March 2026 Conewago Creek
When: Saturday, March 28, 2026, 10:00 AM to 5:00PM
Where: Conewago Creek, near Gettysburg, PA.
Participants: Ron Briggs, David Engle, Karan Singh, Joe Taylor, Craig VanderKolk, and Ron Kerrick.
We had six people go on the chapter outing this past Saturday. We met at the PFBC Angler parking area on Zeigler Mill Road at 10:00 AM. Weather wise, it was a bit chilly because of the wind. When we started, the air temperature was about 36 degrees and sunny but with the wind gusts, it felt much colder. The water temperature was 42 degrees, clear, and the flow appeared to be at normal levels. Everyone started out fishing from the PFBC access lot, most of the group went downstream but Dave Engle and I tried upstream first. The wind wasn’t bad at the stream, probably because it’s protected by the trees. It was a lot more comfortable at the stream than it was at the parking lot.
We met back at the PFBC parking lot for a lunch of grilled hotdogs and beans. However, the wind back at the parking lot was still gusting pretty well, but at least the air temperature was starting to warm up.
After lunch, a couple of our group had to leave because of other commitments. The rest of us continued to fish from the PFBC lot. The afternoon remained sunny and windy, however the air warmed up, reaching 48 degrees by 5:00. I got skunked in the morning, so Ron Briggs took pity on me. He took me to his “honey hole” and told me where to cast my fly. I caught my first fish of the day (a nice 12” rainbow) using an orange egg, thanks Ron. Now that the stress was gone, I could relax. I moved downstream and caught four more rainbows (one - 10” and three - 12”) using a Blowtorch pattern. On the way back to the car at 5:00, I thought what the heck, one last cast in a nice pool near the parking lot before I leave. Wouldn’t you know it, hooked up with my best fish of the day. A stocky 16” rainbow that really bent my 4 weight and made my click & pawl scream a couple of times. That fish got my adrenaline going and while reaching down and trying to net him, I dropped my hat in the water, which immediately headed downstream. I did manage to get him in the net and then I chased down my hat (I really like that hat). I tossed my soaking wet hat up onto the stream bank so I could get a quick picture of the fish while trying to keep him in the water most of the time. While trying to take the picture, I dropped my rod in the water. What next! I felt like a clown. It would have been embarrassing if other people were there to witness my skill or lack thereof. I did get a lousy picture that doesn’t do the fish justice (looks a lot smaller), but that fish made my day.
Karan’s day – “On like my second cast with the Frenchie I thought I snagged the bottom but had hooked up with a monster (for me) 14-15" rainbow with just gorgeous red gill plate coloring. I can describe it because I got a good look at it while I couldn't get it into my net over the course of two tries (too much line out had left the fish just out of net reach), and it shook itself free after I again stripped in some line and was going for try #3. The fish actually bent the hook of the Frenchie”.
For the most part we had the stream all to ourselves and most of our members had success. A lot of flies were working today. People caught fish using egg patterns, stoneflies, BH pheasant tails, Blowtorch, San Juan Worm and Frenchies. Other than the chilly morning, it was a nice day to be out in nature and do some fishing.
See you all at the Casselman outing in April.
Ron Kerrick
