Frankstown Branch Juniata — How’s it looking?

[Worth723]

Hey folks, I’m headed up to visit my uncle in Huntingdon for the weekend and wanted to get some stream time.

How’s the Frankstown Branch looking for the weekend?

Thanks for any of your insight!

 

[Swattie87]

Was up that way this past week. It’s low and clear. Likely still will be this weekend too. Fished maybe a mile or so, half with a dry/dropper, and half dredging bottom with a double nymph rig. Got skunked.

Saw a fair amount of rises and there were some small tan Caddis around. Figured I would have still gotten some hits on the attractor stuff I was throwing, but nada. Maybe should have tried to match those Caddis. It was like a size 18, very light tan.

 

[JeffP]

Were they trout?

 

[Swattie87]

Were they trout?

No clue. Didn’t catch any. Likely some in the slow water were Fallfish, but a few at the heads of the deeper/heavier runs certainly seemed like they should be Trout.

 

[Worth723]

Was up that way this past week. It’s low and clear. Likely still will be this weekend too. Fished maybe a mile or so, half with a dry/dropper, and half dredging bottom with a double nymph rig. Got skunked.

Saw a fair amount of rises and there were some small tan Caddis around. Figured I would have still gotten some hits on the attractor stuff I was throwing, but nada. Maybe should have tried to match those Caddis. It was like a size 18, very light tan.

Thanks for the intelligence. It’s not encouraging but that’s the name of this game, there’s good days and bad.

I wonder if it’s a combo of the lower water conditions and the looming spawn?

I’m going to give it a whirl. My intent is similar to yours, primarily to see what I can nymph up.

I’ve only ever fished the Frankstown Branch while visiting family, but am aware of some of the other more popular local streams like the Little Juniata, Spruce, etc. Should I venture to larger, and in theory, deeper water? I take it I should leave any of the small tribs like Clover and Piney alone due to low water and spawning conditions?

Thanks again for the commentary.

 

[troutbert]

Thanks for the intelligence. It’s not encouraging but that’s the name of this game, there’s good days and bad.

I wonder if it’s a combo of the lower water conditions and the looming spawn?

I first started seeing brown trout redds here in mid-state PA on Monday Oct. 24 and this past weekend I saw a lot of redds and trout on them. So spawning is full on at this point.

 

[Swattie87]

It’s tough to say. Though generally when things are low and clear, bigger water is better…More water and deeper habitat most of the time to start with.

If you want to do small streams, steeper, more gradient is better. FBJR tribs don’t have much in terms of gradient.

Yes, saw a couple redds on FBJR, but not many. Not sure if that was a function of things just getting started, or just not that many fish there to spawn.

 

[nymphingmaniac]

Frankie is low and clear. Last Sunday I saw some smaller trout in usual spots (I was walking). I imagine fishing would be tough

 

[Clams]

Can't speak to Frankstown Branch but I was nearby in State College for the football game this past weekend and I fished Penns on Friday and Spring Creek on Sunday and both were really (and I mean REALLY) low and clear.

 

[silverfox]

I haven't fished the Frankie recently because other streams in the area I have fished, including some that are very similar, are too low and clear. I went Sunday morning just because I needed to get out, and I did manage a few brown fish, but the big ones wouldn't eat. They would just follow the fly looking at it closely and then turn away.

I sat on a high bank for about half an hour watching a HUGE pod of 10-12 inch wild browns eating BWOs. An incredible number of fish. I will say that we (southern central pa left of center) faired a lot better than most of the state in terms of precipitation this year. We're in a bit of a dry spell right now though.

 

[JeffP]

Can't speak to Frankstown Branch but I was nearby in State College for the football game this past weekend and I fished Penns on Friday and Spring Creek on Sunday and both were really (and I mean REALLY) low and clear.

How did you do on Penns? Any hatches? We are heading up this weekend. Did you see many reds? We probably won't fish a whole lot.

 

[Clams]

How did you do on Penns? Any hatches? We are heading up this weekend. Did you see many reds? We probably won't fish a whole lot.

No hatches, no rises, no redds, no fish.

 

[NittanyBearcat]

Did you end up fishing the Frankstown Branch and did you have any luck? I fished the Juniata River at Huntingdon yesterday trying to get into some smallmouth. I caught 13 fallfish but no smallies.

 

[Worth723]

Did you end up fishing the Frankstown Branch and did you have any luck? I fished the Juniata River at Huntingdon yesterday trying to get into some smallmouth. I caught 13 fallfish but no smallies.

I did indeed. I got out on the Frankstown Branch late Friday afternoon and Saturday morning. I’ve got to say my expectations were very low due to low water conditions and figured I wouldn’t see many fish while on the Frank due to the browns vacating for the spawn in all the tribs but I saw fish everywhere.

I did a “stick and move” operation, fishing only the deepest, rockiest runs and riffles that I could find to avoid any spawning habitat and did quite well, considering. It was the approach and managing to get close enough to them that was tricky. I managed nine browns to the net, and even a little smallmouth. Most were in the 8”-13” range but I did manage a beautiful 18” male just after dawn on Saturday morning.

A silver bead head sexy walts with an orange collar and a copper bead head pheasant tail nymph, both size 16, are what the fish took.