Reckless Outdoors: From Penns Creek with Love

This weekend, I was in the happiest place on Earth, and no, I'm not talking about Disney World. I'm talking about State College. Known as the happiest of valleys, State is not only home to Pennsylvania State University, but it has some of the best fly fishing on the Eastern Seaboard. After a long week of school, I was ready for a fun weekend come Friday afternoon. As soon as the bell rang, I was on my way to my car and headed to State College. After a looonnnngggg wait in traffic to get onto the PA Turnpike, I was on my way. I pulled into State College around 7 o'clock and headed for my buddy's dorm.

After a good night, I awoke the next morning to pouring rain and rapidly rising water. I headed to TCO State College to shoot the breeze and hang out until the rain slowed down. Upon walking in to the store, however, there was a ton of unexplained water on the ground. Turns out the hot water heater blew a leak and flooded the back room of the shop. I ended up "working" for a couple of hours to help out with the clean up and with some customers. It continued to rain on and off and the weather was not looking promising for the rest of the evening. The rain slowed down though, and a couple hours later, I headed to Penns Creek for a few hours with Steve from TCO Bryn Mawr and TCO Bryn Mawr head guide Jim Lewis. Both are outstanding anglers and real good dudes. We all caught a few fish on Hendricksons as there were a few sporadic risers here and there, but nothing fantastic.

Steve with a beautiful Penns fish

My first fish of the trip

And a dinker at the end on Saturday evening

Ah, Sunday. Sunday was the best day of dry fly fishing I have ever experienced, and quite possibly the best day I have ever spent on the water. This has been a great season so far, with a lot of really good days on Valley and now Sunday. Steve and I headed back to Penns on Sunday and I am so glad we did. We fished for quite some time with NOTHING happening. Steve had seen a few super random and sporadic risers here and there and I had spent a ton of time nymphing some great looking water with nothing to show for our efforts. Then around 1:30, it happened. The few Hendricksons on the water became hundreds of thousands and Steve and I were all alone. We had the entire stretch of creek to ourselves and a nearly unlimited number of rising fish. We fished until dark catching an absurd number of fish, all of which ate a dry fly. The fishing was fast and furious, but it all ended just as quickly as it had started. From start to finish, it was unbelievable and I was so glad I got to share it with my good friend Steve. The fish were fat and healthy, and I got pics of lots of them. Check out my favorite pictures of the day below.

Fish number one for me