This weekend usually marks the occurrence of the green drake hatch on Penns Creek.
It may vary a week or two due to a variety of factors, but it is traditionally a good time to be on the Penns, unless you mind seeing many other fishermen. Anglers come from quite far away to enjoy the feeding frenzy that sometimes occurs. Most years, you see more out of state license plates than PA ones.
I am by no means an expert fly fisherman; actually, I'm sort of a 20-year novice. I love the skillful art, but admit I don't do it as much as I would like to. I do make it a point to join in on the fracas that occurs on the Penns with the drakes.
The green drake is a large fly that hatches in great numbers, spurring the big browns of Penns into an eating orgy. Trout can be caught on green drake nymphs, emergers, dries, and spinners. When the fly first hatches, it has the namesake green color. After they drop their eggs, they live on for a while, but change color to white and gray.
The whitish stage is often referred to as a coffin fly. When they die and float downstream, they are referred to as spinners. You have to figure out what stage the insect is in at the time and place you are fishing.
The hatch starts downstream, and each evening the drakes progress upstream. Penns has a tremendous amount of insect life, and this often intensifies the frustration as it is sometimes hard to figure out exactly which fly the trout are feeding on. Along with the drakes there are sulphurs, yellow sallies, caddis and others, all coming off at the same time.
When you hit it right, the fishing can be fantastic. The fight of a wild 15-inch Penns brown is several times what any 20-inch stocky could muster. Though there are always a lot of anglers about at this time, I always manage to find a section for myself. You might have to do a little walking, but it's worth it because even though most anglers are courteous, you don't want to have your evening on the water spoiled by a bonehead.
The river is higher than normal, but in good fishable condition as I write this. Walleyes are fairly active now, and we've been catching a few thoughout the river while chucking for smallmouth. The Adam Bower Dam has been consistently giving up some nice-sized walleyes. Both the walleyes and the post-spawn smallies are hitting a variety of lures. Spinnerbaits, tubes, twisters, and crankbaits are all working at times.
This year's spring gobbler season was excellent. I don't recall a year where I've seen so many longbeards taken. It was so good, I even got one.
Hopefully the hens will have a successful nesting season. This fall should again be another superb turkey season.
The deer situation, on the other hand, remains bleak. There are a few areas where deer seem to be rebounding a little. But PA deer hunting has changed. Some of us will hold on to the memories of seeing 20 or 30 deer in a herd, but it will not happen again. You have to hunt differently, and with different expectations.
We have a lot of fish to catch between now and hunting season, so let's forget about the deer. Come fall, there will likely be another contingent of hunters deciding to forget about the deer.
As long as the walleyes don't start eating trees and causing car accidents, there will still be something to chase in the fall.
n Ken Maurer can be reached at kenrose@tds.net
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Ken Maurer's Inside Line outdoors column: The drakes of spring
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