Paflyfish

The PAFF Informal Casting Clinic was held on Wednesday, 7/15/09, at 3:30 PM on the banks of the Little Lehigh. This event was as much a chance to meet some fellow PAFF members as it was a casting clinic, and a good time was had by all.

As Dave Kile has pointed out before, PAFF has some really skilled anglers, and this event was further proof of this. Dave Rothrock, a certified FFF casting instructor, was kind enough to provide his impressive teaching skills to his fellow PAFF members free of charge at this event. To all who attended, I hope each of you took something with you that will improve your skill level, and enable you to catch more fish.

PAFF has grown exponentially over the years. We've come a long way from the old "continuous threads" format of the old forum, but the heart and soul of the forum is still the incredibly talented membership of this forum. Kudos to Dave Kile for providing us with such a great resource!

This event was an informal get-together to share some of the wealth of knowledge that exists on the board and with its members. As Afish stated, it was just something some of the members came up with to promote good will and camaraderie amongst our fellow board members. A common thought that was expressed throughout the evening was a sense of regret people had for not being able to attend the "official" PAFF Jamboree. Events like these provide a way for us to get together and share skills and good times without having to make a multi day commitment in time that many just can't do. Look for more of these "Mini Jams" in the future!

On a personal note, I was surprised that we didn't have any beginners attend this event. It was a perfect opportunity to get some free casting help. An even bigger surprise was the really experienced anglers that showed up - for example, Afishinado. Smart anglers take every opportunity to further their skills, and a better casting skill set is always desirable. The never ending quest to improve oneself...

Bellefonte proudly proclaims to be “Central Pennsylvania’s Victorian Secret” with it’s charming homes in a modern world, but it is no secret to anglers that it also holds a charm all its own when it comes to fly fishing. Nestled in the Nittany Valley of Centre County, Bellefonte is home to some of the premier fly-fishing waters in Pennsylvania. The members of PaFlyFish.com have selected Bellefonte, Pennsylvania as the Best Fly Fishing Town in Pennsylvania for 2009.

Anglers enjoy the world-class fly-fishing waters of Spring Creek that meanders through the town. Other prominent streams such as Penns Creek, Fishing Creek, Spruce Creek and the Little Juniata River are all in close proximity too. The mountain fed and limestone streams provide cool productive waters through out the year that are a delight to fly fishing enthusiasts.

Members of the Pennsylvania fly-fishing community at PaFlyFish.com resoundingly selected Bellefonte in a recent poll as the Best Fly Fishing Town in Pennsylvania. Selected for not only the close proximity to the many wonderful streams in the area, but its hospitality, shops, dining and accommodations. With a lodging named the Riffles and Runs Bed and Breakfast how can this not be a wonderful fly fishing town.

Bill Simmeth, member at PaFlyfish.com adds, “If I would ever move somewhere close to good fly fishing, Bellefonte would be at the top of my list. The town has all the amenities a fly fisherman could want with good restaurants, accommodations and two great fly shops nearby. Yet it still has that nice small town feel to it."

Walt Goldman, Mayor of Bellefonte, commented, “We are thrilled to hear that Bellefonte has been recognized for this wonderful designation. Bellefonte welcomes all fly fishing anglers to come and visit our wonderful town."

Thanks to www.VisitPa.com for the Bellefonte picture.

I am 39 years of age but I act like my shoe size- just ask my friends.

Great information. Get out and fish this hatch!

Well off to the PaFlyFish Jamboree for the weekend. We are looking forward to a great weekend of friends, sun, fun, bugs and trout. The forecast is Sulphurs, BWO, Light Cahills and chance of a passing storm late Saturday afternoon. All to be expected.

I hope anyone who can make it takes advantage of this opportunity to put a face with the names you see on the board. Every Jam for the past 10 years have been friendly and fun experience.

