Moonlight Browns on the Little J

Evening Brown

Last Springs' trip to the trouty waters of the Keystone State left an
indelible impression ... Henry and I couldn't wait to get back...Sulphur hatch
anyone?   Our trip was built around hitting the Little Juanita just west of
Spruce Creek, PA. but like so many of our trips we tried to sneak in a few
other waters while we were in the area.  

We agreed to meet late in the 
Afternoon in the crossroads town of Reedsville to hit one of
three streams which converge in town; Tea Creek, Honey Creek and 
Kishacoquilla Creek. Arriving after a long drive we found waters which while
just fishable (maybe) were still recovering from recent rain and were quite swollen. 

Fishing Caravan

East Branch Standing Stone Creek

In these situations it's wise to seek higher ground so after some
map study and a quick blog dive we decided to try the East Branch of
Standing Stone Creek as it tumbles out of Greenwood Furnace State Park
Reservoir. This is a smallish tailwater freestoner with good access tucked
just off Greenwood Road which along with East Branch Road parallels the
creek for miles.   The water was at a nice pool and all seemed lined up for
a fishy evening accept me!   

Hen's Brown at S Stone Creek

The drive and early morning had tuckered me out and in the dwindling light I was stuck in my own twilight haze of wind knots and limbs.   Henry fared better and was able to salvage the evening with a
small brown....and as you know any trout is infinitely better than no trout at all!   Sweat-drained and hiked back to truck and jeep and made our way southwest to Huntington, PA.    Huntington, its' main street decimated by progress (Walmart) is the most substantial community in the mountainous 90 miles between  Harrisburg and State College/Altoona.  The mountain ridgesrun generally north-south and are bisected by the Juanita River, which joins the Susquehanna 12 miles north of Harrisburg.  Just west of Huntington several forks of the Juniata converge to form the main stem.  

Spruce Creek small Brown

Our target was the Little Juanita once a mine-polluted dead river now a thriving
ecosystem with a high density of self-sustaining brown trout.  After good
steaks at Mimi's Café in Huntington and avoiding the glare from the flood
lights illuminating SCI Huntington we settled down for a well-deserved rest
at a friendly and clean Fairfield Inn.  Thoughts of the day ahead didn't
allow for deep sleep and we were up again at 0445 with coffee and sugar
coursing through our veins and headed for Spruce Creek where we intended to
fish the bottom .5 mile Penn State College Easement on this famed water.
The conditions seemed ideal but after a quick brown on the third cast the
trout didn't cooperate and after 3 hours of running dual droppers under an
indicators we were ready to check out the Little J.   

We stopped by Performance Flies in Spruce Creek and chatted with Kevin 

who'd steered us to success last year.   Kevin let us know that the Sulphur 

hatch was running later in the day than last year and he didn't expect to see 

them on the surface till 1930 or later!  Heck last year the hatch was in the late afternoon and I'd planned on the same, but we'd traveled far enough thatthere was no question we'd wait out the hatch. 

Typical size 14 Sulphur Fly

Sulphur caught in flight

Kevin validated some good

water we'd researched downstream and around a mountain in Barree, PA.   5

left turns from his fly shop later we were parked and looking at the Little

J running at about 590 cfs.   

The norm for this time of year is 390 cfs so

it was cookin and a bit stained.   We were both happy to note that our

target pool for the hatch was upstream of Spruce Creek's 100 cfs

contribution to the Little J and would be that much slower/lower.

Initially we didn't have a lot of luck and found ourselves expending a lot

of energy to hold our thigh-deep positions in the heavy water but soon

copied an angler upstream who'd unlocked the code....find the run/channel

w/in the expansive flow and high stick nymphs through the deeper channels

and seams.  Henry figured it out first and then put me on a run which put a

smile on my face as each of us took multiple browns from a deep trough.

Weird for me I then took three spills in loaded with water trudged back to

the jeep to strip down and dry out.  Henry continued fishing for a bit and

pulled another couple from the a lake section downstream from our parking

spot. 

Sulphur Nymph in size 14 was very effective

At about 1500, exhausted but looking forward to the evening hatch we drove

to our target pool just off  Pemberton Road and prepared for the evening.

With time to spare and few other anglers in the area yet (we were prepared

to throw elbows) we worked up and down the river for a few hundred yards

picking up 9-11" browns in the deeper holes on Sulphur nymphs.  

Henry was

itching to head downstream to check out what we'll call the trestle-bend in

the river, Kevin had recommended it and soon enough Henry was beyond the far

curve, out of sight and I hoped faring well.   I caught another two browns

and marked our below the bridge preferred positions as anglers arrived

preceding the hatch.    

By 1930 there was still no hatch and Henry, a

slow-charging water buffalo began his upstream assault on the river shedding

equal parts liquid from his waders and brow.   He was exhausted but far from

conquered by the walk and deep "swim" he'd taken at the trestle pool having

found some great water and meaty browns.   I vouch for two water smeared

pictures that didn't make the blog but the fish were there.  

By 2000 a light

Sulphur hatch had appeared and the swallows were plucking them off the

water...still few rising trout.   I was rigged with a size 14 parachute

Sulphur waiting for the hatch to strengthen  and at about 2030 with darkness

dropping like a stage curtain I cut off my dry and tied on our final sulphur

dropper as Henry nearly thwarted by the darkness managed to tie on a dry.

This turned out to be my best move of the trip as the hatch never got thick

and but the browns were obviously feeding subsurface on sulphurs rising in

the water column and I caught 4 browns two in the 13-14 inch range in the

space of the final 15 minutes until darkness enveloped us completely.  

 

Last Brown of the Day ..camera was fighting for light (moonlight)