Fishing & Tying The Rusty Spinner

We are on the Bighorn River in Montana this week and one of our go-to flies is a size 16 rusty spinner. This is a pattern that we have many of in our fly boxes from home in Pennsylvania, and in our western boxes. When you think about it, rusty spinners should have a prominent place in every fly box. This spinner, tied in various sizes and shades represents numerous mayflies found on rivers and streams, both east and west, in this country and in others.

The mayflies that come first to mind that have a rusty-like spinner for the final stage of life are Quill Gordon, Hendrickson, March Brown, Blue Winged Olive, Slate Drake, PMD, and Brown Drake. There is some variation in the size and shade of “rusty” in each of these mayflies but they all fall into the general grouping of rusty, red-brown or mahogany spinners.

Some days are hot and breezy and the hopper fishing can be lots of fun, but there are calm warm days this week and that brings out the PMDs (Pale Morning Duns) and PMD spinners. Today we caught fish on three different shades of rusty and three different hook sizes. Our guide, Clint Krumm, agreed that it is a “go-to” fly for him on the river. Here it represents the pseudocloeon (pseudos), the PMD, and mahogany mayflies. Even when the flies are not hatching and spinners are not on the water, the fish are used to seeing the flies and will often take a spinner when it is offered.

The weather today was overcast because of forest fire smoke in the west and glare on the water was bad making the slender spinner profile hard to find. Our solution was to tie on a larger size 14 poly wing spinner with a size 16 hen wing spinner as a dropper. The light reflected off the poly wing making it easy to locate and sometimes the fish would take the larger spinner and other times the smaller. When the smaller spinner was chosen, the larger fly acted as a strike indicator, but whenever I saw a fish rise close to the larger spinner I set the hook and most of the time it resulted in a hook-up. We often use the same technique when fishing small hard-to-see flies at home – a bigger fly that can be easily seen and a small fly as a dropper. 

Our favorite rods are 9 foot, 5-weights for dries and 6-weight for nymph fishing. Leaders are about 9 feet long and usually 5X leaders. We have Sage Sonics with us and these rods have been lots of fun to fish, very responsive and accurate, and in a $550 price range, they are one of the best values in a mid priced multi-purpose fly rod.

In this article for Fly Fisherman, renowned author, fly tier and angler, Renee Harrop, talks about the rusty spinner imitating at least 13 mayfly hatches. Renee is a legend on western rivers like the Henry's Fork and no one knows bugs and the river better. It's a fascinating read.

While Lunn's Particular (referenced in the link above) may be a proven fly, we often use a simple poly fluff spinner tied with a little red brown dubbing and a micro-fibett tail. Tim Flagler ties a variation of this simple pattern in his video. If you Google the rusty spinner you'll find many variations. It's a pattern that can be simply tied.....or not. Either way it's a very effective fly, easily tied, easily fished, and is almost always the right choice. You can find rusty and red brown spinners, micro-fibetts and white or light dun poly fluff wing material in our online store.

 We will have a Bighorn Report next week with photos from the two weeks. We have had perfect weather, good water, and good fishing. We love the Bighorn River Lodge! Here are a few shots until next week.

SPAIN AVAILABILITY

September 13-21, 2021

Last chance to jump on the plane and enjoy a week of beautiful fall fishing in the Pyrenees. We have a couple rooms available. Borders are open and visitors are arriving. Come join us.

https://www.frontierstravel.com/salvelinus-outfitters-september-2021

ALASKA REVIEW

We had a very good week of silver salmon fishing in Alaska at Reel Action Camp on the Kanektok River. Every salmon that comes into the system has to swim past Reel Action and anglers have a front row seat at fishing for all of the salmon species and the resident trout, dollies, char and grayling.  

Our trip was timed for silver salmon, which are incredible fish on a fly rod, and as a bonus we had pinks and chum salmon still in the river. It’s definitely the place to be for hot fish fresh in from the Bering Sea!

See some of our photos from the week here.

Traveling The World with Hemingway

I must admit that I've never been a “fan” of Heminway's work, but I do love the idea of living life like he did and nobody captures that life better than author Curt DeBerg, a Hemingway look-alike himself! July 21, marked exactly the 122nd birthday of Hemingway and DeBerg spent the day signing copies of his new book, Traveling the World with Hemingway, a beautiful coffee table book on the life and times of Ernest Hemingway.

In page after page of stunning photos, the reader follows in Hemingway's footsteps, seeing what he saw and excited him, from his boyhood woods and waters of Michigan to the horrific WW1 trenches to the Spanish bullfight arenas and beyond. Hemingway lived a short, furious life, creating an extraordinary literary legacy of novels and short stories that endure and are still avidly read around the world.

“All good books are alike in that they are truer than if they had really happened and after you are finished reading one you will feel that all that happened to you and afterwards it all belongs to you: the good and the bad, the ecstasy, the remorse and the sorrow, the people and the places and how the weather was.” Ernest Hemingway, Esquire, 1934.

I discovered Hemingway's book on the Wild River Press blog, and couldn't stop reading about it and now I have the book. Whether it's in the look-alike contest held in Key West every year , his quest for tarpon, war stories, or other parts of Hemingway's life, the book takes you back to a time that we all long for in one way or another.

This is a book for those long quiet winter nights....which are coming quickly. Check it out.

Late Summer Guiding Special

You might remember reading Jim’s Fishing Report from two weeks ago and if you do, you know that we have had an exceptional summer of good fishing with lots of rain and moderate air temperatures. The water temperatures have been perfect all year, something we don’t normally have. Just yesterday I received a text from one of our anglers and he says, “My friend Jim and I had a great day, we caught lots of fish with the first one being a 24” rainbow on a hopper dropper. Soon after a 22” rainbow on a cricket. It was a very good day with beautiful water. Thank you.”

