Beautiful weather set the stage for Family Tyes's annual Fishing Creek trip.  While one may have hoped for more clouds, and the heavier hatches that come with them, the weekend-long sunshine made for an enjoyable trip for everyone.   Some arrived at the Conference Center on Friday, while others trickled in on Saturday morning.  Many people fished on Spring Creek Friday night and Saturday morning, and they found the water conditions less than favorable.  The extremely low and clear water put the trout in hiding and made the fishing difficult.  On Saturday afternoon, everyone made their way to the Conference Center.  By dinnertime, the largest gathering of the club in recent years was formed.  The food was prepared, and everyone sat down for dinner, the highlight of which was fifty or so juicy steaks.  Evening fishing plans were made during the meal, and after an anxious cleanup, groups headed out to Penn's Creek, Fishing Creek, and Spring Creek.  They all returned well after dark to share the stories of the evening's adventures.  Sam Happe, in particular, had a great evening of fishing at Fisherman's Paradise.  Sam, along with his father, Tom, experienced the thrill of fishing during a sulphur hatch.  To make the night even more memorable, Sam was skilled enough to coax a beautiful Spring Creek brown trout into taking a well placed dry fly; his first trout caught on top!

On Sunday morning, most people slept in a little longer than usual, still tired from the previous day's fishing.  Another fantastic breakfast was prepared, and yet again, after the cleanup, everyone headed out to hit the water.  As on Saturday, the group returned for an afternoon dinner, and then hoped back in the vehicles to get on the stream for the evening hatch. 

Monday brought on another superb day, along with a thorough cleaning of the Center.  Floors were swept and mopped, tables were wiped, and the supplies were packed up.  Eventually as the morning wore on, more and more people departed for home.  Most intended to fish a stream on the way back to break up the long trip.  When all was said and done, Fishing Creek 2006 was a successful trip in every aspect.  Every kid had a blast, and everyone there is surely looking forward to next year's trip with much excitement...

Some pictures from the trip...

Sam's first trout on a dry fly!
	Sam, Tom, and Luke Happe on the bridge outside the Conference Center
A recently hatched dragonfly dries it's wings
	Rich Jones casts to some feeding trout under the surface
A beautiful Penn's Creek male brown trout caught at dark
	Rob Brunner after releasing a fish on Spring Creek
The caddis hatch was heavy at times on Penn's Creek

 

Hi all! for those of you who do not know me, my name is Kurt Pawlak and I'm the new website contributor.  This just means I'll be writing many of the articles that will appear on this site.  I'm a mentor for the Pittsburgh Chapter, and will be a sophomore at Allegheny College this fall.  If you have any questions or comments, you can contact me through Mr. McKinney.
Brown trout caught on an Erie tributary	A nice spring run steelhead