Spring Creek Strategies: Hatches, Patterns, and Techniques

by Mike Heck

Overview

• Strategies for selective trout in clear water • New patterns designed for spring creeks and how to fish them • Simple explanations of the major hatches on spring creeks across the country Spring creeks, those rare waters that flow right out of the earth—in whole or in part—are both a blessing and a curse for anglers. They are a blessing because the clear, cold, nutrient-rich waters grow abundant insects, which in turn grow and sustain large populations of healthy trout. They flow free of ice in the winter and run cool during the hottest parts of summer, providing year-round angling. In many ways, this bounty becomes a curse, because the abundance and steady supply of food can spoil the trout, making them less likely to take a piece of fluff and feathers. Many spring creeks are also small, their challenges enhanced by weed-choked runs and tricky currents.Mike Heck, expert fly tier and guide from southcentral Pennsylvania, the cradle of American spring-creek country, shares the tactics and techniques he teaches his clients to catch these tough trout. Heck includes his top fly patterns, tips on matching the major hatches of Tricos, Baetis, and Sulphurs (PMDs), and his thoughts on stealth and presentation. Whether you fish Letort Spring Run in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, or DePuy's Spring Creek in Livingston, Montana, Heck's Spring Creek Strategies will help you become a more successful angler.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780811739061
Publisher:	Headwater Books
Publication date:	10/21/2020
Pages:	176
Product dimensions:	7.20(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Mike Heck grew up fishing the spring creeks of southcentral Pennsylvania. He is an Orvis-endorsed guide, fly designer, and contributor to Fly Fisherman, American Angler, and other publications. He lives in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments ix

Introduction 1

Chapter 1 Spring Creeks 5

Chapter 2 Mayflies 17

Chapter 3 Midges 41

Chapter 4 Caddis and Stoneflies 53

Chapter 5 Terrestrials 71

Chapter 6 Crustaceans and Baitfish 85

Chapter 7 Techniques 97

Chapter 8 Thinking Like a Predator 131

Chapter 9 Spring Creek Conservation 157

Index 163

Editorial Reviews

Mike Heck is a master of spring creek fishing as well as a fine fly tier. If you fish these sometimes difficult waters, read this book and you'll almost certainly catch more fish.

Lefty Kreh