That kind of fishing is unheard of around here in most Augusts! And it looks like it’s going to continue right through fall. For the next month, (August 26-September 26), we’re celebrating with $100 off our guiding fee for one or two anglers. It’s a great deal, includes guiding on private water, lunch, and any equipment that you might need. Details here and $100 off the price! Contact us with questions or to book. 570-925-2392 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

 Hopper Dropper

If you're like most fishermen, you wait all year for hopper season and although it's a much bigger event in the west, let's not downplay the importance of hopper fishing here in the east.

After the Sulphurs, the Light Cahills, the Slate Drakes, now we get to the hoppers. And it's fun to slap a PD or Segment hopper down on the water and wait.....to see......what happens. If we're lucky, and we often are, the response will be immediate and if you're anticipating it, you will often catch the prize of the day!

I don't know of anyone that doesn't like the top water action of hopper fishing but let's face it, most of the feeding that a trout does is underneath. It's just the way it is. So, the easy solution is to use a hopper dropper combo. A  hopper dry fly with a dropper nymph. One fly floats and one sinks. Leave the 6X that you used a week ago on the #18 sulphur spinners in your pocket. Tie that hopper on a 4X leader so the cast turns over easily and depending on the depth of the water, add 14-24 inches of 4X tippet with a simple clinch knot to the bend of the hopper remembering that the longer the dropper tippet, the slower your cast should be to keep everything out of trouble.

Our favorite summertime nymphs for this kind of fishing are bead head pheasant tails, hare's ear, inch worms, and a small peridon nymph, all in sizes 16-20. Experiment to make sure the hopper can support the nymphs. If you find the hopper sinks go to a lighter nymph, but all of these nymphs will be fine. In deeper water you can add a second dropper to the rig but be warned that if you don't stop long enough on the back cast, the flies will tangle. Check out these nymphs in our store.

Summer is all about terrestrials, especially as we get into late summer and early fall. Hoppers, crickets, inch worms, ants, beetles, and so on. These flies are a nice change in the routine and fun to fish right up until the first heavy frost.

Rob Parkins with RIO, brings it all to live in this short video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWv074YmFKE

Wooly Bugged

A friend of ours, who you'll see in some of the videos, introduced us to the Wooly Bugged Youtube channel. Mike Evanko does the videos and if you're curious about places in Pennsylvania that are off the beaten path, Mike knows them. He lives in the state and is passionate about fly fishing and the outdoors.

There are so many places in our state that are typical of the places featured in Mike's videos and this year our local streams have water and lots of beautiful wild trout. In this blog, we are featuring Rainwater Bump. The streams are not identified, thank goodness they couldn't tolerate much fishing pressure, but he gives us hints on how to find streams like them on our own. If you'd like to see more videos as they become available, please subscribe to the Wooly Bugged channel.

There isn't a lot of talking in Mike's videos, but the sound of the water and the scenery and the fish are more than enough. Sometimes less is more, don't you think? Thank you Mike and good luck with Wooly Bugged.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNul1r3zepU

 House of the Rising Tide 

Around here it's all about trout fishing, especially this year with the extended season Mother Nature has granted us, but not too far to our north and east, the talk is all about stripers. From NJ to Maine it's the bass that brings the fishermen to the coast.    

There's something about being on the water at first light, any water really, but there's a special “pull” on the flats and coastline along New England. House of the Rising Tide story by Jesse Robbins, photos by Joe Klementovich on board with New England striper guide Zak Robinson will make you want to pack up the car and head for Maine. I know it does me.

Thank you guys and thank you Sage for bringing us a great story!

https://www.sageflyfish.com/experience/sage-blog/house-of-the-rising-tide

Report from Alaska

Hi. We are having a very good week at Reel Action camp on the Kanektok River in Alaska. Weather is typical for here, some rain and some sun everyday. Mornings are cool and down jackets, raincoats, and gloves come out for the boat rides. The silver salmon run is in full swing and there are still a few fresh chum and pinks around and rainbows, char and grayling for guests who go upriver to the preserve. Down around camp it is mostly fresh silver salmon and they all know how to fight, run and jump. It is an exciting week to be on the river. There are lots of stories and tired arms at the dinner table each night!   -Cathy & Barry

Brooke's Blog

Hi Everyone, it's Brooke. As I prepare the blog for this week Barry and Cathy are on their way to Reel Action Camp in Alaska for a week of silver salmon and trout fishing.
The word is that the silver season is in full swing, fishing is good, so I'm sure they are in for a good week.

It's hard for me to image one river, in this case the Kanektok, getting a silver salmon run (I guess it's called escapement) of 50,000, up to 200,000 chum salmon, 100,000 pink salmon, 200,000 sockeyes and up to 8,000 king salmon. All in one river! And then there are rainbows, char, and graying. It must be an incredible sight! 

I found a map of the area on the Reel Action website. They are next to the village of Quinhagak in the Togiak National Wildlife Refuge.

Here in Pennsylvania we are having a beautiful summer with lots of rain and cool comfortable temperatures. This morning was 57 degrees and fishing is very good. Here's a fishing report from our head guide, Jim Kukorlo.

Jim's Report

What a difference a year makes! Summer of 2020 was hot and dry. Mother Nature is unpredictable and this year she has blessed us with rain and water conditions unlike most summers.
Water conditions here on Fishing Creek are perfect for late summer fly fishing. Water temperatures vary from the high 50's to the low 60's with water flow of 250 CFS up to 500 CFS.
In the early mornings we are see fish rising to left over spinners from the night before but most of the action is on nymphs such as the pheasant tail (my favorite is a size 18 bead head), mop flies, ug bugs or yellow brown stoneflies, squirmy wormies, zebra midges and Perdigon nymphs to name a few that seem to be catching the most trout.
Early afternoon is a perfect time for late summer terrestrial action. Cathy's Beetle, hopper patterns, ants, and cracklebacks (similar to a Griffith’s Gnat) are keeping the dry fly guys happy and having fun.
Late evening can produce some good dry fly action on Sulphurs and Light Cahills. The hottest action is right before dark so be sure to bring a flash light and hang out not to miss the action.  You can check out most of these patterns in our store.
This stream report is the results from the last 4 straight days that I've been fishing. In fact the fishing has been so good that fellow guide, Tom Harris, is catching trout two at a time. Twice in one day. Oh yeah big fish are hungry too. 
August is shaping up to offer more superb fishing as we received more rain yesterday afternoon that chased us off the water. Weather conditions for the coming week call for cool mornings with afternoon temperatures in the low 80's. It really doesn't get any better this this!

