Few areas in the trout fly fishing world offer the extent of insect activity that can equal Central Pennsylvania’s limestone streams. The following listing is a general description of the insects and hatch times which you can anticipate experiencing on our streams.
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FLY PATTERN & SIZE |
PENNS CREEK |
BIG FISHING CREEK |
ELK CREEK |
PINE CREEK |
SPRING CREEK |
Little Blue Dun #20 |
– |
Mornings & Afternoons |
Mornings & Afternoons |
Below Elk Creek Junction Only |
Mornings & Afternoons |
Blue Quill #18 |
Mornings & Afternoons |
Mornings & Afternoons |
Mornings & Afternoons |
Mornings & Afternoons, Lower Section |
Mornings & Afternoons |
Pale Yellow Cranefly #18 |
Afternoons & Evenings |
Afternoons & Evenings |
Afternoons & Evenings, light |
Afternoons & Evenings, Lower Sections |
– |
Chocolate Dun #16 |
Afternoons |
Sporadic |
Sporadic |
Afternoons Lower Section Only |
– |
March Brown #10-12 |
From 10AM On, Randomly Sz. 10 |
From 10AM On, Randomly Sz. 12 |
From 10AM On, Random, But Mild |
From 10AM On, Random, But Mild |
– |
Gray Fox #12-14 |
From 11AM thru to Evening |
From 11AM thru to Evening |
From 11AM thru to Evening |
11AM thru to Evening, lower section |
11AM thru to Evening, lower sections best |
Yellow Hendrickson (Ephemerella Invaria & Rotunda) #14 |
Duns – 1PM to 6, Spinners follow |
Duns – 1PM to 6, Spinners follow |
Duns – 1PM to 6, Spinners follow |
Duns – 1PM to 6, Spinners follow |
– |
Yellow Cranefly #16 |
Afternoons & Evenings |
– |
– |
Afternoons & Evenings, lower section only |
– |
Sulphur Dun #16 |
4PM till dark. Starting Later as Hatch Continues |
4PM till dark. Starting Later as Hatch Continues |
Evenings From Mid-May thru June |
Evenings From Mid-May Into Early July |
Evenings From Mid-May thru June |
FLY PATTERN & SIZE |
PENNS CREEK |
BIG FISHING CREEK |
ELK CREEK |
PINE CREEK |
SPRING CREEK |
Light Cahill #12-14 |
Evenings |
Evenings |
Evenings |
Evenings, Below Main Springs |
Evenings |
Yellow Cahill #14 |
Evenings |
Evenings |
– |
Evenings, Below Main Springs |
– |
Green Drake # 8 – 10 |
Evenings, Earliest Date – May 27th, Latest – June 14th |
Evenings, Generally after Penns’ Hatch |
Evenings |
Evenings, Below Elk Creek Junction |
Evenings, Lower Sections & Very Light |
Green Caddis #14 |
Afternoon & Evening, Upstream of Pine/Elk Only #14-16 |
Afternoon & Evening #14-16 |
Afternoon & Evening #14-16 |
Afternoon & Evening, Lower Section #14-16 |
Morning & Afternoon, #16-18 |
Blue Wing Olive #16 |
Mornings, #16 |
Mornings, #16 |
Mornings, #16 |
Mornings, #16 |
Mornings, Upper Areas #14 |
Slate Drake #12-14 |
Sporadic Thru The Day |
Sporadic Thru The Day |
– |
Sporadic, Below Elk Creek Only |
– |
Sulphur Dun #16 |
Near or At Dark |
Near or At Dark |
Near or At Dark |
Near or At Dark |
Near or At Dark |
Tan Caddis #14 |
Evenings, Often Heavy |
Evenings, Often Heavy |
Evenings |
Evenings, Below Elk Creek, |
– |
Tan Cranefly, #14-16 |
Afternoon & Evenings |
Afternoon & Evenings |
Afternoon & Evenings |
Afternoon & Evenings |
Afternoon & Evenings |
Great Stonefly #8 |
Sporadic, Female Egglayers In Evening |
Sporadic, Female Egglayers In Evening |
