S6, Ep 48: Rain or Shine: Central PA's Fishing Report with TCO Fly Shop
On the latest episode of The Articulate Fly, host Marvin Cash is joined by George Costa from TCO Fly Shop in State College for a central PA fishing report that's as real-time as it gets. George, ever the optimist despite the soggy conditions, gives us the lowdown on the rising rivers and how the recent deluge is affecting local hatches and fishing prospects.
With the Juniata and other waterways already swollen, George shares his insights on where to find fishable water and how to adapt techniques for success. Expect to hear about the strong sulphur and March brown hatches that have been delighting anglers, and get tips on dry fly fishing in murky conditions, streamer tactics and the underrated effectiveness of wormy patterns along the banks.
Marvin and George also discuss the community's buzz around the new TCO Fly Shop in Muncy, the upcoming All Fins In tournament benefiting the Clearwater Conservancy and the hot demand for fly fishing classes and guide trips.
As always, we encourage your questions and offer the chance to win some Articulate Fly swag and other cool prizes from the shop. So, stay dry, stay safe and, remember, when the rivers recede, it's your time to shine. Tight lines!
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Speaker:
Marvin: Hey folks, it's Marvin Cash, the host of the Articulate Fly,
Speaker:
Marvin: and we're back with another Central PA Fishing Report with George Costa of TCO
Speaker:
Marvin: Fly Shop and State College. How are you doing, George?
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George: I'm amazing as always, but a little wet today.
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Marvin: Yeah, I was going to say, I took a look at your weather. I was actually shocked
Speaker:
Marvin: you got your guide trip in yesterday, but you're going to get kind of rained
Speaker:
Marvin: on probably, I don't know, six or seven of the next 10 days?
Speaker:
George: Yeah, they're calling for a fair amount. It started last night,
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George: so we've probably got about a half an inch or so out there.
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George: Everything is creeping up. So everything's getting high and getting off color.
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George: The Jays are already blown.
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George: Spring is on the rise. Penn's is on the rise. Fishing Creek's on the rise.
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George: We're supposed to get the bulk of it today into tonight.
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George: Tomorrow, Saturday, and Sunday, we're only supposed to get maybe another tenth to a quarter.
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George: so I think the rivers are probably going to creep
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George: start creeping down by tomorrow night I want to be
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George: optimistic about and say we're still going to be able to fish Sunday tomorrow
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George: spring may be fishable along the edges I don't think it's going to get gross
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George: like it did about a month ago but we definitely got enough rain to you know
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George: put a damper on things for the for the foreseeable couple of days here so that
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George: kind of that kind of stinks since our hatches are really starting to get strong right now.
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George: We've had great sulpers, great March browns.
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George: Tank had us have been good.
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George: So we're right in the thick of it now. But, you know, this is this will happen
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George: from time to time where you get a couple days where we can't fish.
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George: But, you know, next week the long term forecast is still looking a little rainy.
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George: But, you know, who knows? It's only 20 percent, 30 percent.
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George: They start doing that and, you know, got to wait till a day out to really get
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George: a good idea of what's happening.
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Marvin: Yeah. So it sounds like probably maybe streamer fishing on Sunday,
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Marvin: maybe jigging streamers on the edges is stuff like that?
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George: Sure, yeah. You can definitely throw some streamers. I think that streamers
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George: are going to be a good option.
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George: I think that those, you know, little wormy patterns along the edges are going to be good options.
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George: And, you know, plenty of fish move to the edges and if there's still good hatches,
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George: you can still get plenty of dry flights in the dirty water.
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George: You're just going to be fishing the skinny stuff where the fish can actually
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George: see up and, you know, clarity is going to be key to dry fly fishing if anything
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George: is available this next coming day.
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George: So, got to just kind of pay attention to what's going on.
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Marvin: Yeah, just step in and see if you can see your boots, right?
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George: Exactly. If you can't see your boots, you probably should go see a movie.
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Marvin: Speaking of, what do you suggest?
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George: I have no idea.
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Marvin: You got to prepare better than that, George. Oh, man, I'm not prepared. There you go.
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Marvin: Well, you know, folks, we love questions at the Articulate Fly.
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Marvin: You can email them to us or DM us on social media, whatever is easiest for you.
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Marvin: And if we use your question, I will send you some Articulate Fly swag.
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Marvin: And we will have a drawing for something cool from the shop at the end of the
Speaker:
Marvin: season. And, George, before I let you go, I guess a couple of things.
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Marvin: One, I saw stuff on social media. You've got your new store up and running,
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Marvin: but I know you've also got a fishing tournament coming up too, right?
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George: Yeah, that's right. Yeah, we've got a couple of fun things. The Muncie store
Speaker:
George: up in the Williamsport area is up and running there. They've been open a couple weeks.
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George: So if you're up in the Muncie Williamsport area, go and check out our new store
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George: at the EuroOptics building there in Muncie, PA.
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George: We do have our All Fins In tournament coming up. It's second week of June.
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George: It's a fantastic tournament. tournament it is um
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George: just great it's been this is the fifth year we've done it um super fun go catch
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George: as many species of fish as possible in the pennsylvania central pa area we've
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George: got a great turnout it's for a great organization we'll proceed to go to clearwater
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George: conservation so a couple of really cool things coming up this spring and summer
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George: um yeah that's about it yeah.
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Marvin: And do you have i bet you have some uh learning to fly fish uh classes going on this summer too right.
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George: If i I have any classes open. I mean, most of those things fill up.
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George: We do have some classes available.
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George: I think I have space maybe for my June class, but I'm pretty sure that my May class is full.
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George: So check out the website, tcoflyfishing.com.
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George: And we've got all the classes for all our stores listed on there.
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Marvin: Yeah. And of course, if you wanted to book a guide trip, you should have done that yesterday, right?
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George: You should have done that last month.
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George: pretty much well.
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Marvin: Before i let you get back to the joy and rapture that is retail and fly fishing
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Marvin: you want to let folks know.
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George: Uh yeah shop.
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Marvin: Hours the location all that kind of good stuff.
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George: Absolutely our hours um here in state college are nine to six um monday through
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George: saturday nine to three on sunday all our other stores have similar hours um
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George: check us out here or on the website, tcoflyfishing.com.
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Marvin: Yeah, well, there you go. Well, listen, folks, you know, when the water drops, don't be stupid.
Speaker:
Marvin: Carry a waiting staff and be careful. You know, you owe it to yourself to get
Speaker:
Marvin: out there and catch a few. Tight lines, everybody. Tight lines, George.
Speaker:
George: Take it easy, Mark.
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