Guide, Jim Kukorlo

Tying the Griffith Gnat

When it comes to fishing small summer flies, the Griffith's Gnat, is probably the best known of what is commonly called Midges. Whether it imitates one insect or a clump, we don't know, but the fish love this little fly.

https://midcurrent.com/videos/tying-a-griffiths-gnat/

Thank you Tim and MidCurrent.

Here at Home

This has been an incredibly good year here at home. (You're probably getting tired of me saying that!) But with the exception of about a week of low water, our stream really has been good all season. We've had plenty of water, seldom too much, usually just about right, good hatches and good fishing. And it continues to be so. If the rain keeps up, we could fish right through summer and into fall. Last night Barry and I fished until after dark and had a late evening hatch of Light Cahills and lots of fish up feeding. At the end of July, it is pretty amazing. Here are a few shots from this week.

Alaska, Here We Come

We're off to Alaska in a couple days for a week at Reel Action Camp on the Kanektok River, located a mile from tide water with the Bering Sea. The lodge provides guests a front row seat to the freshest chrome bright fly fishing in Alaska. We are there for silver salmon and rainbows, but there's always a few other species around – pinks, chum, grayling, and char.  

The camp is outfitted with 2-handed rods and reels for anyone who wants to catch silvers this way and it's a wonderful opportunity to get comfortable with a spey rod. It's a fun week which always concludes with tired, sore arms, achy muscles, big fish stories and great memories.

Next up is the Bighorn

It feels good to be on the road again, as Willie would say. We're home for a week and we leave for two weeks on the Bighorn River in Montana. While much of Montana is in a sad predicament with fish kills, warm water, and forest fires, there are pockets of good fishing here and there. That doesn't mean that the situation is less severe, it is very very bad, and we pray for our friends in those popular areas that are affected by these conditions and hope that it rectifies itself soon.

The word is that we will be okay on the Bighorn because it's a tail water fishery. The water is coming out cold, clear, and low – which is good for the 'Horn at this time of year.

Midge Fishing with a Sighter Fly

https://www.rioproducts.com/learn/midge-fishing-with-a-sighter
In this RIO Fly Fishing Tip, Chris Walker shows how to use a larger, visible “sighter” type dry fly when fishing tiny dries. This will give you a great visual of the area to look in for your microscopic dry fly. Chris is using this technique for winter fishing, but it works in the summer when fish are feeding on midges just as well. Enjoy. Thanks Chris for bring us this tip.

Montana Fishing Restrictions

If you're planning a fishing trip to Montana, please be aware that many rivers are under Hoot Owl fishing restrictions or full closure due to the heat and warm water. For more information, please visit https://fwp.mt.gov/news/current-closures-restrictions.

Spain this Fall

We have a couple rooms available on our E. Pyrenees trip to Spain, Sept. 14-22. This is a trip for anglers and non-anglers with lots of good fishing and good sightseeing for non fishing companions. From tail waters to high mountain streams, fall is a beautiful time of year to be in Spain. Excellent food, wine, and fishing. We fly in and out of Barcelona and it's easy to extend your trip to see the city or to visit other parts of Spain. Please email us to request a brochure or more information.

Record Breaking Year for Alaska Salmon

The fight to save this amazing fishery could be over in a couple weeks if President Biden will come through on his pledge to save Bristol Bay. Please let the president and EPA know that we want the salmon and the Bristol Bay region protected...forever.

From Businesses for Bristol Bay:

It’s been another truly spectacular season in Bristol Bay with more than 62 million wild salmon returning to Bristol Bay - just shy of breaking 2018’s record run of 62.95 million salmon. The season isn’t over yet, so we could see a new record set in Bristol Bay in the next few days (if not hours!).
This year’s record-breaking season is a reminder of what’s at stake in Bristol Bay and what could be lost if the Pebble Mine is developed. That’s why we and others in the coalition working to protect Bristol Bay are ramping up our call on the Biden administration’s EPA to establish long-term protections for Bristol Bay and finish the job that the Obama administration started in 2014.
Last week, our partners at Commercial Fishermen for Bristol Bay released a series of adscalling on the EPA to take action and United Tribes of Bristol Bay sent a formal invitation to EPA Administrator Michael Regan to visit Bristol Bay and experience it firsthand.
Help us support Bristol Bay’s hard-working fishermen as they wrap up this record-breaking season by:
•Posting Commercial Fishermen for Bristol Bay’s video on your social media platforms.
•Encouraging your followers and customers to send a letter to the EPA.
•Sharing our "Finish the Job" social media graphics. Contact us (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) if you’d like help creating graphics tailored to your specific brand and audience.
Over the next few weeks we’ll be offering additional ways for you and your customers to be involved as we call on President Biden to fulfill his pledge on August 8, 2020 to protect Bristol Bay.

Cathy's ESN – How it's Going

You may have read in an earlier blog that I decided this spring to get better at euro nymph fishing. Our guides were all doing it, exchanging stories, and it was clear that they liked it. I wanted to be part of that new energy, to take part in the conversations, be part of the group, so I got Tom & Jim, two of our guides, to help set up an outfit. It included the Sage ESN rod, an ESN reel, and on the reel I had 20 lb. Amnesia followed with 42” of 20 lb. Chameleon to 42” of 12 chameleon, then a RIO 2-tone indicator tippet to a barrel swivel and fluoro from there to the fly, or flies. And off I went.

