Spring Creek May 2025
When: May 16-18. 2025
Where: State College – Bellefonte, PA
The Outing report is unforgivably late. I have no excuse except for my Attention Deficient Disorder.
Attendees: Ken Bowyer, Randy Dwyer, Lou Reichel, Motti Tadmor, Joe Talyor, Craig Vanderkolk
Spring Creek was high with flows in 240 cfs range, normal is 100-120 cfs. Water off-color, brown. Friday was rainy, warm and humid with fog on creek. By Saturday, clear skies, cool with slight breeze, water cfs coming down, but still high, but getting clearer. Other new areas on Spring Creek were discovered and fished, for me the first time. Overall, it was a good outing.
We had the Penns Creek PPTU guys, staying at Poe Valley, join us since Penns Creek was blown out between 2000-3000 cfs. We accept all members to the PPTU outings. It sounded like there was a great hatch on the Poe Valley pond/lake with Motti catching lots of rising Rainbows.
As mentioned, the Spring Creek in the Fisherman’s Paradise area was fast and off color. Some went to new areas, at least for me, at the Spring Creek Park area. More upstream, not far from the TCO fly shop. They were able to get a brown trout - on black streamer. Others went to Brenner Springs (the Canyon area) and also got a brown – on black streamer. The trend here is the black streamer was the fly to fish in the afternoons.
Friday, at 5:00 pm, the sulfurs started hatching in the Fisherman’s Paradise area. Then after 30 min all went away. Then at 8:00 pm a prolific hatch occurred with sulfurs (#14), caddis, BWO, and a larger brown mayfly (or bug) that I couldn’t ID. Very little rising where I and Ken were, but heard other areas the fish were rising. Afterwards, we all went for pizza at Hofbrau, in Bellefonte. Good pizzas.
Slept late for fisherman, 8:00am, and went to the Waffle house for breakfast. No reason to get to creek early waiting for the evening hatch. Saturday, nicer weather, creek still high, but coming down. Same routine, some went to other new places on creek to fish. I found a new place, the Rock area. I heard of it, never able to find it before. Will keep secret until next outing to Spring Creek. Water was clearer there. It was crowed so Ken and I went back to Fisherman’s Paradise, hard to get us old men from their comfort habitat.
Again, fish were caught in the morning and afternoon on different sections of Spring Creek. On what? Black streamer!
Also on Saturday, a group of 12-24, Young Anglers USA Team, were there. Look like pre-high school. But I can’t tell anymore. Was told they won the European Fly Fishing contest last year. They were able to cross the high creek, stand in fast, cold water, and balance on rocks. Most were Euro nymphing and catching some trout.
I did walk up to the shooting range, fishing in calmer areas, as I went. Did not catch anything, even with a - Black Streamer!
That evening again a strong hatch at 5:00 and then 8:00 pm. Multiple flies. Some areas had lots of rising trout and were caught on different sulfur flies. Craig was standing in cold water, up to his waist, that would be above chest level for me. Many caught rising brown trout on sulfur duns and spinners. Ken caught a brown at the parking lot on rusty spinner. As a mentor to hundreds of PPTU members, Ken needs re-training on netting a trout. If only I had a video camera. Like a mule trying to eat the carrot that’s dangling in front of it. Ken said he had something in his eye. The trout did survive and swam away for next time,
My sulfur emerger, demonstrated by Bob O’Donnell at the PPTU Fly Tying Meeting, did not catch anything. I may have to get Bob to reteach me how to tie it.
By Sunday, back and hips hurting, so I left early. Terrible getting old. Plus, hole in wading foot booty, need to fix.
I hope all made it back to and from Penns Creek safely. Thanks for all that showed up. I discovered new places to fish on Spring Creek for next time.
Next outing, fishing the Catskills, Trout Fishing Capital of USA and the Birthplace of American Fly Fishing.
Thanks.
Lou Reichel
PPTU Outings Coordinator
