Loyalsock Hatches weekend of 6/12

[riverwhy]

I am heading up to a friend's cabin this weekend and am wondering what to expect. It looks like the water has dropped and I am guessing has warmed as well so I guess I will probably be focusing on the tribs more. I have a little time to tie today and tomorrow so I am wondering if anyone can provide some information on some hatches and or go-to flies to have for the Sock and its tributaries. I have not fished the area for about 10 years or so not to familiar with the hatches there. I have Meck's book which includes some info on the big creek and Hoaglands but I bet it is out of date especially considering the floods in recent years. Thanks in advance for any help you can give me.

 

[Swattie87]

For the tribs, I wouldn’t worry too much about specific hatches. Standard attractor dries (Adams, Wulffs, EHC’s, Stimulators) and/or basic nymphs should be fine.

You’re right that the main stem is probably getting warm. I don’t know about the Sock specifically, but mid-June in NC PA to me means Sulphurs and Slate Drakes on most large streams. Most streams up there have those. May be some Green Drakes, but not all streams have them and they’re a bit more hit or miss.

 

[troutbert]

On the tribs, terrestrials should do well: ants, beetles, inchworms, small crickets.

Also parachute dry flies, such as Sulphur parachute.

If we get some rain and the water is up, try Stimulators, size 14, yellow body.

 

[fritz]

It’s been quite a while for me fishing up there too but from what I remember, it would be Slate Drakes on the Loyalsock now.

 

[lycoflyfisher]

Slate drakes, and I have often seen some lighter mayflies maybe light cahill varieties. Water temps are definitely warming up, hope for some good thunderstorms tonight if you want to fish the main stem this weekend. With a little rain the tribs should be in great shape. On the tribs, it is hard to go wrong with your common dries: adams, ehc, stimulators, terrestrials etc. Never rule out a green weenie or a variation of it, the green inch worm hatch is or is about to start!

 

[maxima12]

sulphurs, sulphurs, sulphurs. Yellow, white, lt. orange, orange, cream bodies tied with matching color thread. Size 16 to 20. Parachute style.
Dusk!

 

[riverwhy]

Report and some questions!
Thanks for all that contributed. I had a great time at a friend's cabin. We never did make it to the Loyalsock but did well on streams to the north of the Sock. Some of the best Native Brook Trout fishing I have experienced. Used #16 sulphur, Tan Elk Hair Caddis, Prince Nymphs, pheasant tail trailing a green weenie (this worked really well to have the weeny as a strike indicator and to get the pheasant tail into the best spots, Little Rainbow Trout (I didn't have the Little Brook Trout), and olive buggers. The other experiences were even better than the fishing!
1. Wildlife- deer everywhere, turkeys, fox, and a bobcat/mountain lion (It looked huge, we thought it was a small deer at first when it ran across the road)
2. No ticks. Friend says they don't get them up there. We walked through lots of grass, ferns and shrubs. Anyone else notice an absence of ticks up there or any other areas in PA? We were fishing high elevations for the most part.
3. No snakes. Buddy also says he has never seen a poisonous snake up there. Trust me I let him lead the way! Again, anyone else know why this would be? He thought too cold but I doubt that would be the explanation.
4. Unbelievable weather as I am sure others experienced as well. We actually had an inside fire the one night! It got down to 40 where we were.
5. Beautiful land- It was really a neat mix of mountains and fields. some really stunning views. The woods seemed very open and lacking in brush/mulitflora rose, etc. You would walk from parklike woods (Beech was common) right into fields. Another oddity was I didn't see any rhododendron. Again, anyone know why this would be?
6. Did not see a single fisherman. Camps had people but they were not fishing. In fact my buddy said it has been like that all spring. So weird considering how crowded everyone else has said streams have been with people not working.
Again, thanks for the suggestions. I looked at the Loyalsock and thought how I would have no ideal how to fish it!

 

[lycoflyfisher]

If you were in the loyalsock drainage, I can assure you there are rattlesnakes. Either there numbers are lower or they stay put closer to den sites, but they are definitely there. I'm not sure where you were, but I have driven up the sock a few times this spring and each time there were tons of anglers on elk Creek and hoagland branch. Much of the area is beech/ birch/ maple forests and not oak/Heath which typically has more mountain Laurel and rhodo. There are some mountain tops that are very thick Laurel though.