My brother & I will be fishing around Penns’ Creek in two weeks. Can anyone give me any advise on this stream or area? I’ve fished it once before (early this summer), and found the fishing pretty tough. Any advise would be appreciated on what to use, go, etc? We hope to also hit a Brookie stream.
Thanks Brules.
Here is a web site that gives you lots of links to fly fishing in the state of Pennsylvania. If you search through the links I bet you will find a source for the info you need.
Larry 
here are some flyshop links - FFP bulletin board has been closed due to infighting, but lots of info there.
FFP is real near Spring Creek in State College. Been there, good shop, very helpful
http://www.flyfishersparadise.com/
Right on the banks of Penns
http://www.thefeatheredhook.com/
Been there, good shop, good advice
Right in State College
http://www.tcoflyfishing.com/1index.cfm
Paul Weamer who popularized “truform” flies and authored ‘Fly Fishing the Upper Delaware’ works there
Other Misc Penns info
http://www.ultimateflytying.com/Penns.htm
And the local TU chapter page
http://members.acsworld.net/pnscrktu/local.htm
Well I can’t tell ya exactly whats going on in the upper reaches trout wise at present time…But, Even if there is no sign of surface activity, I have in the past…at pretty much anytime spring,summer or fall…You can raise a few fish by throwing either a blue quill, adams or bwo pattern…If dries are what you really want to catch em on…Trico’s are starting to come off in good numbers so if mornings will be his thing, Then he’d do well to have a good selection, adults and spinners…Red and black ant’s flying and non-flying will prolly be of much use at this time too…Bronze/Brown beetles!!..Oh and always have a light…say Lt. Cahill type pattern or two stashed in a box somewhere. Think smaller, Rather than larger for most of these pattern’s this time of year. 8)
Stone fly nymph’s are alway’s a good bet say size 8’s roughly… As is a very simple nymph that I tie on a standard nymph hook say mustad’s 3906 and 3906B’s.#12 to #16’s…Dub a simple body of Red Fox fur(Face mask or body) and color the top with a brown or bronze prizmatic pen…ribbing is an option if you want on the pattern.(Brass beading wire is fine say 28 guage)…Freshwater shrimp in a very pale pink is another not to be overlooked pattern as well…Scuds in olive and tan…Caddis in bright green as well as cased,Alway’s load’s of clinger May fly nymph’s in a medium olive with pale yellow undersides… Bring a decent net for fishing nymph’s and a small tying kit…especially if going to be on the stream for more than one day…It’ll give him something to do during the eves, Tying for the next days fishing…And possibly an edge! for that day’s fishing…Talking to the local’s on the stream can…Sometimes be of help…Notice I say CAN…lol…They CAN also be a tight lipped bunch…lol Especially the old guys ya might meet if fishing near the tunnel near the Poe Paddy and Weikert accesses :? :lol:
Wet flies!!! A fav. is the Dark Cahill…but be sure to have a selection of the stanbdby’s…
These are mostly a general list of “They’ll take’em pattern’s” I never hit the penn’s without…
[[[Just a tip here… Keep your leaders long!! 10 to 12 foot…Keep below 5X in tippet!]]]
Been fishing the lower reaches for smallies…soon time to to hit the upper end though for some trout fishing…
And I’ll agree 100% on the Penn’s being a hella tough stream!! On any given day…
Edit** A Bubblegum egg pattern, The rainbow’s which in recent years seem to be gaining in population, will chase these down. They are the exception…Rather than the norm on these waters…Ahemmmm…Hope ya keep these no matter where on the stream ya hook into em… :shock:
Unless we get some rain I’d stay clear of Penn’s Creek. I spoke with some guys that checked it out. The water is low and warm.
Brules:
There’s more trout water than gas stations in that part of PA. Even if the conditions on Penns don’t improve there are LOTS of places to fish. Here is a link to an interactive Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission map of Centre County where Penns Creek is located:
http://www.fish.state.pa.us/water/count … s/cent.htm
Click on the numbers on the maps and a pop-up will appear with a listing of the waters.
Also here is a link to fishing opportunities for all of the counties in PA:
http://www.fish.state.pa.us/county.htm
A little navigation on these county links should give you all the stream names you need. The fly shop links the others provided can give you more detailed info on what’s hot and what’s not.
As far as brookie or smaller wild trout waters; I fish them all the time and I usually need two flies, an EWC in any color I feel like fishing, usually tan in a size 16; and a Beadhead Prince nymph or other beadhead nymph in any size, usually 12-10. The smaller streams don’t see many hatches late in the year so it is mostly fishing the water. I have yet to find a small wild brookie-type stream in PA where I can’t catch fish on those two flies.
My most successful beadhead nymph technique on these small streams is to fish the nymph with an yarn indicator about 12"- 24" above the fly; depending on conditions. I cast directly upstream into likely looking spots and WHAM! It’s a lot of fun, almost as fun as dry fly fishing and works great for me.
Have fun and good luck!