In the blog I wrote how I struggled with reading the depth even with the 2-tone indicator tippet. I was used to feeling the flies and split shot bounce along the bottom and watching the strike indicator and this required a whole new level of learning to read the drift. When we were in Slovenia a couple years back we spent a week casting mono and fishing this way but we were closer to the fish and the water was clear and not as deep. Here in the spring I just couldn't get a read. I caught a few fish but I “picked” a lot more because I was late in striking. Sometimes I would feel a wiggle and know that I was late again so I would cheat and add a yarn indicator and then the catching improved, but I wanted to do it the right way. I felt like I was cheating on an exam.

Then I tried giving up on so much of the mono and went with the RIO Technical Euro Nymph Shorty and the casting immediately got easier. I thought I was on the right track but by now the water was warming and hatches were starting. I knew I couldn't fish a dry fly on this set-up so it took second place on the rod rack and I got out my Trout LL and enjoyed dry fly fishing. That didn't last long. We have had a very wet spring and for every couple of days of good dry fly fishing, we get high water for a few days, so it wasn't long before the ESN came off the rack again.

It's almost unheard of but we've got high water as I write this in the middle of July and I have to say that after many hours of euro nymphing under my belt, I can see how effective it is when bouncing nymphs off the bottom and I am getting better at reading the 2-tone leader and have to say that I like the indicator tippet. The other thing that I really like though is the tippet ring and we are now using them on all of our rods. It makes managing the tippet so much easier and protects the leader. We're using tippet rings in all of our classes and I think that it helps a new angler in understanding tippet and leaders.

I think if you are on the right water the ESN rod and set-up is deadly. When the water is low and clear it's all delicate sight fishing and just about anyone would prefer that to watching the leader. The ESN rod has earned it's spot on our rod rack next to the Trout LL and I'll let the water conditions dictate which one to fish. As I said before, there is definitely a learning curve, but as you start to get comfortable with it you can sure see the advantage of this style of fishing.

Hopper Invasion

A friend and client sent us the following article. It seems that the west is not only dealing with drought and wild fires, but with a grasshopper invasion as well. It's hard to believe that there can be this many hoppers and it doesn't sound like a good thing, but we have to hope that we find them in mass on the Bighorn when we get there in a few weeks. It could be some amazing fishing!

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jul/04/grasshopper-swarms-us-west-drought?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

 2022 Trips

Every week our 2022 schedule looks a little more solid. Here's what we've got so far:

1 Room at Turneffe Flats

One room for one or two persons has just become available with us at Turneffe Flats Lodge, Belize, October 16-23, 2021. Bonefish, permit, snook, tarpon, and diving. Great destination for a non-fishing partner. Check out the itinerary and then grab it before it's gone! 

https://issuu.com/frontierstravel/docs/2021_becks_hosted_turneffe_flats_lodge?fr=sZmEwODE1NzY0MjA)

Do You Fly Alaska Airlines?

We are all entering a new world of travel as we start to move around the globe again. Things will be different and I think we all expect that, but in the case of Alaska Airlines, this passenger's experience should be a warning to all of us not to take for granted that the personal attention we would have received pre-Covid is going to be there in the new norm. Shame on Alaska Airlines!

https://pointmetotheplane.boardingarea.com/alaska-airlines-stupid-policy/?utm_source=BoardingArea&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_campaign=BA_Email_July0821

Thank you Boarding Area and Shelli for bringing this to our attention.

 Copper John Nymphs

We still have a pretty good inventory of Copper Johns on sale. It's a great time to stock up! Here's the repeat from a couple weeks ago:

Normally $2.25 each, on sale for $18.00 a dozen. Each dozen will have 4/12, 4/14, 4/16 as long as supplies last. This fly is a great point fly when fishing two nymphs in the spring. Great on euro rigs too. It will get down deep quickly. And, we'll even include a couple extra to offset the postage. Go to store.

High Cotton

We're in High Cotton, as the old saying goes. Just when we thought the long, hot, crazy days of summer were here and fishing was done for awhile, we got a good amount of rain. Actually, it's still raining and the stream is looking great! We were getting concerned with water levels and temperatures and now we've been gifted with a fishing extension. We're looking at a string of cooler weather and good water so if you can get away for a day or two, we have the water, the fish, and the guides!  Click here to see some photos from these past 2 weeks

Tungsten Copper Nymph Sale Selection

We have to make room for some new flies so we are putting the Tungsten Copper Nymphs on sale. Like the Copper John but with a special order black tungsten bead head. Normally $2.25 each, on sale for $18.00 a dozen. Each dozen will have 4/12, 4/14, 4/16 as long as supplies last. This fly is a great point fly when fishing two nymphs in the spring. Great on euro rigs too. It will get down deep quickly. And, we'll even include a couple extra to offset the postage. Go to store. This is a great buy!

Keep Fish Wet

Keepfishwet.org is a great resource for information and learning more about fish in general, but specifically as it relates to summer, warm air and warmer water temperatures – which are now upon us. At this time of year, it's important to know what's happening to the immediate environment of the fish that we're going after.

If you haven't looked around the Keep Fish Wet website, please do so. It's not a finger pointing, you're doing it wrong site. It's there to help us better understand fish and to help us be better stewards of the sport we fight so hard to protect and preserve. It's got good, solid, interesting information for us. Start with taking a look at this short article and go from there.

https://www.keepfishwet.org/principles

Fishing Creek Report

Locally the rain that we got a week ago is long gone and we are knee-deep in summer conditions. When we get rain, usually in the form of a thunderstorm, fishing picks up for a couple days but then water levels drop quickly and temperatures rise. Early mornings are the best time to fish and can be quite pleasant on the water but by noon it's done for the day. After an amazing spring season, we now put our sights on fall. Here are a few photos from a couple weeks ago.

