New Member & FF, but a life-long fisher

[GoldFinch]

Hello all!

I am fortunate enough to have grown up fishing longer than I could walk. Grew up using a spinning setup for stocked rainbows in western PA and steelhead. I picked up flyfishing this May after I had the fortunate opportunity to go flyfishing with a friend on Penn's Creek during a hatch while I piddled around with a 5' spinning rod. Saw what I was missing out on and on my first flyfishing trip I caught a very nice brownie.

I suspect like for a lot of members here, fishing is my escape or therapy you could call it. I've been using it to help deal with the sudden loss of my dad this year. He was my lifelong fishing partner and we had always wanted to learn how to fly fish, but the time was never right. I'm fortunate enough right now to be situated in State College, within spitting distance from some of the best creeks in the state.

Aside from just the fishing, I dabble in fly tying. Just the standard easy classical nymphs for now, but I have my eyes on learning some dries as well. I've caught several brownies and rainbows on flies I've tied, but I have yet to catch my first brookie. Hoping to make that happen this fall or spring as the temperatures become more favorable. Looking forward to steelhead season and trying that with a fly rod rather than the usual noodle rod.

 

[Kyle]

welcome and enjoy the site. fly rod steelhead is my favorite fish to target. use to do alot of day trips. but nowadays i use PTO time and plan a long weekend.

 

[Boulders]

Welcome aboard, looking foward to seeing your posts and learing about your experiences.

 

[dc410]

Welcome to PAFF!

 

[Silent Ocelot]

@GoldFinch, I should be up in Erie the first weekend of Nov. Maybe we could link up and fish together.

 

[gulfgreyhound]

Welcome aboard. GG

 

[JeffP]

Your story is familiar to a lot of us! I got introduced to Penns and our school fly-tying trip in high school. It was amazing. Being used to Lancaster county streams I will never forget the excitement looking at Poe Creek as we drove back the dirt road. It just looked so incredible. And to see 30 trout rising all around you on the broadwaters was just surreal. I caught an 18 inch brown on my neighbors "hollow glass" fly rod and my brothers caddis tied on a streamer hook. I was hooked forever.

 

[GoldFinch]

@GoldFinch, I should be up in Erie the first weekend of Nov. Maybe we could link up and fish together.

Thanks Ocelot, I'll send you a PM if I'm up there that weekend. Still kinda far out for me to make permanent plans right now.

 

[PatchezMDM]

Welcome from York County.

 

[WWKimba]

Welcome to the site from a born and bred central NYer. I like to host fly swaps here (I have a Terrestrial Pattern theme going on right now. Also, if you want some dry fly ideas check out this site on Michigan dry patterns - https://www.michigandryflies.net/fly-patterns. The late Tom Deschaine was a retired HS science teacher, rod builder, fisher and tyer. He was also a fine fly historian and this site represents his life's efforts.

Kim

 

[GoldFinch]

Welcome to the site from a born and bred central NYer. I like to host fly swaps here (I have a Terrestrial Pattern theme going on right now. Also, if you want some dry fly ideas check out this site on Michigan dry patterns - https://www.michigandryflies.net/fly-patterns. The late Tom Deschaine was a retired HS science teacher, rod builder, fisher and tyer. He was also a fine fly historian and this site represents his life's efforts.

Kim

Thanks for sharing the resource Kim! I'll look forward to the next swap, I won't make the deadlines for this time around.

 

[WWKimba]

Thanks for sharing the resource Kim! I'll look forward to the next swap, I won't make the deadlines for this time around.

I look forward to that time!

Kim

 

[Shawn Joseph]

Welcome aboard! Caught my first trout on a fly rod in 2001 swinging a wooly bugger. I was instantly hooked, so to speak. Never picked up a spinning rod again for trout.