This link will give you an up to date condition report on Penn’s creek along with current hatches and what’s working.
Thanks for all the help. I fished a couple of Brookie streams in June when I was in Centre county and didn’t do very well. I was using an Elk Hair Caddis. I caught a couple of Brookies. I also got up close & personal with a very large black bear. The bear had been following me up the Brookie stream for about 20-30 minutes before I realized it wasn’t my brother behind me. The bear stepped out into a clearing about 25 yards away. It stared at me for a couple of seconds and then continued on its way up the mountain. It was the first time I’ve been that close to a bear.
My game plan is to fish Oct. 12-14th. I may hit Spring Creek on Sunday the 14th on my way home.
I’m pretty new at tying, so most of my flies I’ll have to purchase. I can tie my own wooly buggers, EHC’s, etc.
You can get the same conditions report for Spring Creek, Little Juanita, etc off the same site as the Penns Creek site I listed above.
There’s great advice in this thread… you guys are wonderfully generous.
Brule, the water is really low in central and northern PA right now. I drove over some streams there yesterday and nothing was moving. Cooler nights are bringing the temps down but the area needs a few days of steady rain to get things moving. I’d check stream conditions before heading there. I’m hoping to fish that area in a couple of weeks myself so I’ll keep my fingers crossed for both of us (except when I need them to fish!).
BRULES,
Fishing for brookies with the water as low as it is right now is going to be challanging…they are very easily spooked. We need some serious rain here.
It has been my experience that brookies in small mountain streams are not usually very selective, and the farther up the headwaters, the less selective they are. Water temperature and flow are more important than than fly selection, they will eat anything that looks “buggy”. A good friend introduced me to a great dry fly this spring for brook trout streams…it’s the “Patriot”. It’s very visible having white wings and the brookies seem to think they look very tasty. I used to fish a lot with an Adams but when you’re on a deeply shaded stream it’s hard to see and track your fly. As nymphing goes, I’ve used GRHE’s, Pheasant tail and a Prince nymph with equal success in sizes #14, 16 & 18.
Scott
Guess so…I’ve been told to remove my post!..It stays… No magic in it just some advice I’d wanna hear if making a trip here…
Do please carry a thermommy with you!! Just assumed I’d not NEED mention that…
and those stream temps are taken well below the golden 23 miles of trout water…I’m sure the temps will be much better around Coburn…Elk Creek would be another good stream to checkout as It dumps in at Coburn…as does Pine…but I’m not real familiar with most of that one…only fished it’s mouth in passing…
I would ask that if you do happen along some of the wee small feeders that dump into Penns…If they are stacked in’em like cord wood…That you or anyone passing by and noticeing this…PLEASE do not fish for these fish seeking refuge from the high temps…Of the main stem of the Penn’s…Happens most years and it saddens me to find aholes actually fishing and thinking it sporting of them to fish in a barrel…
For anyone out there who does this…and ya happen to see a big dude with goatee and glasses comin at ya…well…consider this as a fore warning! and I wish you luck!
Thanks everyone for the help. My game plan is to scrap the trip if the water or weather doesn’t cooperate. I can always reschedule the trip. I’ll pray for both rain and cooler temp’s. I have no problems canceling the trip at the last minute if things don’t work out.
Dear Brules,
I was just up in Centre County this weekend. The area desperately needs some rain. Spring Creek was fishable but somewhat low. Penns looked so rough at the Village of Penns Creek and at Weikert that I didn’t even bother to try to find a place to fish it. Elk Creek looked disgustingly low.
I am not trying to scare you off but without a decent rainfall I’m afraid you might have a long drive for almost nothing. Things cooled off a bit last week but a buddy of mine who has a camp on Penns didn’t even bother to fish it last week, instead he went over to Spring. It looks like this week we will have a few days in the mid - 80’s before the weather cools off again.
It’s been a tough year water wise in Central PA.
Best Wishes,
Avalon
Penn’s, Mahantango, and the Susquehanna are all in desperate need of water. Temps near record today and expected to be so again tomorrow. Because of these conditions I have not been on any of the streams as of late. the fish are already stressed and do not need me adding to it.
Hopefully Centre county will get some rain in the next week or so. I went to the fly shop in Coburn in June and met a real nice gentleman named Jack. Great guy and very knowledgable. Nice shop.
Dear Brules,
You can keep track of Penns Creek flows here.
http://waterdata.usgs.gov/pa/nwis/uv/?s … 0060,00010
Keep in mind that while the average flow at this time of year is only 90 cfs at the gauge that Penns Creek fishes well and is still wadeable when that gauge reads 350 to 450 cfs. Presently, the stream’s flow is barely keeping frogs moist.
Best Wishes,
Avalon
Rain this AM and is raining as I key…Hoping it will keep it up…We need it. Slow and Steady wins the race.
Anyone have an update on Penns Creek and the surrounding areas???
Brules you can check out conditions at http://www.tcoflyfishing.com/1sc_pennsconditions.cfm