Tying for spring in SC PA

[blitzinstripes]

Hi guys. I've been around off and on this forum for a few years but never really posted much. The last couple of years have found me more and more into tying and I'm doing OKAY. Catching fish so can't complain. So I'm spending this winter tying in preparation for spring. I'm mostly a nymph guy but I'll dabble in dries and emergers if a good hatch is on. I've been studying some area hatch charts as to what I'm preparing for but I'm looking for good suggestions from more experienced guys here. Here's the hatches and patterns I've been working on for local waters being yellow breeches and other york/Adams/ Cumberland streams and some waters around Huntingdon/Mifflin/Centre.

Bwo nymphs and some dries and emergers in size 18 and 16 (have been interested in and experimenting with wd 40 styles.

Grannom Caddis larva, pupa/emergers, and a few deer hair dries in the classic elk hair styles.

Various attractor nymphs to mimic the quill Gordon's, Hendrickson's and sulphurs. Some I tied traditional PT and GRHE, some are lively legz versions.

Small black winter stones in size 16 and 18

Midge larva (zebra midge) in various colors but mostly black or olive size 18 to 20

Sucker spawn and egg patterns

Squirmy wormies.



Anything else you guys can recommend to cover the major hatches of early to mid spring? Didn't get as far as Drake's and tricos yet.....figure I have some more time to focus on those. Thanks in advance.

 

[Dave_W]

That's a good selection, especially for the next 3-4 months.

For hatches in SCPA you should plus up on the sulfers and elk hair style caddis; maybe some basic spinners - rusty spinner in a couple sizes will cover this pretty well. Throw in a couple basic soft hackle style wets and some larger basic stonefly nymphs and you should be pretty well covered.

I use some small terrestrials when dealing with stubborn risers, so maybe some ants, beetles, or inchworms as they're pretty active in May-June.

(This thread will be moved to the Fly Tying forum shortly)

 

[Jessed]

You could fish a #12-#14 squirmy with a size 18 zebra midge 14 inches below it all year and catch tons of fish anywhere in the state pretty much hahaah! But you can’t go wrong with shrimp patterns or caddis larva and pupa. The more I fish the more I realize size and presentation is the most important thing in fly fishing. I’d be happy with frenchies or perdigons in 3 different bead weights

 

[blitzinstripes]

Thanks for the replies. I forgot to mention the perdigons/Frenchies. I'm about to place an order on some heavy slotted tungsten beads and jig hooks. I'm gonna def tie a few in difft styles. I also have uv resin for the finish. But I don't typically fish perdigons although I euro nymph quite a bit, but I usually drop shot when I do. I think I have better success fishing dropshot with two traditional/ natural nymphs and I don't get mad when I snag bottom which doesn't happen often with the dropshot. But I still love indicator fishing too and I mix it up, sometimes in the same day.

 

[Wild_Trouter]

Scuds, Sowbugs and Shrimp if you are fishing the limestoners in the areas you mentioned.

 

[dc410]

A couple more suggestions for up top. A CDC and Elk (as another variation of a dry caddis pattern that is very effective). Also a Griffith’s gnat in about a size 18. Drop a zebra midge off of the bend of either one of these - lots of fun!

 

[blitzinstripes]

How deep would you fish the zebra midge dropper? Close to the film or mid column?

 

[nymphingmaniac]

IMO there is nothing better when olives are present than WD40s, may be Barr's emerger is a close second

 

[dc410]

blitzinstripes wrote:
How deep would you fish the zebra midge dropper? Close to the film or mid column?

I usually fish my zebra midges on a dropper anywhere between 12-20” long and it rides kind of mid column. However, don’t get into a rut. On any given day exploring with different techniques is important until you figure out how they want it that day (or that hour for that matter). As flow levels, cloud cover or lack thereof and water temperatures change, trailing a zebra midge right below the surface film may become the answer.

 

[nomad_archer]

You seem to have it pretty well covered. The only thing I can offer is get some ant patterns together for the late may/june time frame. I had lots of luck with a black sunk ant with a few turns of orange semperfli straggle string as a hotspot in the middle last year.

 

[maxima12]

I run into this, sometimes, more times and fast times. Seen many men with a box of flies. They wear big hats, small hats, no hats, sunglasses, dressed to kill waders, poles of price, they talk big talk, fancy talk, quick talk or no talk. They have it all! The smell, the look. the ins and outs!

I generally say, fish here, i caught several. They say, no, your spot. I say, i am done, come on over. When the most experienced are talked into it, i say use this fly, matter of fact, i will give you the box. What are they, they say, i reply, i do not know!

The trueblood casts and catches a fish, then another, As i quietly move away! Your name, he asked, not important i say,. Just a fisherman. Thanks for the flies and leaders, he says, as i am on my way to the next move!

Seems many have it all but nothing to show for it. I like the fellow that has none and give a chance for some! 2021, here we go again!

Maxima12