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#1 Dec-30-22 11:59AM

Paul Naj
Northern Snakehead
Registered: May-20-08
Posts: 385

Fall / Winter Trout Fishing

I’ve had some awesome trout fishing the past month but haven’t had time to create a post. I’m finally getting caught up, so here are 4 different trips between November 27th and December 30th. Enjoy.

November 27th- Little Juniata River

Post Thanksgiving trip and the day was wonderful. Little to no wind, rainy and not a soul in sight. Landed  14 fish including a beautiful wild rainbow trout. Apparently they are spawning successfully in Spruce Creek and other tributaries to “the J”. This is a good sign of the health of the river.

https://i.imgur.com/VRk4Jlo.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/1mrAU4i.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/Q0VpJ8L.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/NVoA4Ja.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/EyMSdyW.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/G8jlkrl.jpg

More to come….

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#2 Dec-30-22 12:21PM

Ernie
Administrator
From: Ashburn VA
Registered: Feb-03-06
Posts: 15560

Re: Fall / Winter Trout Fishing

Beautiful colors on those fishies!


Time to go fishin' again!

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#3 Dec-30-22 12:25PM

Paul Naj
Northern Snakehead
Registered: May-20-08
Posts: 385

Re: Fall / Winter Trout Fishing

December 3rd, 4th and 5th- Erie PA

Steelhead time! My 2nd year going up. Booked 3 days up there this time and I’m glad I did. Was meeting my guide / friend, Alex Kolivras, who operates out of TCO Fly Shop in Boiling Springs (plug for him). He guides in Erie from late September through “it’s too damn cold to be out here”. Alex has a genuine passion for this game and he knows the fishery well. The plan was to do 2 days with him and a day on my own in between. I’m glad I booked two days as Saturday was a blow out from severe winds and muddy water from run off. His Sunday cancelled so I got two days in with him.

The fishing was spectacular. From fish stacked in beautiful deep runs, to sight fishing in low and shallow water, Alex landing a rare Erie brown trout on my new 6 weight Euro nymphing rod, to catching fish on my attractor stone fly pattern that I tied. This trip had everything. I even had my shot at a legitimate 30 inch plus, 10 lb. plus male that I  had hooked for at least 5 minutes. The fight was epic and he ended up rolling on the surface and the hook just pulled. Even caught a fish that broke me off earlier in the day that had my fly in its mouth.

This is a spectacular fishery. Can’t wait to do it again next year. If we get a weather break in February or March, I may not wait that long.

https://i.imgur.com/yR4MrmA.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/XWUAvCC.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/9f8pSEh.jpg
Chrome!
https://i.imgur.com/KG6ghWc.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/27TUBqX.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/3qBqX0u.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/fOBceNC.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/RQsHZY1.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/ggaj7PY.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/AjW06tU.jpg

Last edited by Paul Naj (Dec-30-22 12:32PM)

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#4 Dec-30-22 12:32PM

Paul Naj
Northern Snakehead
Registered: May-20-08
Posts: 385

Re: Fall / Winter Trout Fishing

December 11th- Back to the Little J

More great fishing for wild browns. Landed 17 fish on the stone fly and olive quill nymph. Another day with total solitude and great fishing.

https://i.imgur.com/rSieuYK.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/WN4yR4a.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/cK4Xfwk.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/CbXTkoy.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/J81cUoo.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/t6EPJJq.jpg

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#5 Dec-30-22 12:42PM

Paul Naj
Northern Snakehead
Registered: May-20-08
Posts: 385

Re: Fall / Winter Trout Fishing

December 29- Can’t stay away from the J

I intended to fish a couple of new spots this trip but the snow on the ground made it difficult to figure out where I could legally park, getting down steeper banks, etc, so I went back to my trusty winter spot. Boy am I glad I did.

I wasn’t sure what to expect as we just came off of a real cold spell up there, the water was COLD from that cold spell and snow, but it was supposed to get to 50 yesterday so I gave it a shot. BTW, it never felt like 50. The cold water and snow on the banks kept the air around the stream cold and standing thigh deep in high 30 degree water was "invigorating".

I put 24 fish in the net including my first landed double. The biggest of the day was a fraction shy of 18 inches and I had a dozen fish in the first hour and I barely moved my feet. They were stacked! The rest of the day was a pick but still good fishing. The olive quill was king this trip.

https://i.imgur.com/bmo7oQw.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/L49KDB7.jpg

Twins with fins
https://i.imgur.com/MXF5vgA.jpg

Pretty spawned out female
https://i.imgur.com/Ah7JDIY.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/q2yuvNd.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/9F1KOTw.jpg

Not sure why the pics are so large, I reduced them all down to 640 X 480??/

That’s all for now.

