Come join me on October 19 to learn how to tie up some variations on Russ Maddin’s Circus Peanut – one of the OG articulated streamer patterns!
Continue readingAuthor: crebarchak87
TCO Fly Tying Class: Smallmouth Bass Flies
If you’re looking for some new ideas for smallmouth bass flies, I’ll be leading a class at TCO State College on Sunday, July 20 from 11-2pm. Registration is $35, which includes all necessary materials. Click on this link to register.
Cicada Mania: Brood XIV Edition
Cicadas are coming to Central PA this year! The Brood XIV emergence is going to be happening in the coming weeks, which will make for some great dry fly action this summer! If you need some patterns, check out TCO Fly Shop for your cicada needs. The Hoov’s Cicada is a favorite pattern – Caleb tied 25 dozen of them for TCO, and you can order them online at the provided link.
Continue readingTCO Fly Shop – Fall Tying Classes
There are a number of educational opportunities coming up this fall at TCO State College! A full list can be viewed on the website here. Two that I wanted to highlight are some fly tying classes happening on September 15 and October 20.
Continue readingTCO Fly Shop Brew ‘N’ Bugs – August 15, 6-8pm
Next Thursday, August 15, I will be hosting a “Trout Streamers”-themed TCO Fly Shop Brew ‘N’ Bugs event at Axemann Brewery in Bellefonte. The event will be held from 6-8pm, and we’ll be tying up a few of my favorite streamers for this area (though these are “trout streamers,” they’ll work for bass as well).
From the Vise: September-Mid October
Don’t Forget the Food!
“You learn a lot about someone when you share a meal together.” – Anthony Bourdain
Great memories can be both made relived around a good meal. When it comes to capping off a good day (or evening) of fishing, a cold beverage can be great. Sometimes you miss lunch or dinner if the fishing is good and you need to grab a bite when you come off the water late. Whether it’s something like a a great burger and beer at a restaurant (like the Grizzly Bar after fishing caddis on the Madison River until after dark) or simple, such as as frozen pizzas in the oven, food is an important part of any fishing trip.
Continue readingUp in Michigan
Back in June I had the chance to take a family vacation up in Michigan, spending a few days on Lake Macatawa (off of Lake Michigan) before heading east to spend a few days in the Ann Arbor area on the Huron River. A few weeks before we left, I contacted the guys at Schultz Outfitters to ask about some recommended patterns for fishing the lakes (we were already scheduled for a guided trip with them when we were on the Huron). They were incredibly helpful, and I ended up filling a Fishpond Sushi Roll with some baitfish, sculpin, crayfish, and leech patterns.
Mid-April Update
Fish are looking up! Here are some updates on what’s been happening on the streams around us:
- Grannoms are wrapping up on lower Spring Creek, but are still on Penns Creek and the Little J.
- Also on Spring Creek: Tan caddis are coming off, along with midges and Blue Winged Olives (BWOs) if conditions are right. Craneflies are starting, too!
- Penns Creek has had Hendricksons, some Blue Quills, BWOs, and March Browns are just starting to be seen.
- The Little Juniata River still has Grannoms, along with BWO.
- Big Fishing Creek has had some BWOs, caddis, and Hendricksons starting to pop.
Nymphing is going to be your most consistent bet, unless you see rising fish. Don’t neglect the small streamers, either!
Fly Fishing Clinic: Video Playlist
One of the (many) things that couldn’t happen in the late spring was a fly fishing clinic that typically happened for a local community. Turns out that one of my co-workers at school was looking for some help with a fly fishing portion of a course he teaches.
These are something I really enjoy doing! The goal is to get people interested in fly fishing who are brand-new to it, or to give people who have done it before a little more knowledge – either way, we want people to get out and try it for themselves!
One great book that is incredibly helpful as a tool is Dave Whitlock’s Guide to Aquatic Trout Foods. The charts and illustrations are top-notch, and it covers all kinds of aquatic life and includes some fly patterns to imitate those food types.
Oak Hall Outfitters 