New guy - Pohocopo

TheBlackSheep

New member
Joined
Jul 6, 2024
Messages
27
Location
PA
Hi everyone, looks like I may be in the area of Pohopoco for a few days. Wondering if anyone had any intentions of heading out. I understand the temps here are cooler year round. Just a thought.
 
Hit the Po today by Interchange and Rock. Clear, cold, flowing. Noted some fish rising around 10-11am. Threw everything I had out there: dry, wet, nymph, dry dropper. Nada.

Got some decent real life casting practice in and peace and quiet for a few hours.

Open to any suggestions as to flies, tactics, pools, good luck, breed of rooster to sacrifice for a few hits, anything.
 
I fished this creek about a month ago. I started up below the base of the damn and fished dries the entire time I was there. I used caddis with a brown body and was hooking up consistently. at one point they the fish got wise of my flies so I started throw 2 dries at once. I'd get looks one the one and then they'd smack the 2nd one. all my fish were caught in the riffles, none in slow water. It was a fun day, but my first time I fished this creek I didn't catch a thing.
 
I fished this creek about a month ago. I started up below the base of the damn and fished dries the entire time I was there. I used caddis with a brown body and was hooking up consistently. at one point they the fish got wise of my flies so I started throw 2 dries at once. I'd get looks one the one and then they'd smack the 2nd one. all my fish were caught in the riffles, none in slow water. It was a fun day, but my first time I fished this creek I didn't catch a thing.
Really appreciate you offering that insight. Thank you.
 
Hit the Po today by Interchange and Rock. Clear, cold, flowing. Noted some fish rising around 10-11am. Threw everything I had out there: dry, wet, nymph, dry dropper. Nada.

Got some decent real life casting practice in and peace and quiet for a few hours.

Open to any suggestions as to flies, tactics, pools, good luck, breed of rooster to sacrifice for a few hits, anything.
Was today in the afternoon, in the area of the station. Fish were actively feeding from the surface. But I did not take anything.
I tried dry and nymph. Last weekend I caught fish on the same flies there.
During the whole time I caught one perch the size of a finger.
This is my third outing on the water in Po and in general in FF. The first weekend I catch 1 fish. The second time I catch 5.
I think the size of my flies was too big. It is necessary to try 18-20 was, but I did not have such.
 
Hit the Po today by Interchange and Rock. Clear, cold, flowing. Noted some fish rising around 10-11am. Threw everything I had out there: dry, wet, nymph, dry dropper. Nada.

Got some decent real life casting practice in and peace and quiet for a few hours.

Open to any suggestions as to flies, tactics, pools, good luck, breed of rooster to sacrifice for a few hits, anything.
The rising might have been a Trico spinner fall.
 
Was worried I may have done something incorrectly.

Funny mention on the tricolor spinner fall. I'd later seen a bunch of stuff on the surface of another lake with even what looked to be small bass and a huge catfish rising - looked like flying ants or something.
 
After failing at Po on Thursday, I was there again on Friday and Sunday. In the USGS station area. I didn't catch anything again on Friday. The fish were still coming up to the surface, but they weren't taking flies. No nymphs, no dry flies. The anglers fishing nearby didn't have any fish either.
Saturday I did not want to go out on the water. I read the forum, followed some recommendations and tied a Sulphur Emerger #18.
And on Sunday he brought me 7 rainbow fish. The first time I fished on Emerger. I don't even know if I did it right.
There were also fishermen around me. I didn't see them releasing any fish.
I think that the right fly played a role.
The question is how to understand when exactly and what is the right one. To repeat the success in other times, when the preferences of fish will again change.
 
After failing at Po on Thursday, I was there again on Friday and Sunday. In the USGS station area. I didn't catch anything again on Friday. The fish were still coming up to the surface, but they weren't taking flies. No nymphs, no dry flies. The anglers fishing nearby didn't have any fish either.
Saturday I did not want to go out on the water. I read the forum, followed some recommendations and tied a Sulphur Emerger #18.
And on Sunday he brought me 7 rainbow fish. The first time I fished on Emerger. I don't even know if I did it right.
There were also fishermen around me. I didn't see them releasing any fish.
I think that the right fly played a role.
The question is how to understand when exactly and what is the right one. To repeat the success in other times, when the preferences of fish will again change.
Welcome to the joy and pain of fly fishing. Finding the key and unlocking the puzzle box that is the struggle.
 
