Spring is here and the fishing is on!!! Bass? Trout? Whatever you prefer now is the time to be fishing! Check out out recap of March and a report for April.
March Recap
Spring arrived and we finally broke out of our winter fishing patterns. In the Cumberland Valley we were mostly relegated to fishing and guiding on the Catch and Release section of the Breeches, as well as our spring creeks. We saw a stark increase of bug activity and dry fly opportunities that will only get better as we progress through spring. In the state college area, Olives have been in full force with the caddis emergences coming shortly after. We did get some rain throughout the state which benefited a few of our fisheries, but many are still on the low side.
March dry fly eater on Big Spring.
A pretty Yellow Breeches wild brown trout.
On the bass side of things, the early prespawn bite is already rolling strong. Our our guides are already running successful floats fishing streamers on the Juniata as well as some smaller rivers when flows permit. Despite some dirty water, the bass were waking up!
The March bite was good this year on our smallmouth rivers!
April Outlook
Cumberland Valley
Grannoms and Hendricksons are already moving on the lower yellow breeches. As April progresses, we will see some strong tan and black caddis hatches throughout the river, with some odd mayflies mixed that won’t be as ubiquitous as the caddis. The tan caddis hatch on the Upper Yellow Breeches in early to mid April can be lights out. If fish are rising and you can’t figure them out, be sure to try a small black caddis #18-20. They can be hard to see but fish will key in on them. By the late part of the month, we will see the beginnings of the Sulphur hatch. Nymphing can be exceptional through the month of April using typical attractor nymphs, especially after some rain brings up flows. April is my favorite month on the Beeches when it comes to catching numbers of fish. There are plenty of stockers and wild fish to go around throughout the entire river, and is some of the best bang for your buck if you’re looking to hire a guide.
Sometimes Sulphurs come early. This one emerged on April 15th a few years ago on the Breeches.
The Cumberland Valley spring creeks fish well through the early spring, with some good dry fly opportunities along with the typical subsurface game of scuds and cress bugs. Try some smaller nymphs if you see midge or olive activity. Sculpin style streamers will also work well.
A nice Cumberland Valley wild brown trout.
Central PA
Spring creek will continue to give some opportunities to fish BWOs, but will increase dry fly fishing opportunities with some very heavy caddis hatches. Grannoms have been working their way upstream more and more every year, and tan caddis are always around by mid April. This is a great time of year to employ tight line nymphing techniques, especially when flows are up. If flows stay low, using dry dropper with a caddis and small nymph off a tightline rig can be deadly. Also don’t forget the sucker spawn and try an egg, you could get into some awesome fishing if you hit it right.
Penns creek is just starting to wake up in April in terms of the bugs. Penns was the beneficiary of some increased flows from rain, so nymphing a variety of bugs including stoneflies should be very effective. Along with olives, Penns will see some awesome Hendrickson and Blue Quill activity. Grannoms and other caddis will get moving as well. Penns is a bug factory, and always seems to give off some bugs you weren’t expecting to see. I like to carry some general dries sized #10-20 for mayflies to cover the bases but I don’t feel the need to carry patterns for every single mayfly you could encounter. Same goes with caddis, just having some dark and light in a variety of sizes will do.
Joe showing off a solid brown on a guide trip to Penns Creek with Frank Landis.
Smallmouth
April is the quintessential window for prespawn smallmouth fishing. If you want to fish a big swim fly for a big smallmouth, now is the time. Game Changers, Roamers, Leggy Boys, Brush Head Deceivers and all other manner of large streamers can all be very effective. To get the most out of this season, fishing from a boat is going to be key. Float trips tend to book fast so be sure to reach out to get in on the action! Expect to see fish on beds at some point this month. Not all fish spawn at the same time, but its definitely a factor in the fishing.
April is a great time to toss the big bugs!
Opening day for Trout!
The trout opener is April 5 this year. This will open up a lot of water and help to spread anglers out of the special regs areas. Expect heavy crowds over the first weekend. Fishing for bass is a great alternative to avoid the chaos. Typically there is heavy pressure for the first few weekends that will wane to a degree as the season progresses.
Events
Not too much going on in the way of events as this is our optimal fishing season. TCO offers some good opportunities for classes that are unique to each location. Check out their website to see what's available. If you want to support a good cause, Cumberland Valley Trout Unlimited is hosting their Limestoner Banquet on April 26, which is one of their major fundraising events.
Thanks for reading and if you’re interested in fishing with us reach out soon! This is prime season and many of our guides are filling up their calendars fast!
Frank Landis
Email: franklandisflyfishing@gmail.com
Instagram:frankflyfishes