First Wild Brown

[Beweav]

I just found out that Spring creek in Harrisburg has wild brown trout in it a couple weeks ago. I went last weekend and only ended up with fallfish but I went back out today for a little while and finally hooked up with this tiny beauty. I know it’s not much to most of you but I got way more excited than an adult man should have after catching this 6 inch fish. 😂 There’s something about catching what you targeting that is really rewarding. I was also very happy to finally see a wild trout in real life. It got me feeling a little spiritual. Living in the city can be pretty wearing on a soul and there is something really pure and right about interacting with nature. These little guy might not be from around here but it’s great to see them thriving.

 

[jifigz]

Congratulations. I remember my first wild brown I caught on a fly rod well. It was on a muddler minnow (that might be the only fish I ever caught on a Muddler Minnow) in December or January. Even though the fish was small, and I have caught thousands of wild browns since then, I will always remember that first one. I also remember my first brown I caught from Spring Creek in Harrisburg.

 

[pcray1231]

Congrats on your first wild brown!

 

[wildtrout2]

Congrats! There is something special about wild trout.

 

[6xAdams(Jones)]

I just found out that Spring creek in Harrisburg has wild brown trout in it a couple weeks ago. I went last weekend and only ended up with fallfish but I went back out today for a little while and finally hooked up with this tiny beauty. I know it’s not much to most of you but I got way more excited than an adult man should have after catching this 6 inch fish. 😂 There’s something about catching what you targeting that is really rewarding. I was also very happy to finally see a wild trout in real life. It got me feeling a little spiritual. Living in the city can be pretty wearing on a soul and there is something really pure and right about interacting with nature. These little guy might not be from around here but it’s great to see them thriving.

Is this the little creek "behind" the BassPro that runs past a public park, or am I thinking of somewhere else?

 

[Beweav]

Congratulations. I remember my first wild brown I caught on a fly rod well. It was on a muddler minnow (that might be the only fish I ever caught on a Muddler Minnow) in December or January. Even though the fish was small, and I have caught thousands of wild browns since then, I will always remember that first one. I also remember my first brown I caught from Spring Creek in Harrisburg.

Yeah I’ll definitely remember this! Do you fish here often?

Is this the little creek "behind" the BassPro that runs past a public park, or am I thinking of somewhere else?

Yeah that’s it! The green belt in Harrisburg runs right along it and offers a bunch of access in that stretch.

 

[rustbeltwilds]

congrats, i think we all remember our first wild brown.. mine wasnt big by any standards but it was life changing from a angling standpoint and holds true to this very minute

 

[6xAdams(Jones)]

Yeah I’ll definitely remember this! Do you fish here often?

Yeah that’s it! The green belt in Harrisburg runs right along it and offers a bunch of access in that stretch.

I haven't fished there yet, but my boy has. He took me for a walk along the park (public garden?) last winter and we spotted a few fish in low water.

 

[Beweav]

congrats, i think we all remember our first wild brown.. mine wasnt big by any standards but it was life changing from a angling standpoint and holds true to this very minute

Interesting, I’d love to know what things were changed.

 

[Silent Ocelot]

Excellent! Your next move should be to catch the one and only native PA trout fish species and see where that takes you emotionally. There's something about catching a species of fish that have been in these water systems before man arrived on this continent.

Wild brown trout are cool though, I know of some great places to get them. The ones I caught in Penns in December were the most beautiful examples of wild browns I have caught. They were cosmetically perfect, "buttery" if I may so use the language of the flat brim Moonshine rod brandishing modern Instagram angler.

I would also like to add that catching wild/native trout on a dry is immensely more gratifying. Obviously that is hard, if not impossible to so this time of year. Next spring I will be on some wild/native trout haunts.

 

[wildtrout2]

Excellent! Your next move should be to catch the one and only native PA trout fish species...

I always thought that too, until another member educated me to the fact that Lake Trout are also native to Pa. In my 65 years, I hadn't been aware of that.

 

[jifigz]

Your "next move" should be whatever it is that fulfills your fly-fishing itch and growth as an angler. Maybe it is going after some natives in a mountain stream, maybe it is trying to catch a wily brown from the classic CV limestoners on a dry, maybe it is just perfecting your casting, your nymph fishing, or maybe starting to tie. It seems that you are very new to fishing with the long road, so you have a lot to learn and figure out.

Fishing and outdoor adventure can be so much fun, and it can really be whatever you want it to be. Some people are trout purists that only wants fish on dries. Others are kayaking through the thick vegetation looking to smash the snakeheads. I like fishing for nearly anything in any form of body of water as I enjoy anything that puts a bend in my rod and I like being a diversified angler. Only you know what your next move should and will be, just enjoy it.

 

[Silent Ocelot]

^I should have worded that better and should have said that a good idea to consider would be pursuing native brook trout. The overall vibe I got from the OP's post, and applied EXLUSIVELY to his post and not an assessment of him as an angler in general, was that he was having fun going for a trout that were small but provided good aesthetic value. In that case pursuing brook trout would be a good option.

Ultimately one can fish however they want. If you want to say that you are all about freedom in the sport you also can't condone people for wanting to fish trout exclusively. I for one am not a trout purist and anyone who who fishes with me would certainly know that I am almost apprehensive to tie on a dry barring ponds and fishing tiny mountain creeks. So I would advise not trying to condemn someone off of a singular comment when you hardly know said person or try and paint that person in a certain light when you hardly know them.

I wasn't saying that dry fly fishing is the only or better way to fish for wild/native trout, though the word more gratifying certainly applies as one would have more fun targeting them this way as those explosive wild/native trout takes are just a joy to watch. We all want to feel like Brad Pitt in "A River Runs Through It".

