First Fork Sinnemahoning

[GHM]

Thinking about going to First Fork in may, anyone that knows the hatches up there have any patterns that I should tie up. All I have tied for hatches is BWO’s and quill gordons. Also, would a 5wt be a good rod for that stream? Thanks for any help and/or suggestions.
Gavin

 

[troutbert]

A 5 wt is a good choice for that stream. When in May? The hatches are very different in early vs mid vs late May.

 

[GHM]

A 5 wt is a good choice for that stream. When in May? The hatches are very different in early vs mid vs late May.

Probably the 13th and 14th

 

[jifigz]

I have never fished the First Fork, but I spend time on other Potter streams each June. All I can say is the hatches in Potter are much later than I find here in Central PA. I am not sure how they will be in comparison to where you live, but I would assume the same.

 

[troutbert]

Check out this hatch chart.

Pennsylvania Fly Fishing Hatch Chart

Hatch Common Name Hook Size Start Date Start time Latin Name Little Blue Winged Olive 16-20 15-Mar 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Ephemerella & Baetis Blue Quill 16-18 17-Apr 11:30 AM - 3:00 PM Paraleptophlebia adoptiva Quill Gordon 12-14 17-Apr 1:30 PM - 6:30 PM Epeorus pleuralis Hendrickson Female...

www.paflyfish.com

The First Fork has most of the hatches on that chart. (Probably not Tricos or White Mayflies, though).

Around May 13-14, March Browns & Grey Fox & Sulphurs will probably be the main hatches.

And of course also carry caddis patterns on all streams, through the whole season.

 

[Swattie87]

Agree with the above. Those NC freestones have a ton of Hendricksons/Red Quills. If it’s a cool, wet Spring you can definitely still run into some of them into early to mid May. But otherwise, yeah MB’s, and the early part of the Sulphurs is probably what you’re looking at.

Slate Drakes are a big hatch on those NC freestones too, but you’re prob a bit early for them.

 

[jifigz]

Check out this hatch chart.

Pennsylvania Fly Fishing Hatch Chart

Hatch Common Name Hook Size Start Date Start time Latin Name Little Blue Winged Olive 16-20 15-Mar 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Ephemerella & Baetis Blue Quill 16-18 17-Apr 11:30 AM - 3:00 PM Paraleptophlebia adoptiva Quill Gordon 12-14 17-Apr 1:30 PM - 6:30 PM Epeorus pleuralis Hendrickson Female...

www.paflyfish.com

The First Fork has most of the hatches on that chart. (Probably not Tricos or White Mayflies, though).

Around May 13-14, March Browns & Grey Fox & Sulphurs will probably be the main hatches.

And of course also carry caddis patterns on all streams, through the whole season.

Last year on West Branch of Pine, I was fishing a March Brown hatch in mid-June. Different stream, I know, but those fish were cued in on MB's and MB;'s only. Any other fly didn't get a look.

Right at dusk swinging a partridge and orange was dynamite, though.

 

[GHM]

Last year on West Branch of Pine, I was fishing a March Brown hatch in mid-June. Different stream, I know, but those fish were cued in on MB's and MB;'s only. Any other fly didn't get a look.

Right at dusk swinging a partridge and orange was dynamite, though.

What are march browns? I wouldn’t consider myself educated on entomology.

 

[GHM]

Check out this hatch chart.

Pennsylvania Fly Fishing Hatch Chart

Hatch Common Name Hook Size Start Date Start time Latin Name Little Blue Winged Olive 16-20 15-Mar 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Ephemerella & Baetis Blue Quill 16-18 17-Apr 11:30 AM - 3:00 PM Paraleptophlebia adoptiva Quill Gordon 12-14 17-Apr 1:30 PM - 6:30 PM Epeorus pleuralis Hendrickson Female...

www.paflyfish.com

The First Fork has most of the hatches on that chart. (Probably not Tricos or White Mayflies, though).

Around May 13-14, March Browns & Grey Fox & Sulphurs will probably be the main hatches.

And of course also carry caddis patterns on all streams, through the whole season.