Last edited by Paul Naj (Dec-30-22 3:36PM)

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#6 Dec-30-22 1:00PM

Ernie
Administrator
From: Ashburn VA
Registered: Feb-03-06
Posts: 15560

Re: Fall / Winter Trout Fishing

The pics came out just fine!!


Time to go fishin' again!

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#7 Dec-30-22 1:56PM

drxfish
Patagonian Toothfish
From: Sterling
Registered: Jan-04-14
Posts: 2973

Re: Fall / Winter Trout Fishing

Beauties for sure!  Sounds like a cold, but productive second trip.  Congrats!


Always wishin' I was fishin'

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#8 Dec-30-22 2:59PM

Paul Naj
Northern Snakehead
Registered: May-20-08
Posts: 385

Re: Fall / Winter Trout Fishing

This particular spot was my favorite. VERY technical and challenging, but stacked with fish. Too far to the right and you got nothing, too far to the left and you caught the brush pile over my head, too close to the middle and you got hung up, but it was stacked with big fish. The two red lines I drew are shale ledges. Even when you placed the cast correctly (the green oval which was about 3 feet long and 2 feet wide), you had to keep the fly suspended over the first ledge, drop it to the fish and pick it up before the second or you’d get hung up. The fish were in the hole between the ledges. The red circle to the left was an overhanging rock that the fish would try and dive under. We were standing just out of the picture on the base of it.

https://i.imgur.com/gMAlFAd.jpg[

Here are two videos of Alex fishing this spot. One shows how hot these fish are in that pool and the other an epic battle that takes him under a tree stuck on the overhanging rock. It’s amazing that I was able to land 5 fish in this spot.

https://youtu.be/PpqVy5HtYHM

https://youtu.be/eojXgsZoMAk

Last edited by Paul Naj (Dec-30-22 3:38PM)

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#9 Dec-31-22 6:29AM

hookup
Patagonian Toothfish
Registered: Jan-31-12
Posts: 2299

Re: Fall / Winter Trout Fishing

Nice fish and thx for sharing

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#10 Jan-03-23 9:33AM

Bryan
Patagonian Toothfish
From: Bealeton, VA
Registered: Mar-18-11
Posts: 1194

Re: Fall / Winter Trout Fishing

Great report and pics. I think my favorite thing about trout fishing is the scenery.


tight lines

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#11 Jan-04-23 12:37PM

backtofuturetoyota
Patagonian Toothfish
From: Stafford
Registered: Jan-12-12
Posts: 826

Re: Fall / Winter Trout Fishing

Wow!  The trout are all beautiful.  Talk about great holes.....I'm seriously looking at trips up north also.  I may have to look into your buddy!

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#12 Jan-08-23 1:11PM

Paul Naj
Northern Snakehead
Registered: May-20-08
Posts: 385

Re: Fall / Winter Trout Fishing

backtofuturetoyota wrote:

Wow!  The trout are all beautiful.  Talk about great holes.....I'm seriously looking at trips up north also.  I may have to look into your buddy!

You won't be disappointed. He will work hard for you. Hell, he even put Ernie on fish. lol
FYI, he was my guide first and became a friend after.

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#13 Jan-09-23 5:01AM

backtofuturetoyota
Patagonian Toothfish
From: Stafford
Registered: Jan-12-12
Posts: 826

Re: Fall / Winter Trout Fishing

Paul Naj wrote:

backtofuturetoyota wrote:

Wow!  The trout are all beautiful.  Talk about great holes.....I'm seriously looking at trips up north also.  I may have to look into your buddy!

You won't be disappointed. He will work hard for you. Hell, he even put Ernie on fish. lol
FYI, he was my guide first and became a friend after.

I was totally believing you until you stated he'll put Ernie on fish....hahahahah.  just kidding ernie!

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#14 Jan-09-23 6:04AM

Ernie
Administrator
From: Ashburn VA
Registered: Feb-03-06
Posts: 15560

Re: Fall / Winter Trout Fishing

backtofuturetoyota wrote:

I was totally believing you until you stated he'll put Ernie on fish....hahahahah.  just kidding ernie!

Even Alex was surprised. lol Heck, we had epic catching on the Letort (guide record). That creek was highly technical. Lots of rock and stump climbing. And he got me one on the last creek from shore after my waders had sprung a leak (couldn't get back in the water).

I highly recommend Alex.


Time to go fishin' again!

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