So, I've been itching to get out to sling big meat flies for trout for months. Every time I've had a time, the water has been too warm, or the flows have been too low. Finally, this past weekend the flows were up, the water was cold, and I had the time to make the drive to north central PA. Now, that doesn't mean we didn't have our fingers crossed. There was a ton of rain that blew out the stream for a few days, some snow, and air temps dropping down to 14 degrees Friday night/Saturday morning. The water temp fell from low to mid 50s down to 41 degrees. Still, we weren't going to pass up the opportunity so, we packed up the car, filled up the streamer box, changed out the warm water line for sinking lines and sink tips, and made the 4 hour drive. We walked into a crowded fly shop in Slate Run on Saturday morning to hear lots of guys talking about how tough it's been even nymphing. This was fine, since I'd rather throw meat flies on 6 and 8 weights.
While setting up the rods by a creek mouth, we listened to lots of stories of hard luck from guys walking off the water by 11 AM fed up with iced up guides and uncooperative fish. I tied on the biggest, most gawdy articulated white maribou and bunny hair concoction I could find and within three casts hooked into an absolute monster brown - hooked jaw, bright orange belly, and incredible color. The guys who just walked off the stream saw the commotion from the deck of the restaurant behind us. I worked the fish to the shallows to realize the net was in the car. I handed off the rod to reach for the fish's tail, lifted, and with a strong head shake the 22-24" brown snapped the tippet, leaving me almost diving into the icy stream, and taking my streamer with him. I was pretty shaken up not getting a measure, but it was easily a personal best. Luckily, half a dozen casts later on the same seem, this 18.5" brown took an oversized white zonker.