Hemlock Acres Campground
Sigler-Mainheim Pike
Coburn, PA 16832

Author: Bob Bastian
No one really knows when fly fishing first began. It is believed that it existed long ago in ancient times. One of the earliest written references to fly fishing was made by Claudius Aelianus. In 200 AD he wrote of people that were fishing in a river with a hand made fly. He described how they attached red wool and feathers to a hook. The rods they used and the sting attached were each about six feet long. These people were the ancient Macedonians. Throughout history from Aelianus to the present people have been writing about fly fishing, and many thousands of others have been enjoying the sport.

The Princess of Soapwell, English, was an avid fly fisherman. Her name was Dame Juliana Berners and she was a master at her sport. At the time Columbus was searching for the New World, Dame Juliana was publishing an extensive treatise on the art of fly fishing. In her treatise she described the twelve styles of fly and included extensive instructions on how to tie them. She patterns were put into categories by the month that they were used most often.

She also described the rod that was used for fly fishing during that time. It measured about 18 feet long and was very flexible, The rods were made of several different types of wood which added to their flexibility. Their lines were short, by today's standards, and were made of hand braided horse hair. The general rule of the time was that the line should not be longer then the fishing rod. The line was tied to the tip of the pole.

Many fly fishermen of today have used her patterns for the fly. They say they are just as effective today as they were more than five hundred years ago. Several of the more popular patterns include the Black Gnat, the Wooly Worm, the Stonefly and the Whirling Dun.

In the mid 1600's Isaak Walton published his book "Compleat Angler." Throughout history from then on, Izaak...

This certainly has been one of the more popular questions asked at PaFlyFish.com. Truthfully the answer is bigger than the question and one worth exploring. There are hundreds of fantastic streams for all types of anglers in Pennsylvania. A little homework will yield you your own personal hot spots.

PaFlyFish.com is chocked full of maps, tips, news, stories and conversations already at you fingertips. Pennsylvania is a sizable state so starting with the Pa Trout Streams section under the site menu is a good place to begin. There are six regions with hundreds of stocked and special regulation streams that are ideal for fly fishing. Take advantage of the maps to explore the areas you want to travel.

A little searching with some of those new stream names in the forums and stream reports can usually yield a string of information. A host of highly regarded authors can be found in the Fly Fishing Books section. Some good old fashion book reading is worth some time.

A quick trek to the PFBC website can offer an additional collection of streams and detailed regulations.

Finally, time with your local fly shop and Trout Unlimited Chapter are wonderful places to meet up with others. They can provide any number of classes, workshops, and conservation opportunities.

With the arm chair work complete go explore the state. Some of the best places you’ll find will likely be the ones you didn’t set out for when you got started. There may not be an easy button here, but the journey is part of the catch.

by Woody Banks



Fly selection can be most complex for the fly fisher during an insect hatch. During a hatch the fish feed selectively on the most abundant insect form in or on the water. To be armed with the perfect imitation, in size, form, and color, for each phase of every hatch he may encounter, the fly fisherman would need hundreds of fly patterns in dozens of sizes. One current catalog lists forty-six patterns in five sizes to imitate the phases of one mayfly's life cycle.

Mayfly color can vary considerably, even during the same hatch on the same riffle. Under different light and water conditions, a fly can take a variety of manifestations to the trout. Flies appear differently to fish on cloudy days,on bright days, under the direct light at noon, and in the low angle light of morning and evening. Fish perceive flies differently on riffles than on smooth slicks. Murky water following a rain will alter the trouts view of a fly.

A recent update to the site includes new Google Maps of all the Special Regulation Streams in Pennsylvania. The stream locations are divided up into six areas of the state. The new maps provide an easier and more visual way to find many of the states special projects that focus on some of the best trout fishing in Pennsylvania.



The power of Google Maps help provide detail locations and easy driving directions to over a hundred fabulous locations across the state.

The project has been a special collaboration of many of the PaFlyFish members who really provided expertise on the locations of the streams. The new maps provide the framework for more and new information about stream locations across the state.