Floating Down the Tully

I had the pleasure of rowing Denis and Bob down the Tully yesterday. Waking up and going outside before sun up was a chill reminder that winter is right around the corner. When I went down to hook the boat up everything that had water on it was frozen; a sure sign to pack the gloves into the gear bag.  

The water levels were up a bit and with fish rising sporadically, nymphing was the way to go. After only 10 minutes Denis had the 1st fish in the net. The fishing was pretty steady all day, despite the air temps never getting above 40. Just before rowing into Rebers Bridge, we parked the boat on the side of the stream for sandwiches and some hot coffee to warm us up from the inside out.

This was a nice warmup for our up and coming Steelhead Trip on the Salmon River.

Here are a few pictures from the trip. Enjoy

Hot Flies: San Juan Worm (pink, red, brown); Sugar Daddy, Red Zebra Midge, Rainbow Warrior, and Pheasant Tail

Oak Orchard & Salmon River

I left on Tuesday morning headed to New York for a week of "big game" fishing. Well kinda, I was headed to Oak Orchard with a few friends including TCO's mail man Steve Nelson. Steve and I have fished many times before; one of which was why I was headed to the Oak. Last October he invited me to a fundraising fly fishing tournament put on by the St. Marys Archery Club it was a blast; great food, free beer, and a lot of big fish.

This year was no different; Steve and I both with Atlantic Salmon, Steve and Steve both also placed for browns. Each day hot coffee and fresh home cooked breakfast awaited us around 5:30 am, after a great meal we turned our headlamps on; with full stomachs we went off looking for our spot on the river. Lunch was served every day but I found myself skipping that to continue chasing the shadows that pasted in the deep. When dinner rolled around we were all reluctant to put the rods down and head in, but with the smell of steaks cooking it was a hard bargain. Being have been there before and knowing what was for dinner I was the first one out of the river and in line for their famous fish fry! It was amazing.

Steve with a nice Brown

Quinn with a hefty King

12lbs of pure beauty 

1st place fish 

After a night of drinking and celebrating I was off Saturday morning to visit my sister just north of Pulaski. It should be no surprise that I was out the door Monday morning at first light headed for the Salmon River. The report from Joey that morning was more than promising, I was geared up almost before I had the car parked. It wasn't long before I had my first fish on; however that was short lived. If you have ever been steelhead fishing you know exactly what I'm talking about. Well luckily that was not the only one of the day. I managed to get a few to hand throughout the day and lost a couple in between. I fished solo most of the day until Joey finished with his clients. We fished till dark, each hooking a couple but only getting one to hand (I had one to feet) but that doesn't count.

This is what I live for!

Joey with a solid Buck

It was nice to finally hook a couple Steelhead; the bad part is...well we are back in PA :)

Oak Orchard

Fishing Oak Orchard for the annual archers salmon steelhead brown trout and Atlantic tournament. Will post pictures after the weekend !!!


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Early Morning Production

New York Weekend Tour



Trout Bum New York Tour

This past weekend Joe and I added one more bumming moment to the books. We decided to head north to float the West Branch of the Delaware on Sunday; then drive up to our Altmar Steelhead camp for a day on the river chasing Kings, Steelhead, and maybe a Brown.

Reading the reports and checking the water levels all week we both knew what we were in for on the D, muddy high water. This meant no more 5wts with 6x tippet, it was time to bring out the 6wts with sinking lines and over sized streamers. Needless to say it was tough fishing; after pounding the banks all day we managed to move a few fish with 2 very nice browns to the boat.

After floating all day we had the boat on the trailer and were headed further north yet. We woke up a little late but still managed to find a few nice stretches of river to work. It wasn't long before Joe had is first fresh king to the net, I managed to hook a couple early but nothing to the net. After all day fishing we managed a few really nice Kings and one honking Brown.

We took the video camera and tripod along, so look for a new edit in the next couple day!!!

Hot Patterns: Sucker Spawn (all colors), Thumpin Jack Flash Stone (Fl. Chart.) Nuke Egg (all colors)

Featured Fly - The Helmet

Here is a really cool and easy pattern that I came up with using the new Sculpin Helmets by the guys that brought you the Fish Skulls. This pattern is tied on a tube, however it can also be tied on a regular hook as well. It works very well for smallmouth as well as steelhead. The Helmets really give this fly a true form look. Enjoy...

The Helmet

The Sculpin Helmet in brown

The Sculpin Helmet in Olive

Early Mornings on the Tully

Joe and I have made early morning floats the norm all summer. We were floating the Schuylkill River almost every week since late May. Floating the Tully has also been a regular thing when the water is high. Well its high again and we floated, unlike most days we added a video camera and a tripod to the list of gear. Here is another short edit from yesterday morning...

Early Morning Production

High Water Guide Day

Yesterday I had the pleasure of rowing Bob and his son Jack down the Tully. Bob and Jack are new to the sport and high water was not going to stop us. After about and hour of instruction we were headed down the river.

With high water and muddy conditions we knew it was going to be tough. Bob was tight to a nice rainbow about 15 minutes into the float. Next thing I know Jack is yelling with excitement as he rolled yet another nice rainbow. We floated from the dam down to the Paper Mill, only seeing one other angler the whole time. We managed a few more fish and had a good bit of fun while doing so.

The water is still a bit high but the water temps have come down to the low 60s and fish are loving the cooler temps.


Here are a few from the float:

High water patterns: San Juan Worm (red & pink), Sugar Daddy, Red Zebra Midge

State College 9-30-11

Friday I had the pleasure of working with the TCO family in State College. Naturally I had to take my fly rod along with me. Before work I hit Spring Creek; the water was a bit off color but at a perfect level. The weather was a little on the chilly side so the bite was slow. I managed a couple before heading into work.

After work Trever met me at the shop and we headed out again. He was fishing a nymph rig and I had my streamer of choice on, the Zuddler Minnow. We both had a couple fish right off the the bat; I kept fishing the streamer all night with no lack of action. Trever decided to switch over and walked up Spring Creek pounding opposite banks till dark.

Here are a couple pictures from the trip, Enjoy.

Blurry... Trever working the far bank

This guy hit like a freight train

Hot Patterns: Olive Zuddler Minnow, Black Wooly Bugger, San Juan Worm, Small Pheasant Tail

Early Morning Float

Joe and I decided with the Tully flows over 500cfs to take the boat out. We took along a video camera. Check it out....

Early Morning Float