Trico Hatch, Spruce Creek PA

[chrisdetweiler]

Fished the Trico Hatch on Spruce Creek this morning. Just a gorgeous day in central pa. Sunny, mild and breezy. There were huge clouds of tricos hovering over the stream by 8:30 AM (see photo #5). I fished #20 trico spinner patterns to rising fish all morning. It's an amazing sight to see so many mayflies on the stream. I used an 8' 4" 3 weight with a 6x tippet. My buddy caught a 20 inch brown, but it was not streambred. They place some big fish in Spruce Creek, but there is also a great population of wild fish. I didn't catch anything big, but they were all strong, healthy fish.

Chris Detweiler
Harrisburg, PA

[Marcel_Karssies]

In that forest I might catch a fish but that clear open stretch looks difficult.
Is it deep enough for fish to feel comfy or will they run like hell once you
stick your head over the bank ?

On my last trip it became very appearant to me that my dry fly skills sucked.
Normally I would start with nymphing or chuck streamers into deeper pools.
This time the water was skinny, on occasions when fish actually rose I scared
them away long before I was able to make a cast.

The fact that I usually did not bother to look into dry flyfishing was now my downfall.
The dries I had where just to big for the insects that where about.
In the evening loads of red spinners flew around with a few white mayflies mixed in.
During the day small black segdes where flying.

The hard lesson learned was that sometimes fish just want one specific pattern and then
your usual to go flies are completely useless :)

[chrisdetweiler]

The forested water is seldom fished and primarily wild fish. The open section also holds wild fish, but it is supplemented with HUGE stocked fish - 20+ inches. It's a limestone spring creek, so the fish can be spooky. During the hatch, I was able to get right on top of the fish and make casts without putting them down. The hard part was getting them to take your fly, because there were so many naturals on the water. After the hatch, I switched to a terrestrial and the fish got more skittish.

I fish the Letort quite regularly and it is a gin clear, meadow, limestone spring creek - all wild browns. I usually fish from the bank on one knee - usually to a specific rising fish to a certain hatch. The fish are spooky, but wild fish tend to be more aggresive taking the fly, so in some ways it can be easier? I fish the yellow breeches and you can stand over those fish and they don't spook, but getting them to take your fly is a different story. They get caught so many times they are not easy to fool. I'll take the wild fish any day. Now...my nymphing skills are not very good. If you ever get to PA to fish, I can show you some dry fly tips and you can teach me to nymph properly! ;)

Chris Detweiler

[Glub]

Nice Report!

[Salmo trutta]

Very nice. Thanks for the picture of the natural fly. I wasn't sure what one looked like. Very good report. I should have gone there this weekend over the North Branch of the Potomac. There's nothing better than to be able to sight cast to rising fish. To pick your querry and eventually out smart him. With a hatch like that, it definatley helps.

How long does the hatch last? Is it typical for lime stone spring creeks of the area? What about streams like Falling Spring? Then maybe even Beaver Creek a little ways south in Maryland.

Thanks for the report.

[chrisdetweiler]

Salmo,

I don't know about falling springs. The lower stretches of the letort can get a trico hatch as does the yellow breeches...BUT, the trico hatch on spring creek at fishermans paradise can be very good + you'll find a little more elbow room than the breeches. I'd call up to a local shop first, but it may worth the trip. The hatch should last a little while yet.

Chris

[fishfearme]

falling spring used to get tricos in the meadows. been 5 yrs since I was there.

Greg