I always carry 14 and 16, tan and black caddies patterns. I don’t plan to buy specific hackle at the moment. Would you use white or cream for sulphurs?

 

[Swattie87]

What are march browns? I wouldn’t consider myself educated on entomology.

Largeish, size 10-12, generally brown to mahogany mayfly. Do a couple quick Googles, it’s a common mid-Spring mayfly. Lots of patterns out there for imitating them.

Though a size 10 or 12 regular old Adams will probably work reasonably well.

FWIW, their hatch timing largely coincides with Sulphurs, and I have way better luck fishing a Sulphur, even if the majority of the bugs I’m seeing are March Browns. At this point, if all I see are MB’s, I’ll still usually start with a Sulphur pattern.

 

[DaveKile]

I would say mid May can have a lot of different things going on depending on the time of day. These are stocked trout but have been in the water for a couple of months. There are as many opinions as there are anglers.

Generally BWO can be found late morning and other times of the day depending on the weather, #18 yellow sulphurs will often be hitting the water later in the evening at dusk, caddisflies can be expected and then spinner falls at night. Plus a few other nice surprises that are fun to figure out.

I have found that general generic flies can work pretty well and having a mix of nymphs, dry flies and wooly buggers will serve you well. My favorite time to fish can be at dusk with #10 Rusty Brown Spinner. Let it sit up high and give it some action on the water and the freaks will come out at night. Get a headlamp.

Plenty of stream reports to add some history and context to the question.

 

[troutbert]

Would you use white or cream for sulphurs?

Sulphur Comparaduns use no hackle at all and they are very effective.

When tying hackled sulphur patterns, I use light blue dun, which is the color of their wings.

 

[Swattie87]

Sulphurs can very a lot in color depending on the stream. Some are more cream colored, and others are very brilliant yellow, bordering on orange sometimes. I carry a variety of colors, not sure how much it matters though. If you made me pick one, I’d go with a medium yellow and a light gray hackle, parachute style, size 16. (I carry more Sulphurs in my box than any other “hatch match” style of fly. They hatch for a long time, are reasonably pollution tolerant, and are very widely distributed in PA. Most streams have them, and in many streams, they’re the densest Mayfly hatch.)

Sulphurs are a good beginner hatch. The fish are often taking emergers just below the surface or in the film, and they’re prettying forgiving with less than perfect drifts because of this.

 

[Jemoca75!]

I fish the first fork multiple times a year and always around those dates your looking at, bring a full fly box, lots of stuff happening, I will be up at our cabin from 5/9-5/19 with many of those days strictly on the first fork

 

[dudemanspecial]

Stockers so take your squirmy and egg box if the bugs aren't turning the trick.

Edit: This isn't suggesting there is anything wrong with that, my camp is 35 minutes from there and I fish it several times a year, but there is no doubt that it is one of those fisheries where the hardware and junk flies reliably catch big fat stocker rainbows.

 

[Swattie87]

I’ll be up that way first week of June this year. Other than Brookie attractor stuff for the smaller streams, for the evening hatches I’m packing Sulphurs, SD’s, and a few GD’s. FWIW. I expect to fish the Sulphur most.

 

[GHM]

I’ll be up that way first week of June this year. Other than Brookie attractor stuff for the smaller streams, for the evening hatches I’m packing Sulphurs, SD’s, and a few GD’s. FWIW. I expect to fish the Sulphur most.

That seems to be what most on here recommend, I’ll have to look into a few patterns.

 

[Prospector]

For years, I have gone to Potter/Clinton the same time each year in mid-May. Half of the time you can fish dries and the other half you will fishing subsurface. For whatever reason that drainage gets some rough weather.

So take note that the First Fork tends to muddy sooner and stay muddy longer than Kettle does. If FF is muddy take the 45 min ride over the mountain. It may save your day.

 

[Prospector]

What are march browns? I wouldn’t consider myself educated on entomology.

 

[jifigz]

That seems to be what most on here recommend, I’ll have to look into a few patterns.

Do you tie? If so, I love parachutes. If you don't tie, PM me your address if interested.