Loyalsock Creek early spring

[henrydavid]

I'm looking for advice regarding early spring (late March) flies for the Loyalsock. I'm fairly well set up with streamers, buggers and nymphs but could use some ideas specifically with nymphs.

 

[lycoflyfisher]

big stonefly nymphs, Loyalsock has a lot of large perlidae stoneflies. Black or golden could be useful. If your targeting stocked trout in the Keystone select section, your standard nymphs should work well. Mop flies, squirmy worms, egg patterns, flashy nymphs all work well on stocked trout.

 

[Swattie87]

Late March that far north in PA behaves a lot more like Winter than early Spring most years, despite what the calendar may say. I’m usually up the first week of April for Spring cleanup at the camp I belong to (in the Kettle drainage) and though I take the fishing stuff, most years it doesn’t get used much. Cold, wind, and snow a lot of years. Not trying to discourage you, but just plan for more Winter type conditions than anything. If you catch a relative warm spell, it’s a bonus.

So yeah, big heavy nymphs. Stoneflies. Attractors (eggs and bright colored buggers) for the fresh stockies. An egg paired with a stonefly is my Winter freestone combo of choice.

Keep in mind that other than the Special Regs section, nearly all of the Loyalsock proper is closed until the opener.

 

[henrydavid]

Thanks for the tips. I'm aware that the sock runs very cold early season. I used to make trips up there in mid April and found conditions that were brutal even by then, but a friend of mine was itching to go so I booked a cabin at Worlds End. I'm hoping to also visit some native brookie streams I've scouted in the past.

We will be departing the day before the state opener, plan to fish Sandy Bottom only on the Sock.

 

[lycoflyfisher]

There are a lot of good brookie streams around worlds end. With the heavy snow and ice pack this year, you will still likely have some ice along the small streams and water Temps will be cold. It may be tough fishing, do not get discouraged. Try dead drifting buggers or other larger nymp patterns. Enjoy your trip, not many prettier places in the state.

 

[salmonoid]

+1 on the small brookie streams in the area. Swattie and I fished one last year in May, but it was the weekend that the temps dropped big time and it snowed (and we were backpack camping to boot). Still managed to bring close to 25 brookies to hand (slightly less than that - confirmed the presence of browns below some waterfalls, with a few catches, unfortunately). I fished a second stream on that trip and did somewhat poorly, although a few years prior, I was there in early April after/during a good downpour, and did really well on the same stream. Cabin 7 at Worlds End is the absolute best; not sure which one you booked, but they're all pretty cool.

You'll note I mentioned April and May; if you're going in late March, that's a complete crapshoot.

 

[sandfly]

most brookie streams here are still in ice lock and getting worse since the temps have not gone above 30

 

[maxima12]

!Loyalsock, is basically closed! Sportsman Club access, closed! Above Slabtown bridge where we played pinball, closed! Lower Manor Rd. restricted to parking, Little Bear, Big Bear, who knows.

Turkey Ranch? Waldiesens, restricted! It is not what it used to be!

Lower Mannor Rd., Upper Mannor Rd., Girl Scout Camp, Lycogis.

Best way is to boat it! The Delaware of Pa. Too old now, for that!

I like the good life now! Warm Cabin, good food, smooth whiskey and the smell of wet socks!

Boy oh boy, A young man, just look both sides, Hunters dream ,Trapping man heaven and a lot to prowl! I did it, and i am glad i did! It was the cornerstone of my youth!

Brookie Streams, forget it. I caught all the 12 and above! True!

We had a thing, back then! Hope you find your thing today!

Maxima12

 

[BradFromPotter]

maxima12 wrote:
!Loyalsock, is basically closed! Sportsman Club access, closed! Above Slabtown bridge where we played pinball, closed! Lower Manor Rd. restricted to parking, Little Bear, Big Bear, who knows.

Turkey Ranch? Waldiesens, restricted! It is not what it used to be!

Lower Mannor Rd., Upper Mannor Rd., Girl Scout Camp, Lycogis.

Best way is to boat it! The Delaware of Pa. Too old now, for that!

I like the good life now! Warm Cabin, good food, smooth whiskey and the smell of wet socks!

Boy oh boy, A young man, just look both sides, Hunters dream ,Trapping man heaven and a lot to prowl! I did it, and i am glad i did! It was the cornerstone of my youth!

Brookie Streams, forget it. I caught all the 12 and above! True!

We had a thing, back then! Hope you find your thing today!

Maxima12

I started fly fishing right behind the "Last Chance Saloon"

 

[maxima12]

Had good memories at Last Chance. Spent time inside but best memories were on the other side of creek.

One time, where Wallis Run dumped in was very, very popular with fishermen. Local hotspot!

Some very nice Brown Trout are caught at lower end of Sock. 20 plus.

Not going to catch one every time but they are there.

 

[BradFromPotter]

maxima12 wrote:
Had good memories at Last Chance. Spent time inside but best memories were on the other side of creek.

One time, where Wallis Run dumped in was very, very popular with fishermen. Local hotspot!

Some very nice Brown Trout are caught at lower end of Sock. 20 plus.

Not going to catch one every time but they are there.

One Oct afternoon while sitting on the bank at the bridge at Loyalsockville a couple of scuba divers surfaced from the deep hole by the old bridge. Said you wouldn't believe how big some of the browns were in the spot! Also ran into a guy while ice fishing on winter. He said he normally was trout fishing on the lower Sock, but because it has frozen over he decided to go ice fishing. He said all he used were 7" Rapalas !

 

[lycoflyfisher]

BradFromPotter wrote:


One Oct afternoon while sitting on the bank at the bridge at Loyalsockville a couple of scuba divers surfaced from the deep hole by the old bridge. Said you wouldn't believe how big some of the browns were in the spot! Also ran into a guy while ice fishing on winter. He said he normally was trout fishing on the lower Sock, but because it has frozen over he decided to go ice fishing. He said all he used were 7" Rapalas !

These accounts are not unique to that one hole on the Loyalsock or to Loyalsock Creek alone. Other adjacent streams of similar size, even including the West Branch hold similar fish the right time of the year. The challenge is where and when, with a lot of luck in some cases. Many bass anglers catch large brown trout on the West Branch both below and above Williamsport in the spring.