HomeWaters

World-Class Fly Fishing

Fly Fishing Tips: Approaching Fish in Low Water

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A nice brown trout caught last week down in Forge Bottom on Yellow Creek. Well done, Robert!

Anglers should consider approaching the stream as the first step to catching a fish in low water.

When water levels get lower, effectively approaching the stream will help anglers put more fish in the net. Approaching fish in a manner that does not disturb them is always important, but it is even more critical when flows are lower.

Not always, but generally when flows are lower that means the water will usually be clearer. Fly fishing in clear water can be a lot of fun, because it is easy to see and target specific fish. It’s also very important to keep in mind that the fish can also see anglers much easier in the lower, clearer water.

Since visibility in clear and water works both ways, anglers should make every effort to approach fish without disturbing them.

So, how do you get in position to cast without disturbing fish as you approach the stream in lower water? Follow these 3 tips:

1. Observe your beat. Take a minute to watch the section of water you intend to fish. Read the water. Notice any fish actively feeding. Then make a plan for how to get into casting position without disturbing fish. Observing the beat for a few minutes before casting is usually time well spent.

2. Use an Upstream Approach. Or in other words, sneak towards the fish from below where they are lying. By using an upstream approach, an angler keeps himself below the fish being targeted.  Being behind the fish you plan to catch is a great way to stay out of eye sight. Using an upstream approach isn’t always the most convenient, but it is usually the most productive in lower water.

3. Take your time. It seems simple, but it does require a little discipline. Try to avoid sudden movements and splashing water. Anglers who take their time and approach the water with caution usually get in position without disturbing the fish.

Give these 3 tips a try the next time you are approaching fish. Anglers that successfully approach the stream without disturbing fish usually net many more fish during lower water conditions.

If you still need to schedule your fall fishing trip, talk to Joel so he can help get you on the water.

Fly Fishing: Don’t Fish While Wading

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Another angle of the large brown trout from last week caught on Spruce Creek. Matt, congrats again!

This week’s fly fishing tip is a simple one that I’m sure every angler has been guilty of at some point, myself included. Don’t fish while wading. While taking a couple steps to a different spot, it’s always best to not make a cast until in position.

Whether it’s the excitement of a new spot or getting in as many drifts as possible, it’s really tempting to make a cast and fish some while moving into position. Trust me, I also have to fight the urge.

Both wading and fishing require full attention. It’s hard to fish properly while being concerned with wading through a stream. It’s also hard to wade properly while being concerned with a drift possibly catching a fish.

It seems harmless to make a drift while moving, but in most cases it leads to a negative outcome. Usually drifting while moving results in a missed fish, a snag, or a tangle. On the other hand, moving while drifting can lead to stumbling in the water disturbing fish, or even falling.

The next time you are on the water, fight the urge. Don’t fish while wading. Wading and fishing are both more productive when focused on separately.

If you are due for some time spent in your waders, the fall is a great time of the year to be on the water here at HomeWaters. Talk to Joel to get in on the action.

Fly Fishing Tips: Minimize False Casting

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When thinking about fly fishing, it’s easy to picture an angler false casting. While false casting is part of fly fishing, it also is simply just a false cast.

First, let’s talk about why an angler would want to false cast. In most of our trout fishing situations, the only two reasons an angler might need a false cast would be to achieve longer casting distance, or help dry out a dry fly. At times, a false cast will be absolutely necessary to do both of those things.

But even though a false cast may be necessary at times, false casts do not catch fish. When I’m on the water, I try to minimize doing things that do not catch fish. Being more efficient on the water usually leads to catching more fish. In order to be more efficient, I always try to minimize false casts that do not catch fish.

Aside from being more efficient on the water, there are other reasons to perform less false casts. Fly line waving back and forth in the air too much could scare fish in low, clear water. Minimizing false casting helps an angler make a better effort of not disturbing fish, which leads to catching more fish.

Too many false casts also have a tendency to lead to more tangles. Not only are tangles frustrating to fight with, they take away time that could be spent catching fish. Minimizing false casting generally minimizes those extra tangles, or “wind knots”.

The next time you are on the water, try to minimize false casting in order to catch more fish. The fall months are an awesome time of the year to be on the water. Talk to Joel to get in on the action.

 

Fly Fishing: Create Your Own Luck

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Matt with an awesome brown trout “sight fished” on Spruce Creek last week, great job!

At some point, one angler will usually say to another, “Good luck”. Like many things in life, there can also be a fair amount of luck involved with fly fishing. But, I am a believer that as anglers we can create our own luck.

