Well, as evidenced by their graciously putting up the the "mouth from the
south," Mike and Tom are wonderful hosts.
I got really antsy at work on Wednesday, so my darling bride told me not to
wait till Thursday night, but go up Wednesday. I did and will forever
remember it as the best three consecutive days I've ever had fishing. Not
just on Penns, but fishing in general.
Ingleby was great on Thursday with swarms of grannom caddis coming up the
river in the almost 80 degree weather. The fly that Tom designed to match
these may have cost me my first born (Tom, you not only have to pay for her
plane ticket, but you got her bills too), but it was totally worth it. I
was in a zone where I caught or stung about 80% of the rising fish I cast
to.
Friday was grannoms again. This time, it was overcast and drizzley. Temp
was 60 or less. Instead of the fast water, I found fish rising in dead
slack water. I was so successful, I believe I was a bit ungentlemanly in my
comments. Yah gets tons of fish one after another and yah gets cocky.
Again Tom's super secret fly won the day.
Today, Saturday dawned cold and rainy. We had a very late breakfast and
Tom, Mike and I parted ways. They to home, and I went to find Gene. I was
thinking he would be at the pool he likes below the trestle bridge. I
walked 3/4 to Ingleby (seriously) and said to hell with it and started
fishing.
Again, in the slow water, the fish were taking the secret fly. In the fast
water, it was grey or black soft-hackle wets. Occasionally the sun would
peak through and the caddis would pour off the water. During one of these
mini-blizzards... Whump! I got a double. I thought it would be fun but its
like a really bad foul hook because both fish are going in differing
directions and you can't get both of their heads up.
At about three, I was in the slack water above the trestle. I discovered
the Penns Creek Conundrum. I've got 15 fish rising around me. One or two
are chasing the grannom, another is chasing the size 16 BWOs floating by, a
third is only eating hendrickson duns, a fourth is chowing on pink cahills,
and a fifth is taking on the red quill spinners. They will only eat the fly
they are keying on and if you cast the wrong thing over them, you have a
50-50 shot of putting them down. I was able to get about 5 out of that
pool. Oh, yeah, started to see the little black stone flies come up too.
All in all, as I said, the best three consecutive days fishing I've ever
had. Thank you all, Mike, Tom and Gene.

--
Frank Reid
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