Dry Fly Fishing The Yellow Sally for Brook Trout - Wooly Bugged

Last week I traveled to Sullivan County, Pennsylvania and fished a small freestone mountain stream that supports not only a healthy population of wild brook trout, but also Little Yellow Stoneflies. These bugs are common on Appalachian Mountain streams that have clean water and are well oxygenated. Also known as Yellow Sallies, members of the genus Isoperla, these bugs have a life cycle that lasts one year as they grow from egg to adult. Many fly fisherman know Yellow Sallies because of their bright lemon yellow coloring. When these bugs are active, the trout love eating them and will move to the surface to sip. In Pennsylvania, the Little Yellow Stonefly typically hatches from late April through June.
The stream I fish in the video was running low for May, sees light pressure, and has some bug life. As is the case with all the brook trout water I fish in the east, every one is different. These fish were taking deep cover under rocks, stumps, and logs. They needed to be drawn out of hiding with the right fly placement. In some unpressured streams with limited bug life, the fish are more opportunistic. However, in many others the fish are wary and require patience and stealth or you'll swear they're not in there.
99% of my videos are self-filmed. 99% of my videos are on water I've never fished. All streams are accessed on foot.

[@jamesvatter5729]

A stream chocked full of gems. Reminds me of a trip I made into the mountains once ill-prepared. What I call "the little green stones" were all about. The fish were going crazy, but my offerings were just a bit off in size and color. Caught a few, but remedied it at the bench that night. The next day was simply magical! Really appreciate you sharing these jaunts and the great scenery.

[@WoolyBugged]

Thank you James. I appreciate you watching 😊

[@daviddurham3052]

Great to see you and Woolly Bugged back on KZbin!

[@WoolyBugged]

Hey, thanks David!

[@bugeatershow7975]

Great video Mike ! Always enjoy watching your shows.Doc Smith / Bug Eater Fishing Show

[@WoolyBugged]

Thanks Doc, watched your video today, good stuff!

[@dr.gregorysmithd.c.9629]

Thank you !

[@andyk914]

Another great video Mike. Let's hope we get some really needed rain. Tight Lines!!!!

[@WoolyBugged]

I hope so too!

[@dbassman27]

Mike I'm really glad to see and hear you again. With all of the pandemic stuff, I ws starting to get concerned! Glad all is well, and this video is gorgeous. Cheers and tight lines my friend.

[@WoolyBugged]

Thank you! Ya this past year was certainly a strange one. I’m glad to be on the other side of this virus.

[@dankochanek8056]

Such a rad fish to catch. Thanks for posting

[@WoolyBugged]

Thanks for watching!

[@jeromedwojak918]

Great video, beautiful scenery, the fishing was outstanding for those brooke trout. That foam caddis was performing well on the water, the fish seemed very attracted to it!

[@WoolyBugged]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@mattokeefe691]

Beautiful little stream. Thanks

[@WoolyBugged]

Thanks Matt!

[@riffsandwich9541]

Seeing this video capped off a perfect weekend of fishing. That sequence from minute 12:00 to 12:45 was my favorite part of the video. So great.

[@WoolyBugged]

Glad you enjoyed it! Glad you got out to go fishing.

[@Rich-fg9vj]

Thumbs up Mike. Glad to see you filming again.... Tight lines!

[@WoolyBugged]

Thanks Rich!

[@bdickinson6751]

Great content as always. Good to see ya back out there.

[@WoolyBugged]

Much appreciated

[@ianhoose4784]

Beautiful natives! Those waders seem great for backcountry fishing

[@WoolyBugged]

Thanks Ian, they work pretty good so far. How’s your spring been? I’ve seen a lot of fish pics on your Instagram!

[@ianhoose4784]

@@WoolyBugged it’s been fantastic! Lots of very nice size trout and I’ve learned how to effectively wet fly fish the bigger streams with great success. Of course have been having a blast catching the natives on dries too!

[@jimreed3904]

Incredible colors!! Lots of great info as well....thanks for putting us on the psu study as well...my wife and I have been submitting lots of native pics from a blue line trib in Northern clarion county....peace

[@WoolyBugged]

Thanks Jim. I appreciate you and your wife participating in that project. It’s a big help to Sarah and Eammon and to the brook trout of course.

[@corbeilyves5489]

Nice to see you back.

