Spring Creek – October Stream Report
Location: Centre County, PA | Report by Precision Fly and Tackle
Get to Know Spring Creek in October
Fall on Spring Creek is superb. Terrestrials still work on warm days, fall tricos can be excellent, and small olives take over in October, followed by tiny dark midges in the afternoons. The trout are big, wary and fully tuned to small flies, so keep your presentations subtle.
Stream Level
- Flow: Check the USGS gauge for Spring Creek before you go. Levels can change with rainfall.
- Forecast: Check the 7-day forecast for State College before you head out.
Water Clarity
- Condition: Clear in stable weather, a little stained after heavy rain
- Approach: Light tippet, long leaders and small flies when it's clear. Streamers when it's stained.
Fishing Overview
Ants and beetles on warm afternoons, small olives and midges when fish are rising, and a nymph or streamer the rest of the time. Cloudy days are best for olive hatches.
Specifics and Tips
- Best Times: Cloudy days, and afternoons for midges and olives
- Approach: Work the banks with terrestrials, and look for risers in slower water
- Presentation: A foam ant with a lightly weighted dropper is a great setup
What's Hatching
- Tricos (#20–24, mornings, early fall)
- Blue-Winged Olives (#18–20, best on overcast days)
- Midges (#22–28, afternoons)
- Terrestrials (ants and beetles on warm days)
Fly Patterns to Use
Dries:
- Blue-Winged Olive – #18–20
- Trico Spinner – #20–24
- Hi-Viz Flying Ant – #12–16
- Flying Black Ant – #12–18
- Flying Loco Beetle – #12–16
- Elk Hair Caddis, Brown – #14–18
Nymphs / Subsurface:
- Zebra Midge – #20–22
- Pheasant Tail – #18–22
- Woolly Bugger, Black – #8–12
- Woolhead Sculpin, Olive – #4–8
Know Before You Go
Most of Spring Creek is catch-and-release, all tackle. Fisherman's Paradise is a 1.3-mile catch-and-release, fly-fishing-only section where wading is not allowed. Check current PA Fish & Boat Commission regulations before you fish.
Precision Insight
Keep it subtle on Spring Creek. Fish small, watch for rises in the slower water, and keep a lightly weighted dropper under a foam ant for the in-between times.
