PPTU Outing Report: Yellow Creek, PA
September 24, 2022
Participants: Motti Tadmor, Ron Kerrick, Lou Reichel, Craig VanderKolh, Ron Briggs, John Vincent (a guest from MDTU)
Arrived at the parking lot with Ron K at 9:15 am. Motti T pulled in right after us. The sky was cloudy, over cast and the temperature was a little chilly requiring a light jacket. There were already about 4 cars in the parking lot. Some just arrived and where locals that fish Yellow Creek a lot and mentioned the creek has been low and clear for months and to fish the pools. Motti who has fished this stream before gave some pointers and where to fish and we were off.
There is a good path that follows the creek and at some places a bench to sit on. Near the end of the path upriver one could see a larger path made by a bulldozer and some sections of creek undergone some stream improvement with rocks and larger timbers.
I decided to fish the pools with a few casts as I walked upstream and follow the path alongside the creek to get an idea what the creek looked like. There were lots of bug activity with BWO, caddis, and a large cream mayfly (cahill?), and crane flies. Did not see any fish on the surface. At the end of the path, at the last pool but before the Regulation Wire, one has to cross the creek to obtain the trail again. I saw Motti way up the creek, there were at least 3 people at the last pool, so I decided to head back downstream and do more serious fishing.
Walking downstream I met Ron K and we fished a pool and some riffle water. As the locals told us, the water was low and clear. Ron was nymphing so I decided to put on a dry fly, #16 Simple 3-hackle. I got a hit, but unable to hook the fish. That was it. Continuing downstream I saw Craig V casting into a run, again low and clear. Further downstream I stopped at a pool in front (or is it the back end?) of the island, Molly Gordon pool. A more experienced fisherman was just leaving and said he got 2 there. He also rolled over a few rocks and could see lots of small nymphs (BWO?). So there is lots of food in the creek. I caught a nice >14 inch rainbow on an Utah Killer bug. Luckily the older fisherman was sitting on a bench on the side of the creek and telling me what to do. My technique is to get caught on a bottom rock, make lots of splashes to free the fly, when the fly gets loose, the trout strike. The pool was deep and clear and could see the trout swimming in the bottom. I tried a very small BWO nymph and got a bite, but it broke my 6 wt tippet. By this time, it was close to noon, getting warm and blue skies and I headed to the cars for lunch.
I met Ron K there and saw Ron B and Craig V had arrived. Motti was leaving and reported 2 rainbows on soft hackles, ldr on wooly bugger and 2 browns on parachute adams. Maybe I should have followed Motti all the way up the creek. Motti talked about fishing downriver near the end of regulation area, also before Posted area, which is not far from parking lot. After removing our light jackets, Ron K and I went downstream. Again, there was a clear, so-so deep pool but we could see large trout in it. I left Ron there, and he stayed there for the next hours trying for those trout.
I returned to My pool upstream and saw Ron B and Craig V there. This time my back was hurting, and I sat on the bench watching them. The final report was they didn’t catch anything. But I did watch Craig make some beautiful casts with his nice bamboo rod.
Returning to the cars we meet Ron K after casting to those fish for hours. He noticed a loose brightly colored lost indicator floating by and the trout going after it. So he looked for the brightest fly he had, a bright yellow stonefly. Where were the bright fluorescence mop fly or pink San Juan worm, or bright orange Sucker Spawn! Ron finally got two brown trout on the bright stonefly. Watching loose indicators may be a new technique.
On the way home we stopped at County Kitchen for a good meal. Good pies. Must try it again.
So that’s it. Hope all had a good time. I was told Yellow Creek has a good Green Drake hatch. Must try Yellow Creek again.
Next outing is the Western Maryland - Savage River Campout on Oct 8-10.
Lou Reichel
Outing Coordinator
