S7, Ep 5: Central PA's Winter Fishing Forecast with George Costa
In the latest episode of The Articulate Fly, host Marvin Cash welcomes George Costa from TCO Fly Shop in State College for the first Central PA Fishing Report of the year. As the polar vortex brings chilly weather, George shares insights on the current fishing conditions and what anglers can expect. Despite the cold, the weekend promises fishable weather with successful nymphing.
George offers advice on early season bugs, including blue-winged olives and little black stoneflies, as warmer days approach. With a nod to Game of Thrones, he humorously warns listeners to prepare for winter's challenges. Marvin encourages listeners to send in their questions for a chance to win Articulate Fly swag and a special prize at the end of the season.
This episode also features the announcement of Brenner Johnson as the winner of the 2024 drawing, earning a gift card and TCO swag. Whether it's too cold to fish or not, Marvin reminds everyone to keep their lines tight and enjoy tying flies or attending a fly fishing show.
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Marvin Cash
Foreign hey folks, it's Marvin Cash, the host of the Articulate Fly.
Marvin Cash
We're back with the first central PA fishing report of the year with George Costa, TCO Fly shop in State College.
Marvin Cash
George, how are you?
George Costa
I'm a little chilly, I'm gonna be honest.
George Costa
A little chilly out here, Mark.
Marvin Cash
Yeah, it's even chilly down here in the mid Atlantic for us.
Marvin Cash
But I looked at your weather and when that polar vortex hits you guys, I don't think anybody's gonna be fishing because I think your highs are like 8 or 9 degrees.
George Costa
Yeah, it's looking like after this weekend it's going to get pretty cold.
George Costa
This weekend's not looking too bad though.
George Costa
We got a high of 33, 34 tomorrow, a little hotter on Saturday, if you can call a high of 37 hop.
George Costa
But it looks like the next couple of days will be fishable.
George Costa
Just a little bit of precipitation, a little bit of snow today, not too much.
George Costa
So the weekend is looking pretty good.
George Costa
But going into next week, Sunday into next week, it is going to be cold up here in these hills.
George Costa
So don't expect efficient to be approachable even really.
George Costa
I mean unless you're fishing a mono rig gonna have a lot of ice on the guides and it's gonna be a little bit tough.
George Costa
But the weekend's looking good.
George Costa
And fishing this past week, the guys that have been out have been actually doing really, really well.
George Costa
Nymphing has been really good.
George Costa
Water is pretty low seasonally right now and pretty clear.
George Costa
So stealthy approach and just targeting those darker spots and slots have been good with smaller nymphs, eggs, things like this streamer bites been kind of hit or miss from what I hear.
George Costa
With the lower clear water hasn't been amazing for streamers.
George Costa
But the nim fishing has been excellent the past week and the weekend should be pretty good.
Marvin Cash
Well, there you go.
Marvin Cash
You can always tie, right?
George Costa
You can always downs the time.
George Costa
Stock up now.
George Costa
We got a lot of things to start tying over here.
George Costa
We're just starting to load up on all our stuff for our cicadas because we're getting the 17 year cicadas out here this year.
George Costa
So expect end of May into June to be bonkers.
George Costa
So take some time and tie up some cicada patterns because this is the year.
Marvin Cash
Yeah, and you don't have to worry about missing college football while your time flies either.
George Costa
This is true as well.
George Costa
This is true as well.
Marvin Cash
I'm not a Notre Dame fan or anything like that.
Marvin Cash
I just know those guys aren't playing and I'm a Cowboys fan folks.
Marvin Cash
So, you know, have pity on me.
Marvin Cash
Yeah, boo, exactly.
Marvin Cash
Not super thrilled with the coaching situation right now or the lack thereof, I guess.
Marvin Cash
And so we got got a question for you from Brenner, George.
Marvin Cash
He' super optimistic and it won't stay cold forever unless we're in Game of Thrones.
Marvin Cash
Now he wanted to get your thoughts on kind of bugs to expect to see and kind of colors as we kind of get into that warming up in late winter, early spring.
George Costa
Yeah.
George Costa
So you know, as we get towards the end of January into February, as soon as we start getting some warmer days in February, we'll definitely start seeing some of our early early season bugs or blue winged olives will start popping.
George Costa
When we start getting some warmer days in February, we always get the little black stone flies.
George Costa
They're a cool bug because they'll sit on the snow and when fish key in on them, they'll be in on them pretty, pretty good.
George Costa
So that's like about a size 14 or 16 little black stone.
George Costa
Those are a great early season top water bug when they're coming off heavy enough for it to fish the key in on.
George Costa
But look for those olives on those warmer days.
George Costa
You know, come February, they usually start middle of the month and when it starts creeping up into the high 30s, low 40s, we'll definitely see them.
George Costa
So yeah, early season is not that far off.
George Costa
We just got to get through this this winter and watch out for the white walkers out there.
Marvin Cash
Yeah, exactly.
Marvin Cash
And you know folks, we love questions on the articulate fly.
Marvin Cash
You can email me or DM me on social media, whatever is easiest for you.
Marvin Cash
And if we use your question, I will send you some articulate fly swag and entering for a drawing for something cool at the end of the 2025 season.
Marvin Cash
And George, as we do at the end of every year, we have a drawing for everyone who submitted a question that used on the fishing report.
Marvin Cash
And before I tell you whose name popped out of the Google random number generator, you want to let them know what they're going to win.
George Costa
Sure.
George Costa
We're going to get a gift card to the shop here.
George Costa
You can use it in the store online and some TCO swag.
Marvin Cash
There you go.
Marvin Cash
Well, the lucky winner is Brenner, Johnson and Brenner.
Marvin Cash
Congratulations.
Marvin Cash
I know you are a frequent flyer on all of our fishing reports, so appreciate your support.
Marvin Cash
I will hook you up with George and folks as always say you owe it to yourself to get out there and catch a few.
Marvin Cash
And if it's too cold you know, tie some pertigons, do something fun.
Marvin Cash
Tie some streamers.
Marvin Cash
Or, you know, maybe hit a fly fishing show.
Marvin Cash
Tight lines, everybody.
Marvin Cash
Tight lines.
Marvin Cash
George, take it easy tomorrow.
