I am very loyal to Lycoming Creek. It is where I do 94% of my fishing. There is no need to travel when you routinely catch fish. Backyard kids. I have successfully navigated its entire length. From her headwaters above Ralston to the mighty Susquehanna. Bodines to Camp Susque. The old airport and Powys. Haleeka to the 973 green bridge. Hepburnville and the Heshbon. High Street to Memorial. I’ve fished them all. I started back in high school. I haven’t stopped since. The same stretches. OK, some spots are better than others. But I do have great success within the city limits.

Lycoming Creek is a very unique and healthy waterway. I lost count, but I have been very fortunate to land all types of species. Rainbows, Brooks, Browns, and even a Tiger. Most are stocked, but you would be surprised by the number of wild trout. I landed a few Walleyes and even a small Musky. These encounters are extremely rare, and I consider myself quite lucky. Panfish. Carp. Catfish. Large and Smallmouth bass. You can’t make it up. If I am not extreme wading, I am in my kayak or canoe. It’s what I do. I guess you could say I am an expert on Lycoming.

My son and I have been out a lot. I cherish every moment. We usually sneak out after supper. A few of our favorite spots are in the 17728. The kid had no school on Tuesday due to the election. He took that opportunity to fish all day with his adorable girlfriend. They caught a few, and I was a tad jealous of their photos. I mowed the lawn after work and asked if he wanted to head out. Jensen declined. He said he was tired. No worries. I headed out solo.

The bug activity is picking up. This spring has been whacked. I am still throwing some nymphs, but I am starting to catch a few on top. All fishing is noble, but dry fishing is the very best. I stopped and fished at a familiar location. I was bouncing a peeping caddis on the bottom. The water was perfect. She was flowing. I managed to get a small stocky into my net. I continued to work on my drifts. I switched it up and tied on a PAUL JENSEN special. My friend from up north gave me a few of his tungsten crazy legs. They are magic. I moved downstream and saw a flash. OMG. That is a massive orange fish. It was sticking out like a sore thumb.

I quietly made my way into a better position. I made a cast upstream and let my fly do its thing. One pass. Nothing. I tried again. BANG. My indicator vanished. My drag started screaming. FISH ON. The large Golden went absolutely nuts. I was doing my best to keep him hooked. He headed south, and I was losing the battle. It reminded me of that epic scene from A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT. I frantically worked him over and reeled in when I saw the opportunity. I grabbed my phone and hit record. Just in case I ended up empty. The fight continued for another ten minutes. Look dude. I only want to borrow you for a few pictures. He eventually tired, and I grabbed him immediately. SUCCESS. Oh, what a beauty. Massive fish. The photos don’t do justice. Healthy. Strong. Solid. Gorgeous. I reached out to Jensen right away. He was so pissed.

There seems to be some confusion on what these critters are called. A GOLDEN RAINBOW (Oncorhynchus mykiss) is not to be confused with a GOLDEN TROUT (Oncorhynchus aguabonita) or a PALOMINO TROUT. Golden Trout are a distinct species native to specific regions of California, Montana, and Wyoming. They look nothing like these orange and yellow beasts. Initially, folks called them Palominos, but given their more vibrant colors, it is only proper to refer to them as GOLDEN RAINBOWS.

I have landed several of these fish throughout the years. A few on a spinner. Mostly with a nymph. They are super fun to catch. The younger generations will cast at them all day with no success. It remains on Jensen’s bucket list. Many of these engineered fish won’t make it past the summer. Ospreys and eagles can spot them from miles. Other predators take advantage, too. They stick out in the water. Nowhere to run. The Golden Rainbows have been in Pennsylvania for almost 50 years. Anglers continue to search in hopes of catching one.

Again. I have caught thousands of fish on Lycoming Creek. The latest GOLDEN RAINBOW belongs in the top five. He was a beauty. Fantastic fight. Great battle. One of my largest fish on a fly rod. I also loved my son’s reaction. He wasn’t proud. He was pissed at his father. Cheers.