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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Winter
November to March
| FLY PATTERN & SIZE | PENNS CREEK | BIG FISHING CREEK | ELK CREEK | PINE CREEK | SPRING CREEK |
| Tiny B.W.O. #20-24 | Sporadic | Common | Sporadic | Common | Common |
| Little Black Stone #18 | Feb. & March | Feb. & March | Sporadic | Sporadic | Feb. & March |
| White Midge #22-28 | Sporadic | All Winter | Sporadic | All Winter | All Winter |
| Grey Midge 22-26 | Sporadic | All Winter | Sporadic | All Winter | All Winter |
| Blue Quill 18 | Nov. If 45 or better | Anytime its 45 or better | Anytime its 45 or better | Nov. if 45 or better | Sporadic |
April
| FLY PATTERN & SIZE | PENNS CREEK | BIG FISHING CREEK | ELK CREEK | PINE CREEK | SPRING CREEK |
| Little B.W.O. Dun #20 | Sporadic | Afternoon Hatch | Light Hatch, Afternoon | Fair only w/low water | Afternoon Hatch |
| Blue Quill #18 | Morning & Afternoon Hatch | Morning & Afternoon Hatch | Morning & Afternoon Hatch | Morning & Afternoon Hatch | Morning & Afternoon Hatch |
| Quill Gordon #14 | Lower Portion Only | Afternoons | – | – | – |
| Light Hendrickson #14 | Lower Portion Only | Afternoons | – | – | – |
| Little Black Caddis #16 | Mornings & Afternoons | Mornings & Afternoons | – | Below Elk Creek Junction Only | – |
| Grannom Caddis #12-14 | Mornings & Afternoons | Mornings & Afternoons | – | Below Elk Creek Junction Only | – |
| Little Blue Dun #20 | – | Mornings & Afternoons | Mornings & Afternoons | Below Elk Creek Junction Only | Mornings & Afternoons |
May
| 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 |
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. | – |
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July
| 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 |
August
| 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 |
September
| 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 |
October
| FLY PATTERN & SIZE | PENNS CREEK | BIG FISHING CREEK | ELK CREEK | PINE CREEK | SPRING CREEK |
| Slate Drake, #12 | Sporadic Duns, Spinners at Nightfall, Oct. | Sporadic Duns, Spinners at Nightfall, Oct. | – | Sporadic Duns, Spinners at Nightfall, Oct. | – |
| 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 | – |