July 26, 2024

S6, Ep 82: Central PA Summer Fishing: Tricos and Terrestrials with George Costa

Join host Marvin Cash on The Articulate Fly for another Central PA Fishing Report with George Costa of TCO Fly Shop in State College. In this episode, George shares his recent vacation adventures on the Cape, including some successful striped bass and bluefish catches. They discuss the current fishing conditions in Central PA, noting the recent rains that have bumped up flows and added a bit of color to the water.

George provides insights into the fishing scene, highlighting the effectiveness of tricos in the early morning and the success of terrestrials like ants, beetles and crickets. He also touches on the benefits of fishing small streamers in stained water and the excellent topwater action for smallmouth bass. As always, George offers practical advice for making the most of your fishing trips during the summer season.

Whether you're a seasoned angler or new to the sport, this episode is packed with tips and updates to enhance your fishing adventures. Tight lines!

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Transcript

Speaker:

Marvin: Hey, folks, it's Marvin Cash, the host of the Articulate Fly.

 

 


Speaker:

Marvin: We're back with another Central PA Fishery Report with George Costa of TCO Fly

 

 


Speaker:

Marvin: Shop and State College. George, how are you?

 

 


Speaker:

George: Amazing as always, Marvin. How are you?

 

 


Speaker:

Marvin: I'm living the dream, and I know you are suffering from a little bit of vacation reentry.

 

 


Speaker:

George: Indeed. Always need a vacation for my vacation.

 

 


Speaker:

Marvin: There you go. And so you were out on the Cape. What do they call them up there?

 

 


Speaker:

Marvin: They call them stripas? Is that what they call them?

 

 


Speaker:

George: I believe so. I believe so, yes.

 

 


Speaker:

Marvin: And so did you catch any?

 

 


Speaker:

George: Yeah, I got a couple. Water was pretty warm up there, so, you know,

 

 


Speaker:

George: a couple fish, a couple bluefish, wasn't a bad time.

 

 


Speaker:

Marvin: Yeah, so did you just basically leave the family every morning and go fishing on your own?

 

 


Speaker:

George: That's pretty much it. I got a couple hours in the morning to myself.

 

 


Speaker:

Marvin: And then favorite vacation cocktail before we get down to business?

 

 


Speaker:

George: Rum in a glass.

 

 


Speaker:

Marvin: A short glass or a tall glass?

 

 


Speaker:

George: A tall glass maybe a little bit of lime on top.

 

 


Speaker:

Marvin: There you go um it's kind of uh it's like a martini

 

 


Speaker:

Marvin: version of a mojito right exactly and

 

 


Speaker:

Marvin: so you come back and it's interesting right you know it's been so hot on the

 

 


Speaker:

Marvin: eastern seaboard and it looks like you know at least temporarily temperatures

 

 


Speaker:

Marvin: are broken i know we were comparing notes before we started recording that you

 

 


Speaker:

Marvin: know down here it's cooler and it's been pretty wet and you've had kind of the

 

 


Speaker:

Marvin: same thing up in central pa PA.

 

 


Speaker:

George: Pretty much, yeah. I mean, we got a good shot of rain over the weekend,

 

 


Speaker:

George: and a bump flows up a good amount on just about everything.

 

 


Speaker:

George: So the creek's got a little high and a little off color, but everything has

 

 


Speaker:

George: pretty much dropped back down to reasonable levels now.

 

 


Speaker:

George: So the levels are, you know, typical summer flows, slightly above average on

 

 


Speaker:

George: some of the streams, and just a little bit of color left from the weekend's rain.

 

 


Speaker:

George: But the temps have been pretty good. We've had night temps down in the 50s and 60s.

 

 


Speaker:

George: So that's been pretty good. Um, and the day times have really not really got

 

 


Speaker:

George: much more than mid eighties this week.

 

 


Speaker:

George: So that's really helping to keep the fishing a little more active.

 

 


Speaker:

George: So temperatures still want to check midday, especially on the J,

 

 


Speaker:

George: especially on pens, because they definitely get hotter, but our spring's been

 

 


Speaker:

George: fishing well in the mornings, um, fishing Creek as well in the mornings have been good.

 

 


Speaker:

George: We've had trichos, um, early morning, you'll see them spinning and falling.

 

 


Speaker:

George: So the tricho hatch has been pretty solid so far this year.

 

 


Speaker:

George: um and then typical summertime you know stuff terrestrials ants beetles greenie

 

 


Speaker:

George: weenies crickets things like that have been working pretty well for everybody

 

 


Speaker:

George: fishing around here um and you know it's been good fishing but you know definitely

 

 


Speaker:

George: a morning game this time of year yeah.

 

 


Speaker:

Marvin: And i would imagine too with the stained water probably small streamers don't kill you either.

 

 


Speaker:

George: Yeah not too bad i haven't had too many people fishing with streamers uh during

 

 


Speaker:

George: the day but i mean the water is still kind of low and you know definitely avoid

 

 


Speaker:

George: those bright sunny days for streamer fishing this time of year the low light

 

 


Speaker:

George: conditions are going to be better even if the water is cloudy i.

 

 


Speaker:

Marvin: Got it and i guess too right you probably are hearing good things from your smallmouth fishermen.

 

 


Speaker:

George: Yeah for sure the smallie bite has been great top water has been excellent on

 

 


Speaker:

George: all the smallie streams so if you can get out and fish for some bass i would

 

 


Speaker:

George: definitely recommend that yeah.

 

 


Speaker:

Marvin: Well there you go well you know folks we love questions on the articulate fly

 

 


Speaker:

Marvin: you can email them to us or dm us on social media whatever is easiest for you

 

 


Speaker:

Marvin: and if we use your question I will send you some articulate fly swag.

 

 


Speaker:

Marvin: And we're going to be drawing for some cool stuff from the shop at the end of the season.

 

 


Speaker:

Marvin: And, George, before I let you go, you know, we're getting ready to cruise into

 

 


Speaker:

Marvin: that probably fall education, right?

 

 


Speaker:

Marvin: And stuff like that. You got stuff you want to kind of share with folks,

 

 


Speaker:

Marvin: either upcoming classes, might have some, you know.

 

 


Speaker:

George: Yeah, for sure.

 

 


Speaker:

Marvin: Yeah, end of season sales, all that kind of good stuff.

 

 


Speaker:

George: Absolutely. And we've got another Brew and Bugs schedule that Axe has been brewing

 

 


Speaker:

George: on August 18th up here in State College. I'm sorry, actually August 15th in State College.

 

 


Speaker:

George: So that's on the schedule coming up. We've got a lot of fall classes.

 

 


Speaker:

George: Just check our website for all of them.

 

 


Speaker:

George: And we're here in the shop all the time. So swing by if you're in town and we'll see you soon.

 

 


Speaker:

Marvin: Yes, it's what is it's nine to six Monday through Saturday, nine to three on Sundays, right?

 

 


Speaker:

George: You got it. You could work here now. You can mop the floor at Marvin. You know the schedule.

 

 


Speaker:

Marvin: It's always good to have something to fall back on, George.

 

 


Speaker:

George: Right on.

 

 


Speaker:

Marvin: Well listen folks as I always say yo it to yourself to get out there and catch

 

 


Speaker:

Marvin: a few tight lines everybody tight lines George.

 

 


Speaker:

George: Take it easy man.