll fool a few. Otherwise, head upstream and pick off the bows in the riffles.

 

[Mikey2006]

Years ago Falling Springs had a tremendous Sulphur hatch. There would be clouds of them. I don't know these days?

I’ll see at most a few rises per day out of all the time I’ve spent out there this spring. And I’m not sure if this just isn’t the time of year for it or if I’m just there at the wrong time of day, but there isn’t anything hatching it’s just a few here and there. I don’t really know which bugs are which but either way there is almost no surface activity

 

[JimKennedy]

Well done. That’s a tough creek, up there with letort on the difficulty scale. Possibly more difficult.

 

[Clams]

Well done on the fish and I have to say your post was very relatable. I consider myself a hacker on the water - spooking fish, clumsy casting, frequent tangles, etc. I tell myself that anytime I catch a fish it's got to be the dumbest one in the creek, lol. But the feeling on those good days when perseverance pays off and you put it all together is just the best. Congrats!