Summer Time

We don't know about you but we've been very busy lately with some crazy stuff! We missed a blog first with computer problems and then when thunderstorms knocked out our internet so it's been a bit stressful here lately. We upgraded some computers in the office and what should have been an easy transition from old to new (I can hear you laughing...), was a nightmare. But, I think we're back on track now.

While we were pulling out our hair in the office, our guides kept doing what they do best and that is getting clients into fish. We've continued to have a very good season with lots of honorable-mention trout. Take a look at some of the photos below. The stream fished well and has been in great shape since March. Jim will fill us in on the details below.

Jim's Stream Report

It's mid June already and summertime fly fishing is here. Water flows and water temperatures have been awesome and so has the fishing. Early morning hours we are seeing some rising fish to leftover spinners from the night before, along with sporadic hatches of sulphurs, slate drakes and some caddis. Trout can be caught on dry flies using rusty spinners, sulphurs, caddis and cracklebacks.
Nymphing has been very productive in the early morning hours using a host of different nymphs. And it seems no two mornings are the same. One day small perdigon and pheasant tail nymphs will work very well and the next it's larger nymphs, sucker spawn, stone flies and mop flies. It's a game of changing flies, tippet size and how you present the fly.
Mid day we are still seeing feeding fish but with the bright afternoon sunlight the trout are a little more selective. I found switching to small soft hackle wet flies or sulphur emergers works very well. Tight lining or euro style nymphing in small riffles using small perdigon nymphs has been very effective during this time of day.

Mid day is a great time to fish the green inch worm. It's one of my favorite flies to fish and the trout are starting to love it. You can fish it a host of ways. Dry fly drop or hopper drop is one of the most popular ways to fish it. It works well indicator nymphing or euro nymphing. My favorite way is to sight fish it in slow moving pools.
Late afternoon and into the evening hours is the best time for dry fly action. Sulphurs is the main bug on the menu right now. If you are waiting for the sulphur hatch be sure to fish til almost dark. A lot of fly fishermen leave to early and miss the hatch. Here on fishing creek you can start seeing some flies around 8:30. With the heaviest part of hatch closer to 9:00 pm.
One nice thing about fly fishing in June is that fishing can be good from morning till dark. And you can use many different fly fishing techniques throughtout the day. You can fish a few hours before work or head over to the stream to catch the evening sulphur hatch right after supper.

 Spain is Open

Spain opened its borders to fully vaccinated travelers from most countries, including the United States, on June 7. Museums, restaurants, cafes, concert halls, and beaches are all open but without the crowds, at least for awhile. Sounds like a perfect time to plan a vacation to this beautiful country.

Thinking of Spain, we have a couple rooms open on our departure for September 14-22, 2021. This is an interesting combination of a seriously good fishing trip for the angler and seriously good tourist activities for the non anglers. Lovely small mountain atmosphere in the E. Pyrenees and close to lots of good fishing and sightseeing. Take a look at the itinerary and contact us or Kristene Fitzgerald at Frontiers (800-245-1950).

Bring on the tapas and the trout!

https://issuu.com/frontierstravel/docs/2021__becks_hosted_spain?fr=sMzA2OTE1NzY0MjA

Spring into Summer

Weren't we just talking about Quill Gordons and Hendricksons? Then the March Browns and caddis? It seems like spring no sooner gets started till it's summer! We had a cool wet early spring and while we didn't have really high water to speak of, we did have lots of cold nights and sluggish mornings on the stream when not much was happening and we had to coax the fish with streamers and nymphs until the water warmed in the afternoons. Then the March Browns appeared, nights warmed up and dry fly fishing kicked off.

Now here we are at Memorial Day with summer right around the corner. The stream has dropped from spring levels and is gin-clear, clarity has always been a trademark of Fishing Creek. March Brown spinners are appearing in the evening along with a few sulphurs. Seasons are changing again and now it's lovely to be on the stream at daylight and again for the last hour or two before dark. During the day we're fishing inch worms, beetles and other favorite terrestrials. Sometimes in the evening an angler can pick up shouts and cheers of a soccer or baseball game from the nearby athletic fields. Yes, summer is here.

But like spring, it won't last long and soon we'll be asking the same question of the Light Cahills and Slate Drakes. What happened to them? But, for now we are in full swing and trying to enjoy everyday that we can get on the water. We hope you're getting out to fish. It truly is a magical time of year.....and it goes so fast.

If you're a veteran, we thank you for your service and we remember the men and women who died while in the military service protecting our country. We spend time remembering those who lost their lives and could not come home, reflecting on their service and why we have the luxury and freedom that we enjoy today. We might consider how we can better support and safeguard their grieving families and loved ones who are left behind.

Happy Memorial Day to you and your family.

Leigh Perkins, who built Orvis, dies at 93

A true fly fishing pioneer. The man who transformed the Vermont-based Orvis  company into an international powerhouse.

https://www.benningtonbanner.com/local-news/leigh-perkins-who-turned-orvis-into-international-powerhouse-dead-at-93/article_1e61b1c6-b1eb-11eb-bb7f-773e9eb0684f.html

Guiding & Lessons Staying Strong

It's been a busy couple of weeks with guiding, lessons, and corporate groups. Lots of great fish have been caught by lots of happy anglers!

Fly Sale $12.00 dozen

Who puts flies on sale in peak season? We do. We are making room for our new patterns (poly fluffs and cdc thorax duns), so are offering our parachute duns, klinkhammers, low profile caddis, and tungsten orange butt nymphs at great savings.

This sale is not in the online store, but email and phone only. We want to talk about quantities and patterns, while supply lasts, and this is the quickest, easiest way. Do not email your credit card information. Give us a phone number and we will call you or send us your payment via Paypal to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. We will match it to your email.

