There is no such thing as “early Spring” in most of PA. It’s still just Winter. Weather wise, ignore what the calendar says. Egg and a heavy Stonefly, same as dead of Winter for me. On limestone streams I may swap the egg out for a second smaller nymph, but 90% of the time, egg and a Stonefly.
When Grannoms, Quills, and Hendricksons start showing up, then you have early Spring. So those I guess. To me March Browns and Sulphurs are your common mid-Spring PA hatches, and things like Green and Slate Drakes are your late Spring hatches.
I know there’s Little Black Stones and BWO’s earlier than that group of Grannoms/Quills/Hendricksons I mentioned, but I’ve never in my life seen a Trout rise to a Little Black Stone, and I honestly don’t see much fish activity to early BWO’s in the streams I fish…small freestoners mostly. They’re still super cold, and usually pretty high. Not good ingredients to get rising fish. I know this is a different deal on limestone streams, especially classic limestone springs. BWO’s can be a big deal on those, I’m just usually not fishing in those places. I consider LBS’s and BWO’s “Winter” hatches still. Don’t know whether that’s right or wrong, just how my brain approaches it.