There are a lot variables that need to come together to catch big fish. Sure, some variables can be controlled, but many cannot be. Anglers cannot control the weather or water conditions, but then again neither can the fish. Although fishing conditions are not under much control of anglers, things such as fly selection, fishing location, or how you fish can be controlled.

Even with all of these variables in fly fishing, a little “good luck” will never hurt an angler. But, like I said earlier, I feel that as anglers we can create our own luck. Why?

Well, a little luck can help anglers be in the right place, with the right fly, fished the right way, and at right time. A little luck could help put a big fish in the net, instead of being broke off in a log jam.

Although, if you decided to go fishing and reaped the rewards of a little luck, it wasn’t really by accident. Spending a day on the water fishing creates the opportunity for a little good luck to fall your way. Every time an angler steps into the water he (or she) has done his part to create his (or her) own luck.

Spending more time on the water will create your own luck. If you are in need of a day on the water, this fall is the perfect time for your next fishing trip.

 

On the Water: Falling Forward

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A nice steelhead caught last fall as the leaves were full of color in Erie. Well done Tom!

While fly fishing at HomeWaters recently, it’s easy to sense that fall is fast approaching. Cooler temperatures and crisp air serve a reminder that summer is winding down.

Many of you know that I am a four seasons angler, which means that I enjoy spending time on the water during each season of the year. As we are “falling foward”, let’s talk about a few reasons we have to look forward to the fall fishing season.

1. Fall Weather- Cooler temperatures in the fall make it a refreshing time of year to spend outdoors. Even after a cooler summer like we had this year, the crisp air of the fall stills brings about a unique feel. Fall is the perfect time of the year to take advantage of great fishing, and extra time on the water before the seasons change again.

2. Fall Foliage- The only thing that could rival the vibrant colors of the trout, would the fall foliage in our area of central Pennsylvania. Being out on our water as the leaves are turning is something that I think every angler should experience first hand.

3. Steelhead Season- In addition to the fall trout fishing at HomeWaters, we also welcome the start of steelhead season on our Erie beats during the fall months. Steelhead are a thrill to land as they fight hard, make long runs, and leap through the air. The opportunity to catch steelhead in the fall is something that I look forward to every year.

It’s not to early to think about your fall trout and steelhead fishing trips. Before we know it the fall fishing will be in full effect.

If you need to get your days on the water this fall set up, talk to Joel and he can help you out.

Fly Fishing: Seeing Catch & Release Again

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It’s no secret that catch and release allows different anglers the ability to enjoy the same fish, but it’s pretty special to see it again.

Last March during a spectacular Blue Winged Olive Day an angler caught an incredible brown trout that I will never forget. In seven years of guiding at the club I had never saw this fish in my net, and it’s size along with unique looks make it easily recognizable.

I was pretty sure that the fish would still be there, but I wondered if I would see it in my net again. In the following January, nearly a year later, another angler caught this fish. I’m sure that our fish move around some from time to time depending on the seasons, but the fish was caught a couple feet away from the spot the year before.

It was pretty cool to see this fish be caught, released, and then surface again nearly a year later. Congrats guys on an awesome fish!

On the Water: Stoneflies

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A beautiful brown trout that fell victim to a large stonefly pattern last week.

Stoneflies are sometimes an overlooked food group by fly fisherman. However, a stonefly is a large meal that a nice trout certainly does not overlook. Stoneflies can be found in a lot of the HomeWaters streams here in Pennsylvania.

Because stoneflies mostly hatch overnight, they are not always seen by anglers in numbers that represent how many are actually around. If you leave a porch light on during the summer in Spruce Creek, on most nights you will see a couple of stoneflies. Or, if you happen to be looking in the right place at the right time, you might see a few around during the day.

Stoneflies patterns are a lot of fun to fish because they are big. There is just something special about a trout rising to a dry fly that is around the 6-8 size range.

Fishing a stonefly as a searching dry fly can prove successful in the morning, or even throughout the day. Another great option is using a large stonefly pattern in a dry dropper rig to serve as an indicator that could also catch fish.

Like most flies in fly fishing, there about a million different patterns out there to imitate stoneflies. A Yellow Stimulator or PMX (Parachute Madam X) are both good standbys.

Consider giving a stonefly pattern a chance, catching fish on them is productive, and just plain fun. I think you will be surprised how often a large fish will come out of no where to eat a stonefly.

