Dahlberg weekend 1/23-1/24

With the Dahlberg Cup Banquet at 5pm in the Highlands, I thought it best to fish as many places as possible before hand. With rain and a lot of meltoff, Meadow was supposed to be blown out, so I started at Dunbar Creek. I fished a small caddis dry to attempt to get something to take a dry, had one take a swipe, then nothing after that. Water was great color, but very very cold. Headed over the ridge to meet Eric at Allen Creek, saw a few fish, highlight was Eric's valiant attempt to reclaim his fly in the tree. We fished down Allen Creek, saw one trout. Fished into Laurel Hill Creek and down about a mile. I had one hit and hook up, but my skills let me down and the fish was off after a good fight.

At the Banquet I met some local guides and gained some awesome insight into fishing Western PA and the area. Came in 4th place this year behind Dale, Sean and Rob. But I did win the North of the Boarder award!

Headed to Eric's around midnight, got some sleep. Woke up to find these little boys crying and looking for attention.

Eric and I tried to fish his club's ponds, only to find out that it's closed for a few months. Hit a few native areas, Eric caught this Beauty of a Brookie in Linn Run.

Headed toward Latrobe, stopped on Loyalhanna under the Road Road on Route 30. Not long after Eric caught this Tiger Trout.

Rain started pouring and it was getting cold. Packed it up and headed to Sharkey's for lunch with Eric, Erica and the babies, and Annie then headed home.

Little Juniata and Spruce Creek 1/16/2010

Needing to fish, and most of our mountain streams locked up with ice we headed to central PA for a day trip to some spring fed streams that wouldn't be frozen. Left Dormont at 7, and Logan was kind enough to drive my car since i was still feeling the effects of Mexi Casa's after hour shot specials. Got into the water on the Little J right behind the fly shop, swung a big streamer for a while, wasn't feeling so great. Stopped and fished behing the yellow house a few miles up stream. Saw a few fish and some tiny midges coming off. No such luck there. Went over to the Penn State section of Spruce Creek, the mile or so section that Donnie Beaver doesn't have control of.

Water was beautiful

Pulled up this 17" rainbow Small green cadis pupaMr. Beaver lost a sign...More Stream pics

Logan rolled a steelhead of a trout in the deepest hole we found. So we fished for it fo the remaining hour or so we had.

Here's Andrea's first fly she's tied. Not too bad Eh?

2009 in Review/ Goals for 2010

2009 was a blast. Keeping up with a blog was fun, I might as well keep it going

Fished PA, MD, WV, Ontario, Quebec, Mexico.

Caught wild Rainbows, Brookies, and Browns.

Landed a pike on the Fly.

Broke a fly rod on a fish.

Fished The Letort, North Branch and The Savage

Fishing Goals for 2010:
Catch a trout on a dry fly all 12 months of the year.
Get Andrea "hooked".
Improve my caveman-like fly tying skills.
Use more dry/dropper rigs, or nymph/bugger droppers.
Improve my line to line knots.
Fish out West.
Catch something through the ice.
Musky and Walleye on the fly.
Improve on my Caveman-like tying skills.
Continue to have fun.

12/27 Piney/peters

Struggling to recover after a night at The Clarks show, I met up with Logan for a few hours before the Steelers game. Using the same big streamer, I managed one trout in the first 4 minutes, then zoned out the rest of the day and didnt land a fish. Nursing a hangover and a banged up toe, I stumbled and bumbled through the streams trying not to take a swim.

Logan landed 2 in the course of the day.Once i landed this sweet native on the swing, I knew our day was over.
Headed to my parents house to watch the Steeler game and snooooooze

Christmas Morning

Made the annual Christmas Morning trip over to Piney Run for some winter trout before we opened gifts. This year dad accompanied me into the cold. Decided to use a huge atriculated streamer that I had recently bought. I had been doing good on black buggers, so this fly might get some hits.

I landed these two trout in a steady freezing rain

Moved locations a few times, mostly to blast the heater in the car on the way.

Stopped at one last spot, knew Dad should catch one here.

Dad will be bringing gloves next time.

Erie with Ben 12/19-20

Andrea was meeting up with her gal pak from home in Buffalo for the weekend, so she dropped me off with fishing gear in Erie. Spent a few days with Ben trying to catch some steelies before the streams froze up. Got a late start after taking 3 and a half hours to get from Pittsburgh to Erie because of a snow storm, got started around noon on 20 mile. Ben landed a couple, then I hooked into a hawg.

Fished 20 for a while, then headed over to 16, met up with Logan and his buddy, lower 16 was devoid of fish, so we headed to the Walnut Project waters around 430pm. walked up to the chutes, very few fish seen. Hooked up with one, but it shook lose after a short battle. Things were starting to freeze up. Got showered and warmed up at Ben's place then went to Night Flights where the cold Labatts and Cajun Ranch wings hit several spots.

Up early on Sunday we headed to 16 mile. Had a few hook ups all day, none landed... Also tried at 12 mile, to no avail before meeting back with Andrea and making the 2 hour commute to Grandma's for dinner.

Snow Flies- Piney Run 12/5

The snow was forcast, the cold was already here. Didn't feel like heading to the Highlands, or Erie, so stayed local and fished my favorite ditch with Sean Brady. I'd been telling him about this little stream for a few years and we finally got out. Decided not to try any Trout power worms and stick with the flies...

As usual i was getting my luck on a weighted black bugger. Landed a total of 6, missed atleast a dozen. Sean was doing well on his egg/nymph dropper, getting 6 as well on the lower nymph.

Great to get out in the colder weather with some snow flying.