Hit the Po today by Interchange and Rock. Clear, cold, flowing. Noted some fish rising around 10-11am. Threw everything I had out there: dry, wet, nymph, dry dropper. Nada.

Got some decent real life casting practice in and peace and quiet for a few hours.

Open to any suggestions as to flies, tactics, pools, good luck, breed of rooster to sacrifice for a few hits, anything.
I assume Tricos too.
 
After failing at Po on Thursday, I was there again on Friday and Sunday. In the USGS station area. I didn't catch anything again on Friday. The fish were still coming up to the surface, but they weren't taking flies. No nymphs, no dry flies. The anglers fishing nearby didn't have any fish either.
Saturday I did not want to go out on the water. I read the forum, followed some recommendations and tied a Sulphur Emerger #18.
And on Sunday he brought me 7 rainbow fish. The first time I fished on Emerger. I don't even know if I did it right.
There were also fishermen around me. I didn't see them releasing any fish.
I think that the right fly played a role.
The question is how to understand when exactly and what is the right one. To repeat the success in other times, when the preferences of fish will again change.
The pain was flowing wide and deep around there. The force was strong.
 
Trico refers to Tricorythodes a genus of mayflies. Here are a couple of links with more info:
https://www.troutnut.com/hatch/669/Mayfly-Tricorythodes-Tricos/
Awesome resource - as a new guy (and a geek) THANK YOU
When you figure that out let us know. Been baffling fishermen for ages.
tigereye, great, I was hoping to contact you.

I have a reference, I think it's the hatches of Pennsylvania. Aside from that and considering NY/PA waters.....are the bugs somewhat consistent in the region as far as a general aspect?
 
Yes pretty much so. I highly recommend the small paperback Art Flicks streamside guide. It focuses primarily on mayflies on the Shoharie in NY. It compares rather favorably with flies in most NEPA streams albeit a week or two later.

The take away is that there are about 10 different major may fly hatches to contend with and they hatch in a fairly consistent sequence. Depending on where you fish you can probably whittle that down to 7 or so. You add a stonefly or 2 and 3 or four caddis you are talking roughly a dozen major hatches. Briefly what I carry is as follows.

1. I don't really fish dries until about May. So I don't carry any early bug imitations. Eliminates blue quill, Quill Gordon and early brown stone.
2. First surface activity of significance is Hendrickson and Red Quill. Start with sizes 14 and 16 and adjust sizes from there depending where you fish. A grey soft hackle or peacock and brown soft hackle will cover emergers.
3.dont really see many grey fox and if I do a small light Cahill will do.
4. Mid May March Browns are a great hatch on most streams, size 12 always seemed to work fine. The wet fly version is also very good.
5. Mid may is also Mother's day caddis. A Henryville special and a grouse and green soft hackle cover your bases.
6. By the end of May look for sulfurs. Mostly yellow size 16 or 18. I find the emerger or comparadun style flies best.
7. Caddis flies are starting to show in significant numbers now too. Tan 14 and 16, and apple ((light green with tan wings) 16 are your best two.
8. June is Isonychia time. Size 10 and 12 comparaduns are my favorites. Also Light Cahills 14 and 16.
9if it's June and fish are surface feeding and you don't see any hatches, try a grey or black caddis size 18
10 BWO comes off all year keep a few handy 12, 14, 16.
11.lastly I carry 4 attractor style flies. In order of preference.
A. Royal wulff 12 and 14
B. Adams 14 and 16
C. Chartreuse adams 14 and 16
D. Orange stimulator. Size 10.
That is pretty much it. If you nymph add a hares ear 14 and 16; pheasant tail 14 and 16; Prince 12, 14,; frenchie 14 16,; rainbow warior 16 and a few perdigons.

Not bogged down with alot of ffliesand you have 90+ percent of your bases covered.

Like anything else, the last 10% is the toughest. To me carrying all that other stuff and gimmicks just isnt worth the expense or time to tie up.
 
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