PA Opening Day plans

Shawn Joseph said:
I’ve never gone out opening day. Didn’t start fishing until late teens. The guy who got me into fly fishing didn’t go out opening day so I guess I just wasn’t reared, so to speak, in that tradition. I will go out the following week and fill my freezer with stockies for the smoker. 😁
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Given the predicted weather, just go out on opening day after 11 AM and you’ll have plenty of elbow room. In fact, the afternoons are very crowd free and can produce some decent hatches.
 
Thirtywheat said:
Haha I mean brand spanking new. I’ve been out 4 times for a couple hours at a time and haven’t had so much as a follow. Mostly just learning the basics, but wouldn’t be mad if I caught a fish while doing so :)

I’ll definitely have to pick some of those up before I get out there. Thanks for the tips!
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To up your odds with those suggested flies, pick a stream section from the stocking schedule that receives rainbow trout alone or combined with browns. They are much more cooperative than browns in cold water and when combined in a preseason stocking with browns the rainbows predominate the numbers being stocked by a large amount.
 
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Mike said:
To up your odds with those suggested flies, pick a stream section from the stocking schedule that receives rainbow trout alone or combined with browns. They are much more cooperative than browns in cold water and when combined in a preseason stocking with browns the rainbows predominate the numbers being stocked by a large amount.
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This is great advice that I hadn’t considered. I’ll check the schedules and hopefully we can get an edge on those rainbows. Thanks!
 
Mike said:
Given the predicted weather, just go out on opening day after 11 AM and you’ll have plenty of elbow room. In fact, the afternoons are very crowd free and can produce some decent hatches.
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All the stocked streams by me are packed all day long. I’m in the Philly suburbs. I’m sure you’re right about afternoon. Problem is 54 mph wind gusts with 24 mph on average. When I was in my 20’s and early 30’s I used to fish year round in snow, rain etc. Now in my 40’s I’m a fair weather fisherman 😂😂😂
 
Damn this thread went off the rails quick. I’ll be rocking beers and fly fishing special regs water for wild fish. I’ll probably take pictures of them only in the net, use barbless hooks and then let them go. Might harvest a few stockies for the campfire on the drive back.
 
Bamboozle said:
Last year I fished a particular "Stocked Trout Waters" section because it is right next to park where I take daily walks for my new hip. :)

My MO there is Tenkara to pi$$ any fly fishermen who might show up...

I also fished a small open, but privately stocked stream up the road from me with spinning gear more than a few times. Last year I had the pleasure of meeting a 15 year kid alone on only his 2nd fishing trip and teaching him how to use his spin-casting rod & reel. He caught his first fish (non-trout) on bait I provided!!

Somehow I believe I would have missed that wonderful experience if I had my FFO, trout-centric agenda hat on that day... ;)
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Tenkara = Cane Pole... It's science. :LOL:
 
Mike said:
I hope you caught them with a fly or nymph AND carried them at your side on a stringer, preferably a jingling metal hooks kind. It’s sooo easy to trigger the purists with that stunt.
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I used to fish Section 2 of Ridley Creek below Gradyville Road as a kid in the days before I became full of myself as fly fisherman. ;)

Anyway, one day I was fishing, catching and keeping and had my fish on a snap chain stringer, a requisite in those days. However like all Delco anglers who knew better than to leave fish on a stringer unattended in Delaware County, the stringer was attched to me and hanging below in the water.

Imagine my surprise when despite my security measures, I felt a tugging on the stringer. However rather than some yokel fisherman looking a free meal, it was a raccoon!!!

FWIW - The first Opening Day of my life was on the no longer PFBC stocked Section 4 of Ridley Creek below Dismal Run. We'd hitch hike there in full regalia, have our "ride" leave us off at the "Media Bypass" overpass, climb down the steep hill and fish right there.

Man how I loved that section as kid... :)
 
Swattie87 said:
I’ll punt on Saturday. Earn some points with Mrs. Swattie and stay home, spend some time with her and our infant son, let her catch a good nap, make sure all the house chores are done, etc.

On Sunday I’m planning on going out with my neighbor to clean up some “leftovers”, as we’ve done the last few years. We, like a few others have mentioned, like to engage in a little Stocker Bonker action from streams that have wild fish in them. We’ll bonk the first 2 or 3 each, depending on size, then move on to fish some unstocked water for the rest of the day. Think we’re planning on heading up towards the Ricketts Glen area this year. Good luck everyone. If you’re fishing water with wild Trout, don’t hesitate to keep a few stocked fish.