A good time to see for yourself is right now, as the fishing has been great so far this summer. Talk to Joel if you need to schedule your next day on the water.

Dry Fly Fishing: Summer

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A selection of dry flies always at the ready.

What time of year comes to mind when thinking about dry fly fishing?

Most anglers that fish in Pennsylvania would say during the spring season. Spring is often considered the best time of year to fish dry flies because of opportunities created from the major hatches. While the answer spring is not wrong, it is certainly not the only time of year that presents good dry fly fishing.

The summer is a great time of year to fish dry flies, but why? Well, there are a couple of reasons that anglers prove success on our water with dry flies during the summer months.

One of the reasons that fish are willing to eat dries during the summer is there are still hatches, and food available on the surface of the water. Terrestrials, such as Ants and Beetles, could be considered the major “hatch” of the summer.

Ants and Beetles that fill bushes and trees during the summer months often fall into the water to be eaten by the opportunistic trout scanning the surface. In addition to Terrestrials, there can also be a mixture of bugs such as Tricos, Cahills, and Stoneflies around (to name a few).

By the time summer rolls around, the fish are well accustomed to eating off of the surface of the water due to the amount of bug activity over previous months. It’s not uncommon to find several fish rising at different times during the course of a day, depending on which bugs are around. Even though there are days where fish might not be rising, prospecting with dry flies can work well due to the fish opportunistically “looking up.”

Another reason that throwing dry flies can work well during the summer is that the water is generally a bit lower and clearer than during the other months of the year. Fish can take more notice to bugs falling into the water, and with less water it’s easier for them to come up to eat.

Not only is fishing dry flies during the summer productive, it’s also very visual. Sight fishing, or prospecting with dry flies, is a very interesting and fun way to fish.

Are you in need of a little dry fly therapy? Talk to Joel about a day on the water to provide the fix.

A Cool, Wet Summer & How It’s Helping the Fishing

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The conditions so far this summer are pretty much the opposite of last year, both the fish and fishermen are very happy.

Last year the weather was warm, and very dry for an extended period of time. As a result the water was low and clear creating some more technical fishing conditions at times.

So far this year we are experiencing a cool, wet summer. Most day time air temperatures we are seeing the warmer parts of the day top off at around 80 degrees. In addition to the comfortable weather, rain continues to roll through almost weekly.

Yes, I know what you are thinking. This is all well and good, but how does it affect the fishing? Let me explain.

A cool summer like we are experiencing this year in a blessing. Thanks to cooler weather, water temperatures on the streams we fish have all been in great shape. The cooler weather helps for cooler water, which keeps the fish more active. It’s also a lot more comfortable for anglers on the water.

All the rain we received so far this summer is also a blessing. Rightfully so, fish love water. The more water there is, the happier they are. The rain is keeping the water conditions in great fishing shape so far this summer. A little extra water helps keep fish spread out, and creates fishing conditions that favor anglers.

With all the rain, and cooler weather the fishing this summer has been a lot of fun. I think that everyone can agree that fishing more is better. This summer is a great time to fish more.

If you are due for a day with us on the water, give Mike Harpster a call at 814-686-6214 or email mharpster@homewaters-club.com.

Fly Fishing: Cast Close By First

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A nice brown that was the product of making an initial cast close-by.

How does that old saying go? Thats right, “The grass is always greener on the other side”. While it is a saying that I’m sure has been applied to many things in life, we can certainly also apply it to fly fishing.

One of the things I try to preach during a guide day on the water is making first casts into a new area short and close-by. Many anglers are shocked at how many fish they can catch right under their rod tip.

Many anglers also have a strong desire to cast to the far bank. It’s a hard urge to settle, I know, but anglers that fish close by before casting to the far side reap dividends.

Why? Sometimes during higher flows casting fly line over fish doesn’t bother them. However, during lower flows or clear water, casting fly line over fish can spook or discourage them from eating. Giving the fish close to you a chance to eat before casting fly line over them will never hurt.

By starting with casts to fish close by and working your way out to fish farther away, it maximizes the number of fish that can be caught out of an area. If an angler immediately casts to fish further out, they might miss out on catching the fish close by.

I know that far casts are fun, and the far side usually looks so fishy, but always try giving the fish close by a chance first. You just might be surprised how many fish you catch near you before reaching the “greener side”.

The next time you are on the water, try to fight the urge to immediately cast to the “greener grass” on the other side of the stream. If you need to make the next time you are on the water sooner, talk to Joel and he can fix you up.