As evening settled in, the stream’s smooth surface became dotted with the rings of feeding trout. Seemingly gnat-sized mayflies fluttered in the air, one even landing on the back of my hand. It wasn’t like anything I’d ever seen, with a white body, brownish thorax, and tiny, cellophane-like wings. The closest I came to […]
Upper West Branch Susquehanna River Read More »
Although not exactly a fly fishing destination, Ghost Town Trail is still a great place to visit and there is fishing nearby at Yellow Creek Lake. But keep an eye on Black Lick Creek, which parallels a good portion of the trail. A massive cleanup project is currently scheduled to seal old mines and
Blue lines on a map typically represent streams or some other type of water, but to anglers they mean much more. In modern vernacular, these crooked little lines have come to symbolize a whole style of fishing. For some, “blue-lining” refers to a passion that leads anglers into remote places in search of native
Blue-Lining Fall Trout Read More »
Something I’ve come to enjoy about tying flies commercially is the occasional request for patterns not on my usual “set list.” For instance, there are always more Woolly Buggers and Hare’s Ear Nymphs to be tied, and this time of year, with steelhead season ramping up, I’ve handled more than my share of brightly-colored
The Clarion River almost ruined me. My first day fishing there, I landed an even dozen wild brown trout, two of which measured over 20 inches. As I began fishing the river more often, I realized that day was no fluke, and every time there I expected to latch onto a big brown. And
Clarion River and its Tributaries Read More »
Born on January 19, 1929, in Curwensville, Pennsylvania, Joe Humphreys always had an innate passion for water and the creatures that lived there, a passion that found expression when his father moved their family to State College, in 1935, where he found work. This was the heart of fly fishing country, dozens of streams within
Joe Humphreys: A Fly Fishing Legend Read More »
I’m pleased to announce that my article “Trickle Trout” which appeared in the March/April 2019 issue of American Angler recently received the Trout and Coldwater Resource Award, sponsored by the PA Outdoor Writers Association and Pennsylvania Council of Trout Unlimited. Although American Angler has since ceased publication, I’ve decided to post the article, in
Trickle Trout: Tiny Streams Offer Big Surprises Read More »
First Fork Sinnemahoning Creek will always be my home stream. More than that, it’s my “place.” It’s where I go to unwind and relax and enjoy the wonders of nature. Since 2010, I have owned a cabin along the headwaters of First Fork. Before that, it’s where I hit my first mayfly hatch (Hendricksons)
First Fork Sinnemahoning Creek Read More »
In order to understand The Fly Formerly Known As Prince, we first have to talk about its predecessor, the Prince Nymph. A creation of Don and Dick Olson, who called it the Brown Fork-Tailed Nymph, the Prince Nymph was renamed by the guy who made it famous, Doug Prince. The Prince is one of
The Fly Formerly Known As Prince Read More »
I pulled into the parking lot behind the Allenberry Resort in Boiling Springs a couple hours before dark, just as the evening was starting to cool from the mid-August heat. I thought I was plenty early, and most times of year I would’ve been, but this was Yellow Breeches Creek, and the White Flies
White Flies on Yellow Breeches Read More »
