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July Stream Update As summer progresses, trout streams remain cold to support trout and stream levels have dropped as they reach their normal summertime lows. Trout have followed suit and become more wary and selective, especially on our limestone/spring creeks, and careful approach and presentation methods have become extremely important. Summer fly hatches have begun! As this combines with strong terrestrial insect activity throughout the day, relentless surface feeding continues.
Trico (Tricorythode) mayfly emergences come off during the early morning hours, followed by heavy spinner falls. Watch for gentle rise forms in medium to slow water and in the tailouts of pools. Trout often become selective to the male or female version of the spinner; males exhibit a black abdomen while the female's turns a creamy white after ovipositing their eggs. These spinners are tiny - a size 22 or 24 at best, so many experienced anglers often use a "double" trico spinner imitation tied on a size 18 hook, resembling two spinners brought together in the meniscus (surface film) and providing an increased percentage of hook-ups. With trout feeding in compressed feeding lanes, accurate downstream dry fly presentations are often necessary. Slate Drake (Isonychia) mayflies will continue until early September, concentrating during the evening hours. The nymphs crawl onto shoreline cover to hatch; fishing nymphs close to shoreline cover and overhangs is effective. This hatch is particularly important on our mountain streams. Yellow Drakes (Ephemera varia) provide a lot of calories for surface-feeding fish. A true size 10 mayfly emerging during the late evening hours, this insect is important during the first half of the summer. Spotted Sedge or Tan Caddis (Hydropsyche) continues to issue forth. Remember - the adult flies from the water seconds after emerging, and adults crawl under water to oviposit their eggs. Therefore, sub-surface presentations during this hatch are often more productive as this insect provides an easier meal with increased activity in the water column rather than the surface. Terrestrial insects become the most important surface food source as they grow and mature over the summer months. Larger trout often position themselves in areas prone to terrestrial activity, like cut banks and overhangs. Often overlooked by anglers since many of these areas barely provide enough water to cover the fish's back, they also provide an easy meal for trout with protection from overhead predators. Larger terrestrial imitations such as crickets and hoppers account for some of the largest dry-fly trout of the season. Many veteran fly fishers use the unorthodox method of fishing two terrestrials simultaneously - one wet and one dry on a tandem rig. Of course, nymph fishing provides a mainstay for dedicated fly fishers. The "high stick" methods used during the spring months have given way to longer casts and more gentle presentations in the thin water of summer. Since feeding takes place at all levels in the water column during this season, fishing the bottom is not always necessary, and sight fishing to nymphing fish is a lot of fun. Each year, catches of enormous trout in the 6-8 pound range are shared among anglers. As a trout reaches 22-24 inches, they have to supplement their diet with nocturnal feeding habits on larger food items, both vertebrate and invertebrate. At night, trout sense vibration or "hear" their food using their lateral line, so larger flies that push or move a lot of water are more effective. Adventurous anglers begin their fishing day at around one a.m. and finish around daybreak. Be sure to survey the water carefully during the daylight hours, and never fish alone at night. Safety should be a priority; items such as a wading staff, cell phone and of course a flash light are a must. Smallmouth bass fishing has been very good - the Susquehanna River has reached its normal summertime low water levels with optimal water temperatures, and in most stretches is totally wadeable. The window of opportunity for smallmouth fishing extends through September, and is accentuated by heavy White Fly (Ephoron leukon) hatches and a growing forage base of minnows, crayfish, hellgrammites and a host of other vertebrates and invertebrates. The Susquehanna River is a world-class smallmouth fishery, rated in the top 10 smallmouth fisheries in the nation. Smallmouth bass have been described as the hardest fighting fish in Pennsylvania. With vicious surface strikes and aerial displays, this quickly becomes apparent to the visiting angler. Try it - you'll like it. A common misconception among fly fishers is that the waters of south-central Pennsylvania "warm up" during the summer months and do not support trout. Our streams are fed constantly by limestone springs and cold water aquifers and remain optimally cold to support trout regardless of air temperature. Recommended fly patterns for Summer:
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