Sporadic, Female Egglayers In Evening |
Sporadic, Female Egglayers In Evening Below Elk Crk. |
– |
FLY PATTERN & SIZE |
PENNS CREEK |
BIG FISHING CREEK |
ELK CREEK |
PINE CREEK |
SPRING CREEK |
P. Mollis, Little Mahogany Dun, #16 |
Sporadic Hatch, Heavy Evening Spinner Fall |
– |
– |
Sporadic Hatch, Heavy Evening Spinner Fall |
– |
Yellow Drake #12 |
Evenings, Lower Sections Heaviest |
Evenings |
– |
– |
– |
Sulphur Dun #16 |
At Dark, Best Below Pine/Elk Junction |
At Dark |
At Dark |
At Dark, Downstream of Main Springs |
At Dark |
Little B.W.O. Dun #20 |
Afternoon & Late Evening |
Afternoon & Late Evening |
Afternoon & Late Evening |
Afternoon & Late Evening |
– |
Blue Quill #18 |
Mornings & Afternoons |
Mornings & Afternoons |
Mornings & Afternoons |
Mornings & Afternoons |
Mornings & Afternoons |
Little Blue Dun #20 |
– |
Mornings & Afternoons |
Mornings & Afternoons |
Below Elk Creek Junction Only |
– |
Tan Caddis #16 |
Evenings, Often Heavy |
Evenings, Often Heavy |
Evenings |
Evenings, Below Elk Creek, |
– |
Amber Cranefly #16
| Afternoon & Evenings |
Afternoon & Evenings |
Afternoon & Evenings |
Afternoon & Evenings |
Afternoon & Evenings |
Tricos #20-24
| Mornings, Best Downstream of Pine/Elk Junction |
– |
– |
Mornings, Below Main Springs down to Penns |
Mornings |
FLY PATTERN & SIZE |
PENNS CREEK |
BIG FISHING CREEK |
ELK CREEK |
PINE CREEK |
SPRING CREEK |
Little B.W.O. Dun #20 |
Afternoon & Late Evening |
Afternoon & Late Evening |
Afternoon & Late Evening |
Afternoon & Late Evening |
– |
Blue Quill #18 |
Mornings & Afternoons |
Mornings & Afternoons |
Mornings & Afternoons |
Mornings & Afternoons |
Mornings & Afternoons |
Slate Drake, #12 |
Sporadic Duns, Spinners at Nightfall |
Sporadic Duns, Spinners at Nightfall |
– |
Sporadic Duns, Spinners at Nightfall |
– |
Tan Caddis #16 |
Evenings, Often Heavy |
Evenings, Often Heavy |
Evenings |
Evenings, Below Elk Creek, |
– |
Tricos #20-24
| Mornings, Best Downstream of Pine/Elk Junction |
– |
– |
Mornings, Below Main Springs down to Penns |
Mornings |
Green Caddis #16 |
Mornings, Downstream of Pine/Elk Junction |
Mornings |
Mornings |
Mornings |
Mornings |
FLY PATTERN & SIZE |
PENNS CREEK |
BIG FISHING CREEK |
ELK CREEK |
PINE CREEK |
SPRING CREEK |
Tricos, #20-24 |
Mornings, Best Downstream of Pine/Elk Junction |
– |
– |
Mornings, Below Main Springs down to Penns |
Mornings |
Slate Drake, #12 |
Sporadic Duns, Spinners at Nightfall |
Sporadic Duns, Spinners at Nightfall |
– |
Sporadic Duns, Spinners at Nightfall |
– |
Blue Quill #18 |
Mornings & Afternoons |
Mornings & Afternoons |
Mornings & Afternoons |
Mornings & Afternoons |
Mornings & Afternoons |
Little Blue Dun #20 |
Afternoon & Late Evening |
Afternoon & Late Evening |
Afternoon & Late Evening |
Afternoon & Late Evening |
– |
Little B.W.O. #20-24 |
Afternoon & Late Evening |
Afternoon & Late Evening |
Afternoon & Late Evening |
Afternoon & Late Evening |
– |
Brown Caddis, #14 |
Afternoons, Upstream from Poe Paddy to Pine/Elk Junction |
Afternoon |
– |
Afternoon, Downstream from Main Springs |
Afternoon |
Tan Cranefly #16-18 |
Afternoon |
Afternoon |
Afternoon |
Afternoon |
Afternoon |