I stand corrected. Feed em' dog food!
Spruce Creek access
- Thread starter Hackle
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Bamboozle
Well-known member
Are they feeding catfish perhaps... Sorry, couldn't resist. 🙂
With all of the emphasis and associated guilt trips implied to feed your pets organic, fresh, human grade food that costs more than people food at a diner...
Shouldn't we, as responsible trout anglers be trying to encourage the "fish feeders" into upgrading to "Ollie," "The Farmer's Dog" or "Smalls." 😉
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lars
Well-known member
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- Feb 19, 2015
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actually, 20" channel cats. fun on a 4 wt.
20" channel cats are fun on any gear. I love catching catfish.
wildtrout2
Well-known member
Yes, they are! And that's a great eating size. Love me some channel cats! I used to catch them on every cast (spinning gear) using chicken livers below the Flat Rock Dam, before they put that fish ladder in. Ahhh, the good ole days!
tomgamber
Well-known member
I never said anything about brown trout. The torpedo i saw was clearly stated to look like a steelhead. A rainbow. There was nothing wild about it.
caddisflyer
Well-known member
nymphingmaniac
Well-known member
yes, people use dog food. Can't say what type, but there are fish based dog food
Hackle
Member
Lol, yup George Harvey, Charlie Meck and Joe Humphreys were all master of the dog food stream, spruce creek. I'm sure there is a few 30"+ fish, hanging on the walls of spruce creek rod and gun club. Would love to here their stories of the dog food monsters and how they caught them on a dog food fly or the brown beetle. I'm sure they didn't mind rainbows in a stream that 130+ years ago only had brookies. The first browns were introduced to Pennsylvania In 1886. I remember catching absolutely gorgeous brookies out from under the rock ledge in the spring house in the late 60s. Yes there gone now, just memories. You probably won't find to many 30" fish at colerain park, they cannot survive the 70 degree water temperature in the summer months. The stream stays a constant temp. from colerain to the little J. The upper sections of spruce creek that stay 58 - 61 in the hot days of summer are able to sustain large browns. I learned from Joe Humphreys, if you want the big fish! Go fishing at night. I guess my deer hair mouse patterns does look like dog food with a tail. Who would have guessed.
In the early/ mid 80's, watched Lefty on The American Sportsman (I think) fishing Spruce. I went up and tried it. Fished from the junction of the J up through town where the stream bends right. Also fished up and down the caverns section. Did the sulphur and trico hatches. No one ever said a word but that was 35+ years ago. People waved, chatted with ya and had no issues with my fishing. Highlight... catching 2 bats in one night during the sulphur. Walked around Harvey section but never fished it. My 6' rod was in the shop 🤣
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My record is one bat in one night. Though multiple bats lifetime. If that makes sense.
I've never hooked a bat while fly fishing.....you fellas are lucky!
Bamboozle
Well-known member
I would personally rather eat chicken livers (dredged in flour and pan fried) than catfish any day!! 😉
Bamboozle
Well-known member
During the Sulphur hatch I've caught bats on the McMichael's, Brodhead, Little Pine Creek, Penns and the Letort and became so proficient at catching them that we used to intentionally fish FOR bats with barbless hooks in Letort Park under the streetlights. We considered a grab & drop as a catch.
While not the same as your two bat night, I "caught" four at Letort park one night and once whacked one out of the air while false casting on the McMichael's Creek.
Hackle
Member
The bat population has been decimated by some cause in huntingdon county. The fact that Indian caverns is now a protected bat sanctuary is a plus.
Catching a bat is easy if you "time the cast" in front of the bat as it flys by. Just like casting in front of a trout. And it's much easier if your looking up. Just remember a bat catches bugs by it's tail, and there is teeth on the other end. Barbless hooks are recommended. Lol
White nose syndrome is one thing that really decimated the bars. From what I can tell, the bats are making a huge comeback.
dc410
Well-known member
That’s encouraging to hear you say that, Josh. I’m curious, what has given you the indication of a huge comeback?
