A few weeks into my time here the talk has been all about when the Grannoms will finally arrive. Being a fly fishing club, there is one notorious story around here. A few years back, a very nice woman who handles finances kept being asked when the Grannoms would arrive. She would answer both guides and other members that they have not been seen around yet. She did this for some time until she finally questioned “who are these Grannoms who everyone is asking about and why are they so important?” Little did she know that the Grannoms are only a type of caddis fly (known as the Mother’s Day Caddis back in Colorado) that this region is well known for. This made me laugh a bit but I, too, have been anxiously waiting for their arrival.
I thought I blew it this past weekend when I left for Connecticut for a wedding just as the rain seemed to be subsiding and leaves beginning to bud. Grannoms were indeed spotted the day after I left and I was very bummed I was set to miss the biggest hatch event that would take place during my time here in PA. Thankfully just as soon as Mother Nature decided to bless us with the first couple days of sun, she turned that switch right off again and opened the skies for more rain. When I arrived back on the rivers yesterday, some caddis were fluttering on the surface but the trout seemed to be uninterested still, as not one rise was spotted. Having an excellent flow, I coaxed another Colorado guide out onto the raft with me yesterday afternoon in hopes we could pick up a few munching on the surface. This did not happen but we remembered just how fun and exciting it can be when the water is high, visibility is a little off, and the fish are hungry. A big streamer cast tight up on the bank can surely wake them up. After the brief four mile float and about 8 fish in the net, countless others lost to missed hook sets and what had to be the fishes lack of aim for my streamers, we were back and content about the outing.
I sit here today under the shelter of the barn, repairing a raft and listening to the deafening paddle of the rain coming down thinking that the Grannoms will have to wait for a few more days before they arrive. Streamer fishing it is until the epic Pennsylvanian Grannom hatch can find a few nice days.
***If you find yourself itching for some exciting fishing and the water is blowing past you, tie on a stout leader and a streamer or two. Below you can see my favorite setup. I tie on a straight six foot section of 0X tippet to a big streamer. If the water is really off color, try a bright yellow or orange one and think big, like size 2 or 4 hook. From the bend of that hook, tie on another section of leader around 12-20’ behind it. I tie on slightly lighter leader for when I cast right into a tree. I use about 2X so I hopefully only lose one fly instead of both when I have to break it off. On this end I tie on a black or olive cone head bugger about size 6-8. Something about having a small streamer chasing the larger one really gets the fish intrigued.
If you are floating, cast right up on the bank and strip it back out about 5-10 feet. Recast and continue until you have caught too many fish or your arm falls off due to the heavy casting. Expect explosive takes right when the streamers hit the water or soon after. Also remember to “slip-set” your hooks rather than lifting your rod tip up. This will ensure a nice hookup.
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