[@WoolyBugged]

Hey, thanks!

[@MatthewHarrisStudio]

Great channel! Please keep posting

[@garykolanda5208]

Hey Mike, glad to see you out on the streams again. Nice wader review, appreciate the insight on the breathability. What a serene setting to fish in.

[@WoolyBugged]

Thanks Gary, I appreciate it.

[@SufferingOutdoors]

Great video as always Mike! I was amazed at the one clip how many times you presented the fly until the brookie finally came out and took the fly.

[@WoolyBugged]

Sometimes they need to be coaxed out of hiding!

[@nickdemuth7948]

Keep them coming...love it!

[@WoolyBugged]

Will do!!

[@hillbillysportsman5818]

Good to see you back! Beautiful brookies! You have definitely upped your video quality.

[@WoolyBugged]

Good to hear from you again Hillbilly! Thanks for continuing to watch. Have you been out fishing?

[@hillbillysportsman5818]

@@WoolyBugged not fished since early April, but I’m inchin to get out there an explore some new water in my area. I’m ready for some dry fly action!

[@lamarcannon7199]

Thank you very much for the video. Excellent content and feedback on waders.

[@WoolyBugged]

Thanks Lamar!

[@charlesgaither6965]

Welcome back Mike. Glad to see u back in action. Great production as ever. Have a great season. Chuck

[@WoolyBugged]

Thanks Chuck, good to hear from you. Same to you!

[@annettefranklin1573]

Glad to see you back!

[@WoolyBugged]

Thanks you Annette!

[@DAVIDDAMIENR]

Thanks for Sharing !!!!

[@WoolyBugged]

My pleasure!!

[@TheDogHollerer]

Welcome back Mike! Great video and stream! I've hiked that area many times but never fished it. Easier in the year saw my first Trillium plants which usually pop before the canopy fills in. Love the colors on fish near the 12 min mark. Ps. Bugs were crazy on your long shots getting camera time! Fish on! Keep inspiring us

[@WoolyBugged]

Bill, ya the bugs were really heavy that day and didn't matter where I was, waterside, in the woods, they were awful. Thanks for watching and for the nice comment. I like that part of the state.

[@vspec17]

Hey man, I'm a new subscriber. When you had the camera posted on top of the little incline or ravine and you walked and stopped to record the dialogue, you looked like Slim Pickens or John Wayne. It was really cool. Thanks for the content.

[@farmerbob4554]

Good to see you back Mike! I had a chance to fish in McKean County in late April. Cold and snowy but lots of brookie action. Lovely stream you were on.

[@WoolyBugged]

Thanks Bob, I love fishing up in McKean!

[@bobmatuzak2263]

Welcome back Mike Missed ya!

[@WoolyBugged]

Thanks Bob!

[@roncarlsonblackwolf2463]

Awesome video Mike I can't wait until the next video

[@WoolyBugged]

Thanks Ron, I appreciate it. How are you doing?

[@roncarlsonblackwolf2463]

@@WoolyBugged I am doing fine just very busy at work and I just got home from my camp in tionesta for the weekend always work to do there

[@WoolyBugged]

@@roncarlsonblackwolf2463 nice, I haven’t been up that way for almost a year with Covid.

[@THEMONVALLEYFISHERMAN]

This was an awesome video man.

[@WoolyBugged]

Thanks man, I like your videos!

[@THEMONVALLEYFISHERMAN]

@@WoolyBugged let’s get together sometime! Would love to show you stream x

[@WoolyBugged]

Sorry about the re-upload. I forgot to put the 4K version up.

[@FishingWithDamon]

Awesome trout fishing I love trout fishing too bad around here the population has declined so much I am a young kid I do a KZbin channel for fishing called fish for dinner I recently just did some trout fishing and there was none there and just last year I was there and there was lots as catching them about five at a time each time I went now there is known and here they do not stalk at all not even once so it is all on the anglers to keep a steady population I live watching trout fishing such beautiful fish I recently caught my pb bass though 38 inches long!! Monster bass 😊

[@WoolyBugged]

I'll check out your KZbin Channel, thank you for saying hello!