 

[Beweav]

Excellent! Your next move should be to catch the one and only native PA trout fish species and see where that takes you emotionally. There's something about catching a species of fish that have been in these water systems before man arrived on this continent.

Wild brown trout are cool though, I know of some great places to get them. The ones I caught in Penns in December were the most beautiful examples of wild browns I have caught. They were cosmetically perfect, "buttery" if I may so use the language of the flat brim Moonshine rod brandishing modern Instagram angler.

I would also like to add that catching wild/native trout on a dry is immensely more gratifying. Obviously that is hard, if not impossible to so this time of year. Next spring I will be on some wild/native trout haunts.

This is definitely on my bucket list! I’ve caught stocked Brook Trout but I have a place in mind for this winter yet sometime to go blue lining in search of some natives.
The convenience of having these guys so close is hard to beat though. I’m definitely looking forward to catching fish on dries again this spring. There is nothing like seeing them sip a dry fly. I would not be surprised if they are hesitant to come up on spring creek with how clear it is but I’m looking forward to trying. I’ve had little fallfish hit my indicator twice now nymphing this winter and both times it makes my heart jump to see them break the surface. Good times.

 

[Beweav]

Your "next move" should be whatever it is that fulfills your fly-fishing itch and growth as an angler. Maybe it is going after some natives in a mountain stream, maybe it is trying to catch a wily brown from the classic CV limestoners on a dry, maybe it is just perfecting your casting, your nymph fishing, or maybe starting to tie. It seems that you are very new to fishing with the long road, so you have a lot to learn and figure out.

Fishing and outdoor adventure can be so much fun, and it can really be whatever you want it to be. Some people are trout purists that only wants fish on dries. Others are kayaking through the thick vegetation looking to smash the snakeheads. I like fishing for nearly anything in any form of body of water as I enjoy anything that puts a bend in my rod and I like being a diversified angler. Only you know what your next move should and will be, just enjoy it.

Thanks for the affirmation. I’m planning to do just that!

 

[Beweav]

^I should have worded that better and should have said that a good idea to consider would be pursuing native brook trout. The overall vibe I got from the OP's post, and applied EXLUSIVELY to his post and not an assessment of him as an angler in general, was that he was having fun going for a trout that were small but provided good aesthetic value. In that case pursuing brook trout would be a good option.

Ultimately one can fish however they want. If you want to say that you are all about freedom in the sport you also can't condone people for wanting to fish trout exclusively. I for one am not a trout purist and anyone who who fishes with me would certainly know that I am almost apprehensive to tie on a dry barring ponds and fishing tiny mountain creeks. So I would advise not trying to condemn someone off of a singular comment when you hardly know said person or try and paint that person in a certain light when you hardly know them.

I wasn't saying that dry fly fishing is the only or better way to fish for wild/native trout, though the word more gratifying certainly applies as one would have more fun targeting them this way as those explosive wild/native trout takes are just a joy to watch. We all want to feel like Brad Pitt in "A River Runs Through It".

Don’t worry, I’m not looking to comments on a forum to determine my fishing future. I did not take this as you telling me what to fish for. I am just here to celebrate the little things with people who get it! Cheers!

 

[jifigz]

^I should have worded that better and should have said that a good idea to consider would be pursuing native brook trout. The overall vibe I got from the OP's post, and applied EXLUSIVELY to his post and not an assessment of him as an angler in general, was that he was having fun going for a trout that were small but provided good aesthetic value. In that case pursuing brook trout would be a good option.

Ultimately one can fish however they want. If you want to say that you are all about freedom in the sport you also can't condone people for wanting to fish trout exclusively. I for one am not a trout purist and anyone who who fishes with me would certainly know that I am almost apprehensive to tie on a dry barring ponds and fishing tiny mountain creeks. So I would advise not trying to condemn someone off of a singular comment when you hardly know said person or try and paint that person in a certain light when you hardly know them.

I wasn't saying that dry fly fishing is the only or better way to fish for wild/native trout, though the word more gratifying certainly applies as one would have more fun targeting them this way as those explosive wild/native trout takes are just a joy to watch. We all want to feel like Brad Pitt in "A River Runs Through It".

There is a lot of inferred notions here that never crossed my mind. I didn't assume anyone is a trout purist or a dry fly snob in this thread (although I know a few of them) and the sole point of my post was this:

Do whatever you want that makes you happy. Grow at your own pace. Practice what you want and enjoy.

To the OP: no, I never really fish Spring in Harrisburg. I have fished it twice, both times with a forum member here (Hopback) who showed me around a bit. It's nice to explore new waters, but I like to stay close to home. Drive less, fish more.

 

[Beweav]

.

To the OP: no, I never really fish Spring in Harrisburg. I have fished it twice, both times with a forum member here (Hopback) who showed me around a bit. It's nice to explore new waters, but I like to stay close to home. Drive less, fish more.

Exactly! I know some feel uncomfortable in that neighborhood but as long as you mind your business… it’s not so bad.
I would rather be in the middle of nowhere but like you said less driving…

 

[Arminacast]

Congratulations!

 

[salmo]

Congrats! Be careful it can be very addictive. Take it from me.

I understand that there are a few stream with wild fish in the vicinity of Harrisburg if transportation is not an issue. My son caught his first wild trout on a fly in Clarks Creek.
Funny, but I have no personal recollection of my first wild trout on a fly. If I think back it may have been in Yellowstone. I just don’t recall. I do remember the first fish on a fly and it was a stocked brown on the Francis Branch in North Central Pa.