570-925-2392. Be prepared with:

1. Your name and address
2. A phone number where you can be reached
3. Quantities and patterns
4. PA residents must include 6% sales tax
5. Shipping is $5.00 for this special only. International rates are higher
6. Method of Payment. Credit Card or Paypal
7. Leave your order in a voicemail if we can not pick up the phone when you call. We will return your call if we have questions or are out of a pattern

These are beautifully tied flies, good patterns and at $12 a dozen is a great price. Call us today! 570-925-2392 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Parachute Duns: Little Blue Quills (16), Hendricksons (14), March Browns (12), BWO Cornuta (16), Sulphur (16/18), Light Cahill (14), Slate Drake (12), Mahogany (12).

Low Profile Caddis: Black, Tan, or Pale Green (14, 16).

Tungsten Orange Butt Nymphs: Great anchor or attractor nymph...and tungsten! (10, 12, 14).

Cast Around a Corner

RIO's 1-minute fly casting tips (your homework for this week)
This week’s RIO Fly Fishing Tip shows how to bend your fly line around a corner. This cast, known as a Positive Curve Cast, or a Shepherd's Crook Cast, is a great cast to have in your repertoire as it enables you cast to the side of a weed bed, and bend your fly line round to land in front of a fish (and not over the top of the weed bed) - just as it is shown in this video.

https://www.rioproducts.com/learn/cast-your-line-around-a-corner

Tying the Rusty Spinner

"The Rusty Spinner is one of those fly patterns that really needs no introduction," says Tim Flagler of this week's featured pattern. "Kind of like a Woolly Bugger or an Adam’s Parachute. It’s found in virtually every fly shop and catalog, and is, by far and away, one of the most effective flies that’s ever been, particularly for fishing at or after dark." Watch as Tim goes through the steps.
Tip: Little blue quills, Hendricksons, and March Brown spinners can all be matched by using a rusty (or red brown) spinner in appropriate sizes. Try a light dun wing of poly fluff for easy visibility.

 Tom Rosenbauer Helps Us Understand Mayflies

Tom needs no introduction to the fly fishing community. He has been the face of Orvis for many years and here he offers a short refresher on the stages of a mayfly and why they are important to the fly fisherman. We are knee-deep in the spring hatches and being able to recognize what the insects are doing will help us select the correct fly.
https://www.tu.org/blog/tom-rosenbauer-helps-us-understand-mayflies/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=informz&_zs=Hm9Cb&_zl=c4XQ2

This Week in Review

We're getting some fresh rain in the stream today and the March Browns are just now beginning to show. Peak season is approaching and may be here as we see Hendricksons, tan caddis, and March Browns on the water – often at the same time. It's an amazing time of year on a trout stream!
         

Spring Has Sprung!

All winter we waited, March arrived and with it a handful of warm days and anxious fishermen were on the water looking and hoping to see Quill Gordons and early black stones. But snow was still coming off the mountain and nights were in the 30s. Most of the fishing was dredging the bottom. April arrived and hopes shot sky high, the snow was gone but then came back. The water was too cold and the hatches sluggish. But as the days ticked by, nights grew warmer, water temperatures slowly rose and now we're celebrating with the start of good dry fly fishing. 

Tan caddis, Little Blue Quills, and Hendricksons are leading the march. With the longer, warmer days will come delightful evening spinner falls. We have new patterns for all of these flies in the store. Fly patterns are listed alphabetically, so be sure to browse the dry flies and nymphs & emergers. We're excited to see how well the poly fluff duns are doing. Barry says “Poly fluff flies are tied to catch fish – not just fishermen. They're buggy and they work”

As we continue to update the store, you will notice that we're changing the background color to gray for better fly detail and color. You'll see new patterns, photos, and tips for fishing the flies. 

It tis the season, as they say, and everyday is exciting, some more than others but that's how it goes, and the unknown is what keeps us going back to the river. We hope you're getting out. This spring season will pass quickly, so take advantage of it.

2 Rooms 2 Trips

It feels so good to be talking about trips again! Hopefully 2022 will be a busy year of hosting trips, but for now we are happy to be returning to Turneffe Flats, Belize, October 16-23, 2021, and Tres Valles, Argentina, December 4-11, 2021.

 We have one room at each lodge for either 2 anglers at double occupancy (shared room, shared boat), or a single angler at single occupancy. Although the itineraries are not showing current dates, please refer to the 2020 information on our web site. Except for dates and a slight price adjustment, information is correct. Contact us for further information. 

Guiding & Lessons

Looks like spring. The warm coats, hats & gloves are being replaced with rolled up sleeves and warm smiling faces.

Carbon Neutrality for Delta

We all want to make this world a better place for our children and future generations, but sometimes no matter what we do, it's seems too big a job. That doesn't mean that we stop trying. 

Along with individuals, there are small companies working hard to make a difference and Patagonia Clothing Company is way out in front,but it's nice to see a big, really big, corporation taking steps to literally change the way they operate in a positive, environmentally good way. Take a look at what Delta Airlines is doing. Let's hope it spreads!

Jim's Stream Report

It's been a busy week on the stream with guiding, and the fishing has been good. We are seeing caddis, blues quills and Hendericksons with hatches starting in early afternoon. Mother nature has been throwing us a curve ball with one nice spring day and the next day resembling winter with wind, rain and cold. 

Monday started out cold, but nymph fishing was good throughout the morning. Fly selection was pretty much the normal early spring flies such as pheasant tails, hare's ear, dead drifting small streamers and caddis emergers. The poly fluff caddis emerger has been my go to fly this spring. After lunch blue quills and Hendericksons were hatching and we had a nice afternoon of dry fly fishing with  several nice trout being brought to the net.

