4 minute read
NOT JUST FOR experts Fly fishing fun at every level
Story by Anna Wiest | Photos by Robert Inglis
Frank Angelo, who lives in McClure, has been flyfishing since he was eight-years-old. According to him, this unique sport demands time, dedication and persistence.
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According to Angelo and other anglers in the state, Pennsylvania waters, especially Penns Creek, offer some of the very best locations for fly-fishermen to practice their skills.
The basic technique used in fly-fishing is different from the standard fishing practice of dropping a line in the water with a tasty-to-the-fish treat attached to the hook. In fly-fishing, the fisherman uses a weighted line to present a fly floating above the fish.
While fly-fishing can be difficult to master, Angelo said, “You have to practice and get out on the stream. You’re allowed to snag trees and catch rocks,” he said. “(But), it’s not nearly as hard as most people think it is.”
Angelo, now 72, said it had always been his dream to run a fly-fishing school. In 1988, he found the perfect property in Snyder County to put his dream into action.
Today, Angelo continues to teach the sport he loves and said he can prepare students to get started on their own in just two and a half days.
Angelo’s Foundation Program begins in his backyard. “We pick up stuff from behind the house and create flies with feathers and furs on a hook that imitates what fish feed on. We teach students the basics of how to tie flies,” Angelo said. “We do casting instruction starting in the backyard and then go to the stream behind the house. On the third day, we go out all day long on Penns Creek or Middle Creek.”
Penns Creek is a 67-mile-long treasure for anglers from all over Pennsylvania. “It’s a world-class trout stream,” said Kurt Francis, an avid fly fisherman from Sunbury. “It has naturally produced brown trout, can hold some large fish and offers some really challenging fishing.”
Another attribute of Penns Creek is its eco-diversity, according to Bruce Fisher, owner of Penns Creek Angler in Weikert. “Penns Creek is unique because it has 50 fishable hatches, while most creeks have only 10 to 12, " he said. “The diversity of mayflies and insect life is the best on the East coast and is why I chose to open my shop here.” The bugs surrounding this creek are also larger than most, Fisher added.
Francis said he is especially fond of certain spots along Penns Creek. “You have to go to the right places. I like to start around the Millmont area and go all the way up to Penns Cave,” he said. “I love to fish Spring Creek, which runs from State College to Bellefonte.”
Likewise, Angelo said he has his own favorite spot. “When
I moved here and searched for places to teach, I found a spot I liked on Middle Creek,” he said. “People now call it Frank’s Rock Hole. I’ve taught probably hundreds of students from that spot.”
Though its waters are a favorite of fly fishers, Penns Creek is not the only stream in Pa. where anglers cast flies. “From what I’ve heard," he said, "Pennsylvania has more fishable streams than most states in the country.”
Novice fly fishers often think expensive equipment is necessary for the sport, but that is not necessarily the case, according to Angelo. “People come to me with expensive equipment that they don’t know how to use, and I say, ‘you don’t really need that,’” he said.
“There is some investment, but there are bottom, mid, and top shelves. You can still get good equipment for a reasonable price,” Francis explained. “You need a fly rod and reel, flies and waders to get into the stream. Once you get into it, you realize there's a host of things you can buy.”
Another Valley equipment spot is Old Trail Tackle & Sports in Shamokin Dam. Carl Shingara has helped out at Old Trail for about 18 years. He said the shop — which has been in business for 40 years — is a specialty store that sells lots of fishing equipment. Some fishermen tie their own ties, but some simply go to Old Trail where the ties were created by a professional — each an individual treasure.
An essential to the sport, Francis said, is attitude. “You have to be somewhat of an environmentalist. You don’t want to see garbage in the water,” he said. “Most of the time, I catch and release. Releasing it, you know that there’s fish in the stream. I love to see trout in the streams and know that they’re there.”
Angelo has taught an array of students, from those who have never touched a rod to those wanting to cast longdistance. His favorite part of the instruction is watching others experience the sport. “I want people to experience the environment and how beautiful it is. The beauty of fly casting and hooking a fish,” he said. “I’ve done it so many times, but I love to watch people.”
Francis agreed that the excitement of a trout taking your fly is like no other. “Once you get that trout to come take your fly, that’s the end. Bringing it in offers that excitement,” he said. “The climax is the trout taking your fly, and if you happen to tie that fly, it’s even more of a gratification.”
Angelo’s love for the sport began at a young age and has become a constant in his life. “I started my career at the Harrisburg sports show at eight-years-old. I was fascinated by a guy tying flies who took me behind his table and showed me how to do it,” he said. “I’ve been privileged enough to work with some pro companies including Fenwich, Courtland Line Company, St. Croix Rod Company and Temple Fork Outfitters. I’ve really made a career out of fly-fishing.”
Fly-fishing is a favorite of kids-at-heart who love to play in the water, Francis said. “When I was a kid, I loved playing in the water and in the little creek next to my house that had some brook trout in it,” he said. “I’m now 65, but still a kid who loves to play in the water."