[@FishingWithDamon]

@@WoolyBugged thanks bud

[@RETCAP10]

Many thanks for sharing, Mike. The colors of your Brookies seem more vibrant than the one's I've been catching in Madison Co, VA. Have you kept up with submitting pictures of your fish with the 2" x 3.5" card to Penn State? I learned about it from your channel, and submitted a few photos, but determined that trying to get Brookies to be cooperative for a pictures was more challenging that trying to get all of my kids to smile in one picture. Waders: I've had my own issues with another mid-range brand after only a few trips during the winter, and am glad the temps now support wet wading.

[@WoolyBugged]

Mitch, some of that is the camera, some of that is the fish. They are more colorful in certain streams. I have submitted through the PSU app but haven't captured any of that on camera yet. Perhaps I should! It can be a challenge to get the fish facing the right way and then snap the picture!

[@vickvinegar5071]

I miss you man! Love your content.

[@WoolyBugged]

I appreciate that! Thanks for watching Vick!

[@corbeilyves5489]

iWader, they are winter wader you can use very early in spring and very late in fall. During summer you sweat like a pig so i cut them at the waist. They are not leaking yet but earing what you said i wouldnt be surprise they will sooner then later. It's a total no buy specially coming from Australia and the fit is different then here in North America.

[@WoolyBugged]

Good to know! Thanks Corbeil!

[@michaelhilinski7889]

iWader sent me a pair that no human could possibly fit in. Except if you were andre the giant. The bib part alone (not including the shoulder straps) was taller than me and I'm 6 foot. Anyway, great video! I was nailing them on the yellow sallies this weekend as well!!

[@WoolyBugged]

Sorry the iWader didn’t work out Michael. Ya the Yellow Sallies are hot right now! I like to fish the in May!

[@urankjj]

Great video. I am so looking forward to moving back to PA. Just wondering if a pair of sturdy rubber knee boots would work out in water that shallow ? Thanks.

[@WoolyBugged]

Sure, you could probably get a way with them, although they may not grip rocks well. I wear waders because of ticks. The Lyme disease situation in Pennsylvania is off the charts.

[@urankjj]

Yes, thats a very good point about the ticks. I'd forgotten how bad they are these days. I grew up in western PA and we used to fish and hunt a lot. This was during the late 60's thru early 80's, and I don't recall ticks ever being an issue, unless somebody got ticked off...😁...Stay safe out there..... @@WoolyBugged

[@ronaldbowser3287]

Nice video Mike, beautiful footage. I love fishing for wild Brook trout on the peaceful wild mountain streams. Are you still working with Penn State wild Brook and Brown trout study?, and if I may ask, what is the brand of the green backpack you have on while fishing, is it comfortable?

[@WoolyBugged]

Ron, yep, still working with the study. I'll probably post a follow-up video at some point this summer once the data is analyzed. The pack I've been using is the Fish Pond "Bitch Creek" model. I love this pack, although I wish the backpack accommodated a bit more volume.

[@mariochavez5583]

im diggin that hat :D

[@WoolyBugged]

Thanks Mario!

[@mariochavez5583]

@@WoolyBugged yw, but it's sold out 😭🤣

[@noahschmon6629]

hey mike, i was looking at waders and remembered you said you were gonna review the iwaders, would you recommend them or is there any other pair of waders that you would recommend instead.

[@WoolyBugged]

I would not recommend iWaders. I'm a Simms guy. I love the new Flyweight waders for hiking to fish or the G3s for everyday fishing. Simms are the only wader I've worn that combine durability with breathability and comfort. I've gotten more hours out of them than any other wader.

[@marksleeper3752]

Hi do you have the recipe and a pic of the fly any info would be great thanks Mark

[@WoolyBugged]

Here's the pattern. Just use bright yellow foam. kzbin.info/www/bejne/oJWblGuGea56jNk

[@marksleeper3752]

thanks for the reply

[@BenMcDevitt]

Did you see them first or just knew they could be there?

[@WoolyBugged]

I just use my fishing intuition to determine where to cast. The more you fish, you'll begin to learn the areas fish tend to hold in water.

[@BenMcDevitt]

@@WoolyBugged thanks for the reply! I have enjoyed binge watching your videos and this was the only question I kept wondering :)

[@andrewknight8270]

Hey where have you been I’ve missed the videos

[@WoolyBugged]

Been trying to end this Covid pandemic. Glad it's over and I can be on the move again!

[@planet5019]

what are you using to carry your net?

[@WoolyBugged]

That is called a Smith net holder. It attaches to your wading belt.