I had high expectations for more dry fly fishing on Tuesday especially since the weather was a lot nicer. Although we saw hatches starting just before noon, nothing really developed bug-wise. Late afternoon size 16 and 18 bead head euro nymphs were the flies of the day and of course the size 16 caddis emerger. All in all it’s spring time in Pennsylvania and snow flurries are in the forecast tonight and tomorrow morning. Last year at this time in a snow blizzard I saw an awesome Henderickson hatch. I'm anxious to see what tomorrow brings on the stream. The fish are hungry and it's a great time to be on the water.

-Jim Kukorlo

Fish For the Future

Some of our most formative experiences come from time on the river. Those lessons equip us to live a more meaningful life, one of responsibility to the natural resources that have given us so much. For many, fly fishing guides are the conduit through which those lessons are shared. Guides are the backbone of the fly fishing world, and their job goes far beyond showing someone how to fish. They are teachers, gurus, friends, and advocates for wild places.

European Style Nymphing?

Or high-sticking, as it's always been called around here, has never been my preferred style of fly fishing. Most of us, given a choice, would prefer a nice warm day with good water levels, flies hatching, fishing rising, and flies in your box that the fish want to eat. After all, isn't that what we all hope for when we get the opportunity to fish. 

Unfortunately, the days when we hit it perfectly are few and far between and maybe it wouldn't be such a “gift” if it happened more often.....or at least that's what they say. I'd like to test that theory. Early season here always means a little more water, cold water, and sporadic hatches. Once in awhile we might get a day like the one described above, but those days are more likely to happen in May and June, not April. So, this year I decided that I wanted to be come a better Euro nymph fishermen.

We've had a Sage ESN, 10' for a 3-weight in the rack for awhile waiting for one of us to be “moved” so out it came. Our guide, Tom Harris, set it up for me with a spool of 20 lb. amnesia and then 42” of 20 lb. chameleon to 42” of 12 lb. chameleon, followed with RIO's Two Tone Indicator Tippet to a barrel swivel and fluorocarbon from there to the flies.

A few years ago when we were in Slovenia we fished a similar style and I remember struggling to cast because it was all monofilament. I slowly got the drift and by the end of the week I had it worked out. My arm was killing me, but I was able to catch fish. However, I have to admit that our excellent guide, Tina Possnig, could see the fly and the fish and would would yell “strike” so I just waited to be told. I could see fish moving but could not tell which one had picked up the fly. She could.

Yesterday the water was a bit off-color, deeper, and faster than usual. There was no sight-fishing to be had so I had to rely on watching the two tone tippet. I had a #14 tungsten brass bead nymph as my point fly (bottom) and a lighter bead hare's ear in the top position. I again struggled with casting mono and decided that before I do this again I will have the RIO Technical Euro Nymph Shorty line because I think it will be easier to cast and therefore more accurate.

The hardest part for me was reading the drift and since the water was not clear, trying to determine if my depth was right. The two tone tippet is a life saver and I think the technique will come, but there is definitely a learning curve – but one that I like and am up for. I enjoy fishing two nymphs on a long leader with a strike indicator (up to a point), but this is more challenging and I like that. I can see where a tuck cast is a great cast to use, as Russ Miller describes in the RIO video along with other ESN tips. The fact that I can land a good fish in current on 5x fluorocarbon is a testament to the ESN's softer rod tip and I think the light tippet allows the flies to look more natural in the drift.

There is a lot to learn, but for me it's nice to do something besides watch an indicator. There's a lot more to think about and I'm pretty sure I'll be a better fisherman for it. I'll check back in in a week or two – unless the dry fly fishing takes off!

Cathy

Stream Report – April 15, 2021

 Early April fly fishing here on Fishing Creek has been very good with some really nice trout caught and a fair amount of action throughout the day. Each day we were seeing more and more insect activity including the early black stones, blue quills and Hendricksons. That was right up to last Sunday rain which brought the creek up and for the next few days a sinking tip line and Cathy’s super buggers brought several nice trout to the net. 
Water levels are dropping quickly and the stream is looking good again. In fact I spent the day today on the water with two fishing buddies and nymph fishing was slow in the morning, but very productive in the afternoon.
Blue quills were hatching from around noon on but we saw very few rising fish. Around three o'clock we saw more Hendericksons and a lot more rising fish. I switched to my dry fly rod and caught several nice trout on a Henderickson dun tied with the new polyfluff wing material. It was the first time I fished a dry fly tied with polyfluff and it’s the best wing material I’ve ever used. Polyfluff is water proof, very easy to see, casts well and is easy to tie flies with. I caught my first trout of the year on a dry fly plus several more before the hatch slowed down.
And so it begins! It was the first day of a decent Henderickson hatch and it will only get better as the days goes by. The weekend shows great promise for good dry fly fishing and it will continue right on into summer.
I hope to see you this spring on Fishing Creek. Here are some photos from this past week.

Jim Kukorlo

Stream/Fishing Report

Jim Kukorlo     April 8, 2021

Saturday, April 3rd, was the official opening day of trout season in Pennsylvania and for the most part it was very much the usual cold and windy day with cold water temperatures that we associate opening days in the past. The sun eventually came out in the afternoon making a nice day to be on the water. 
Fly fishing was slow in the morning but the afternoon sun took the chill out of the air and trout were a little more aggressive. Early black stone fly nymphs, sucker spawn and pheasant tail nymphs were the hot flies of the day.
Monday gave us sunshine and warmer temperatures and the fish were definitely more active and so were the insects. A few blue quills and a steady hatch of early black stones around mid day. Tuesday and Wednesday provided warmer temperatures and each day we saw more blue quills, black stone flies and a few Hendrickson duns with some rising fish around mid day. Water temperature on Wednesday rose to 53 degrees with some guys landing a few trout on dry flies.
Weather report for the remainder of the week and into the weekend promises air temperatures in the low 70s and warmer nights which will raise the water temperature. Hendericksons and blue quills start hatching when the water temperature reaches the mid 50s.
Everything is lining up to seeing more blue quills and Hendericksons hatching in the next few days. Some rain showers are in the forecast which sometimes help trigger the hatches. Looking back at photos and blog from last year, we saw heavy Hendericksons around April 11 th . It looks like we are on track to see the first major hatch of year very soon.
We still have days available in the guiding schedule for spring. Give the office a call to book a day or two with us for some early season fly fishing. 570-925-2392 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Questions Needed   

