Sulphur hatch on Spring Creek, Bellefonte, PA.

May 16-18, 2025. Friday – Sunday (3 days, 2 nights)

Where: Spring Creek, Bellefonte, PA. Meet at Fisherman’s Paradise at 4:30 pm on Friday.

Spring Creek, as the name suggests, is a well-known spring creek in central PA between State College (Penn State campus is there) and Bellefonte, PA.  The creek is considered the best limestone creek in PA. and is also a destination creek for many fly fishermen from all over the country.  Spring Creek has been fished by well-known fly fishermen like George Harvey, Joe Humphreys and George Daniel.  One section of the creek is called Fisherman’s Paradise, a special regulated area that is a Catch and Release and Fly Fishing Only section where we will start.  We will fish the expected and prolific sulfur (or sulphur) mayfly hatch, (Ephemerella invaria and Ephemerella dorothea) and possibly a Blue Wing Olive (BWO) hatch.  We will mainly be fishing for brown trout.  

This is a 3 day and 2-night trip.  It’s about a 3-3.5 hour trip from Baltimore to State College/Bellefonte, PA, So, it’s difficult to make this a one day trip. We also want to fish the spinner fall from dusk to evening (7:00-9 pm), so meet at the Fisherman’s Paradise by 4:30-5:00 pm on Friday. Of course, one can arrive earlier to fish, but we will all meet later at the parking lot. You may want to eat a snack for we will be fishing late.  At the end of fishing, meet back at the parking lot by 8:30 pm.  Then we will find a late night restaurant (most close around 9:00pm) for dinner in the State College/Bellefonte area.  If anybody knows this area, suggestions are welcomed.  We have gone to a pizza place, Hofbrau Pizza, in Bellefonte, for the last few years.  I think Randy still has a girlfriend there. Lou will be sure not to lose his wallet.

If you cannot make it on Friday, definitely come on Saturday, and stay till Sunday (1 night).  Let me know so we can make plans for where to meet on Saturday. Generally eat breakfast at the Waffle Shop in Bellefonte. No reason to start early, for the trout are full from previous evening.

I suggest staying at the Econo Lodge (about $80-100 per night) at 3482 Benner Pike, Bellefonte, PA.  This is close to the creek, outside of State College, and not too expensive.  You may also find many motels/hotels in State College, but they are somewhat expensive. There is a KOA campground in Bellefonte PA, which do have some small, rugged cabins. So, start making your plans and reservations now and finding your roommate or fish-mate.  

In addition, one can stop at the original TCO Fly Shop,  26 N/E College Ave, State College, PA on the way to Spring Creek.  I can easily spend money on extra flies (sulphurs and BWO).  Another fly shop is Flyfisher’s Paradise Fly shop.  Not far from TCO.  However, I know it changed owners and may not be there anymore.  I am not familiar with it since it always seems to be closed on Friday-or Saturday.  

This Central part of PA has many other trout streams in the area.  Within an hour drive, one can fish Penns Creek, Coburn, PA (famous for March Browns and Green Drake hatches), Little Juniata in Barree PA and Spruce Creek, and many others, which are all great trout fishing streams.  So, this is an area one should get familiar with.

As mentioned, we will initially fish in a section known as Fisherman’s Paradise. This is a special regulated section that is a Catch and Release Area and Fly Fishing Only. At the parking lot, the stream area is a No Wading area and does hold a fair number of trout. Just a little upstream, there is a sign where wading starts and is allowed.  A good wide path follows the creek. At some places the wide path ventures away from the creek, but one can follow a smaller path near the creek.  The farthest I have gone is at least a mile up the path, past the Gun Firing Range (pop, zip, duck), to a foot bridge that crosses the creek. One can cross the bridge which gives better access to the creek. 

After fishing in the Fisherman’s Paradise section on Friday, we can fish the other sections of the creek on Saturday and Sunday, but still target the later hatch and evening spinner hatch.  A suggestion is at Benner Spring Fish Hatchery off Shiloh Rd. A large parking lot is on the north side of creek. Most fishing during the day can be tough, since most of the trout have their stomachs full from previous evening hatch and are waiting for the sulfur spinner fall in the evening.  So we don’t have to start fishing too early. But I have seen hatches during the afternoon with rising brown trout.  Don’t forget there is sometimes a large BWO hatch.

We can drive up in a car caravan in the early afternoon on Friday. I will be leaving Baltimore by 9 am since I want to stop at the TCO fly shop.  Let me know if you want to follow me so we can make plans. Most likely, meet at the Park and Ride on Mt Carmel Rd, off I-83, going to the Gunpowder River. 

To sign up for this outing, please complete the Outings Registration form. https://pptu.org/events/outingregistration

Requires a PA and Trout Stamp fishing license.

Flies: Sulfur dry dun (#14-#16), emergers, spinners (rusty spinner), nymphs, soft hackles, partridge and orange, hares ear nymph, and pheasant tail nymph, BWO dry fly #16-20.  This is a spring creek so don’t forget scuds and cress bugs.  I also read of a good hatch of hydropsyche caddis #16 (tan and olive).

Rods:  4 and/or 5 wt, 9 ft rods should be good.

Bring a light, head lamp, for nighttime. 

Directions: Take I-83 N to York and Harrisburg PA.  At Harrisburg stay on I-83 N/E around Harrisburg. Take exit 51A to I-81 S/US 322 W to Carlisle/Lewiston.  Take exit 67B to US 22 W/US 322 W to Lewiston. Continue US 322 W to State College.  At State College take exit for PA 26 N/E College Ave.  Will find TCO Fly Shop.  Merge left onto Rt 150 (Benner Pike).  Follow Rt 150, go under I-99, shortly afterwards at light turn left onto Paradise Hill Rd. At end of road, turn left onto Spring Creek Rd to Fisherman’s Paradise parking area.

Lou Reichel
Outings Coordinator
443-745-0313
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.