Penns Creek, Centre County, PA 6/6/17
06-07-2017, 05:33 AM
#1
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 5
Penns Creek, Centre County, PA 6/6/17
I arrived at Penns at about 2:00 and before I could even hit the water I saw two snakes. This would be a theme for the day. Both of them were black snakes and both were about the same size. A good 4' or more.
Large BWO's were hatching and I had my first fish within about 5-10 minutes of stepping foot in the water. I had a good idea that I was going to have a good day.
The BWO's turned off briefly due to the sun coming out. Being stubborn, I decided to walk and look for rising fish rather than putting on a nymph. As I was walking along the stream I came across a turtle, which I though was pretty cool because I don't see them that often.
I continued down the stream and had a mink walk right in front of me, then stop to stare at me for a little while. Pretty cool! look in the top left of the picture.
A thunderstorm showed up, then another, that's when the fishing started getting good. Light Cahills began to hatch around 4:30 and I was able to take fish all evening using various emerger (suplhur) and dun patterns. Cahills don't get nearly the credit they deserve for bringing fish to the surface. I have had many great evenings fishing Cahill and no one really talks too much about them.
I had walked quite a ways (as I normally do) and crossed the stream a few times to do so. I didn't want to be doing that in the dark so I started working my way back to a pool that was closer to my truck. Stopping when I saw rising fish and picking them off then moving on. As I was walking back I came across another turtle, but this one was much larger and looked to be guarding, or laying, eggs. I think it's a snapping turtle.
I got back to the pool that I had in my mind to fish and the fishing was dead, no risers at all. I decided to wait it out, and I'm glad I did, because when it turned on it was great. I told my self one last fish because it was getting hard to see and I was basically blind setting. Then I got a take I could see and set the hook for the last fish of the night and here he is.
Check out our podcast episode exclusively on fly fishing http://theopenairproject.com/2017/05/22/episode-3/
Large BWO's were hatching and I had my first fish within about 5-10 minutes of stepping foot in the water. I had a good idea that I was going to have a good day.
The BWO's turned off briefly due to the sun coming out. Being stubborn, I decided to walk and look for rising fish rather than putting on a nymph. As I was walking along the stream I came across a turtle, which I though was pretty cool because I don't see them that often.
I continued down the stream and had a mink walk right in front of me, then stop to stare at me for a little while. Pretty cool! look in the top left of the picture.
A thunderstorm showed up, then another, that's when the fishing started getting good. Light Cahills began to hatch around 4:30 and I was able to take fish all evening using various emerger (suplhur) and dun patterns. Cahills don't get nearly the credit they deserve for bringing fish to the surface. I have had many great evenings fishing Cahill and no one really talks too much about them.
I had walked quite a ways (as I normally do) and crossed the stream a few times to do so. I didn't want to be doing that in the dark so I started working my way back to a pool that was closer to my truck. Stopping when I saw rising fish and picking them off then moving on. As I was walking back I came across another turtle, but this one was much larger and looked to be guarding, or laying, eggs. I think it's a snapping turtle.
I got back to the pool that I had in my mind to fish and the fishing was dead, no risers at all. I decided to wait it out, and I'm glad I did, because when it turned on it was great. I told my self one last fish because it was getting hard to see and I was basically blind setting. Then I got a take I could see and set the hook for the last fish of the night and here he is.
Check out our podcast episode exclusively on fly fishing http://theopenairproject.com/2017/05/22/episode-3/
06-07-2017, 06:28 AM
#2
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: south eastern PA
Posts: 15,424
No it wasn't guarding its eggs, snapping turtles nor any other turtles guard their eggs. That snapper was laying its eggs in that depression. The first turtle was a box turtle. Nice Brown trout.
01-23-2018, 09:47 AM
#4
Spike
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 79
"Open Air"
Great post, beautiful photos, I love this area and I'm glad I live here.
I agree with "oldtimr" on the snapping turtle, have seen them laying eggs before and if I ever come across it again and it's in a secluded area I would love to set up a game trail camera to catch the hatch. If you watched her for a while as I did when I saw it happening, you would be amazed at how many eggs she lays!
As for the first turtle it was a painter not a box turtle.
An update on "Penns" (1-23-18), she's running high and muddy with the recent rain and snow melt off.....it won't be long before we're fishing again.
Great post, beautiful photos, I love this area and I'm glad I live here.
I agree with "oldtimr" on the snapping turtle, have seen them laying eggs before and if I ever come across it again and it's in a secluded area I would love to set up a game trail camera to catch the hatch. If you watched her for a while as I did when I saw it happening, you would be amazed at how many eggs she lays!
As for the first turtle it was a painter not a box turtle.
An update on "Penns" (1-23-18), she's running high and muddy with the recent rain and snow melt off.....it won't be long before we're fishing again.