Along with Jim's Stream/Fishing Report, I think it would be fun to give him a question from our readers each week. You know, from a guide's point of view. Or maybe ask two of the guides and publish each view. I like that idea. But, I need your help. If you will send me the questions, I'll give them to two of the guides, Jim and one other, and we'll see what answers we get. The questions must pertain to fishing, other than that the sky's the limit. Examples: When do you use fluorocarbon? When to fish a soft hackle and when to fish a nymph? What is the difference between a soft hackle and an emerger? What fly floatant do you use? Ask away. Submit the questions through the Comments section of the blog, so make sure you are viewing it online and not from your email (see note at very top of blog each week.) Do it now so you don't forget.

The Spark

We are sharing this story from the Patagonia Clothing Company newsletter/blog. Told from the perspective of a biologist who, 22 years ago, abandoned civilization to follow whales. It is different from most scientific articles and really is more of a real life story than a scientific paper. You can't help but admire the biologist and there are times when we all wish we could do the same thing. In the end, it should influence us when we're shopping for dinner. Thank you Patagonia.

https://www.patagoniaprovisions.com/blogs/stories/the-spark?utm_source=em&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=040721_pro_TCL_future

Fishing Season in Pennsylvania opens this Saturday, April 3. For April Fool's Day, today, the weatherman gave us an inch of snow and night time temperatures in the 20s. That means that even if we get a warm sunny day Saturday, the water will be cold and the fish will be sitting on the bottom. With that thought in mind –

Here are a 10 Quick Tips for early spring fishing:

Early season fishing often makes us to think “out of the box” and to be open minded to making adjustments in our fishing style if we are to catch fish. The techniques from last fall may not work now if we have typical spring conditions of cold water temperatures, higher water levels, and lethargic fish.

1. Fish streamers using a heavier rod and a sink-tip line to get “in the zone” quicker. Using a lot of split shot on a floating line is hard to cast, hard to control, and it is not going to sink as quickly as a sinking line.  
2. Avoid false casting which will wick the water out of the fly. Keep it wet so it sinks quickly on the next cast. At the end of the drift strip in a little line while keeping the rod tip raised and roll cast while the standing line is close to the surface. Be careful, this of often when the fish will hit the fly.
3. Fish your flies deep and slow. Fish are lethargic in cold water and don't want to move fast or far to get a meal.
4. Try dead drifting streamers or nymphs – or both. Trail a nymph a couple feet behind the streamer and use a strike indicator. Slow down your cast and open the loop to prevent tangles or use a roll cast.
5. If the water is off color, try a black streamer or flies with a bit of dazzle to get the fish's attention.
6. Know where the fish are likely to hold in high, cold water. Look for seams, cut banks, deep pockets, boulders. In these conditions fish will look for “soft spots”, places where they can sit out the high water while expanding as little energy as possible. These are places where they won't be in normal flows – eddies, back sides of islands, side riffles that are normally too shallow to hold fish.
7. Switch from your streamer rod to a longer, softer nymph rod and swing wet flies or soft hackles. 10 to 11 foot rods for 3 and 4-weight lines are popular and effective for this type of “European style” nymphing. Start with a yarn or clear or cork strike indicator, a 9' 5X leader and a soft hackle, add 3 feet more of 5X, and a tungsten bead head PT (pheasant tail). Start at the head of a pool and cast across stream, give the cast a few seconds to sink, mend line upstream if needed to slow down the cast, and study the indicator. Keep the rod tip just high enough so that the leader is drifting freely with no tension. You want as little fly line on the water as possible to avoid tension. This works best when you can get fairly close to the fish. Beware, often the takes are light and gentle. Use a roll cast to prevent tangles. 
8. If you're getting stuck on the bottom, move the indicator closer to the fly. If you're using split shot, go lighter. If you're not ticking the bottom, move the indicator further back or add shot or use a heavier fly.
9. Don't hesitate to change flies or change the indicator type or position if you've gone a half hour with no hits. This goes for streamers as well as dry flies. Change, change, change.
10. Be patient – lower, warmer water is coming along with hatches and dry fly fishing.

Now, where did I put my longjohns!

Perfect From the Start

We haven't featured anything from Troutbitten lately and this is a great article about presentation and when the trout decides to reject or accept our fly. Gives us something to think about as we're mending our line and fooling around with the cast before it reaches the fish. Thank you, again, Domenick. You make us think.

https://troutbitten.com/2020/06/28/perfect-from-the-start/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=perfect_from_the_start&utm_term=2020-07-24

Guiding Season

We are about to kick off our guiding season. Jim was on the water for a couple half days this week and he saw Little Blue Quills and Early Black Stones. It's happening. Call soon to schedule a day or two with one of our guides. In the photo is Dave Lownder who fishes with us often.

Season Opener Fly Specials

Trout Season officially opens in Pennsylvania next Saturday, April 3. The water on our home stream is high at the moment, as it often is in the early season. We all long for the days of warm afternoons and hatches of Hendricksons, and we will get them, but April more often than not means nymphs and streamers. We have a number of fly selections that are perfect for the early season. Click through to the store for details and to order.

Pheasant Tails & Emergers   
Season Opener Nymph Special
Season Opener Ug Special
Squirmies & Buggers
Tungsten Bead Head Copper Nymph Selection
The Dirty Duo

*We always offer Free Shipping on orders of $50 or more.