Bonus points to the first who can identify this movie…Late 80’s/early 90’s kids will have a distinct advantage.

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I’m around the Ricketts Glen area. Lot of good blue lines up here.
 
I haven't fished an opener for years. A good day to watch some baseball and drink your favorite beverage before packing for your fishing trip 2 weeks later.
 
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Thirtywheat said:
Nice! Sounds right up our alley. And I appreciate the pointers, so thank you.

While it does look rough, nasty weather always makes for good memories and stories, and makes you appreciate the comforts of home once you return. And if you catch something it feels twice as good.
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I second jifigz recommendations on the egg patterns & streamers. When I was learning to fly fish 2 years ago, I had my initial success with pink/yellow eggs and black Woolly Buggers. Yes, on stocked trout, but I didn't care, I just was trying to catch fish on that fly rod - enough of a challenge for newbies in and of itself - and I needed something that was relatively easy to fish. Those two were. And they worked. Pretty consistently too. Good luck & good fishing!
 
a23fish said:
I second jifigz recommendations on the egg patterns & streamers. When I was learning to fly fish 2 years ago, I had my initial success with pink/yellow eggs and black Woolly Buggers. Yes, on stocked trout, but I didn't care, I just was trying to catch fish on that fly rod - enough of a challenge for newbies in and of itself - and I needed something that was relatively easy to fish. Those two were. And they worked. Pretty consistently too. Good luck & good fishing!
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You hit the nail on the head. Thanks for the words of encouragement and for reaffirming others advice. I’m going to give it my best and if I get skunked, well then nothing new. Besides, it’s the season opener after all, not the season closer!
 
Yes, that is the best odds of catching stockies on opening day. :rolleyes: I have a different mindset toward OD. I mean the whole purpose of fly fishing is to get trout to eat something unnatural. Who couldn't catch a trout on worms or salmon eggs. Powerbait? Never tried it
But flies? Trout don't eat feathers or fur or polypropylene. They eat bugs and fish. So why use an egg pattern? (Not that I haven't). For me, the ENTIRE purpose of fly fishing is to fool a fish, with a brain the size of a pea, to eat something inedible that imitates something edible. I get it. An egg pattern is made of yarn or foam or whatever. Not protein. But if I'm going to bother, I'm going to go full hog and at least imitate something living. Ok, Catholics aside, jarred Salmon eggs are not alive. I have a hard time not fishing something that doesn't imitate fish or fly. Yes, this is very tongue in cheek but it is how I fish. I've caught plenty of trout, bass, whatever over the last 40 years that fishing is no longer about what or how many I catch but how and what I catch them on. Sometimes the odds of doing that even affects the amount energy I'm willing to spend on it. I mean, isn't that what bourbon and portable grills are for? Sometimes it takes more effort if I insist on catching rising trout on an Adam's or a big Tan Bugger during a sulfur hatch. Sometimes it's automatic when you know you have a great Grannom pattern or high elevation Cutties are only hitting a pattern that is an exact match for a 16 Adam's only at 8000 feet of elevation. But the Jones is that you catch them on YOUR terms. My favorite thought is, "I bet I can get them to hit on...". Just to be clear. You do you.
 
Tom, you do realize that fish eggs are a natural diet item that trout consume right? I'm willing to bet there are several on this board that have witnessed trout hanging just downstream of white suckers spawning early spring.

I guess you aren't a fan of green weenies either, but trout eat lots of green inchworms, small caterpillars and some species of caddis larvae are green and large enough that a green weenie isn't out of the realm of an imitation.
 
lycoflyfisher said:
Tom, you do realize that fish eggs are a natural diet item that trout consume right? I'm willing to bet there are several on this board that have witnessed trout hanging just downstream of white suckers spawning early spring.

I guess you aren't a fan of green weenies either, but trout eat lots of green inchworms, small caterpillars and some species of caddis larvae are green and large enough that a green weenie isn't out of the realm of an imitation.
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yeah, I just find them boring and easy. I was just relaying my preferences. None of my business how anyone else fishes. I will occasionally use a green weenie but only if I find them splatting on my windshield on the way to the creek. Like I said, sometimes I like to play the, "I bet I can get them to bite on this" game. I like my eggs sunny side up or on top of Sushi.
 
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