Fly Fishing Vintage, Bradford County, PA - Wooly Bugged

This is the third video in a series where Michael Evanko pursues trout with vintage fly rods. In this installment, Evanko heads to Bradford County, Pennsylvania to chase wild brook trout in a tributary that winds through the state game lands. He uses an 8’ vintage Cortland Pro-Crest in combination with an Abel fly reel and a 5wt rated fly line. This video documents the first time Evanko used the fly rod. It was purchased through eBay and was part of an estate sale. Upon purchase the rod was in mint condition and did not appear to have ever been used. It is believed this rod was manufactured in the early 70s and may have been made by the St. Croix company for Cortland. Anyone with info should comment below.
The tributary fished in this video is a 5 mile long stream and was never fished by Evanko prior to filming. Evanko accessed this stream on foot. The water was 56 degrees at the time of filming. All of the brook trout caught and released in this video were caught on an Umpqua Parachute Hopper pattern.

[@gregh.7977]

Another well done video. Thanks for sharing the experience! Nice way to break in your vintage rod with such beautiful brookies.

[@WoolyBugged]

Greg H. Thanks Greg, ya I’m falling in love with these old fiberglass rods.

[@ronwilliams8500]

as usual excellent video! wild trout gets the old ticker going. welcome back!

[@pcguyjr]

I have the same sling pack and have that rod with a different cigar shaped grip. Also have a 7.5 model and a FR2000 - all enjoyable fishing rods. Fantastic roll casters. Enjoyed your video and the other I watched with the Fenwick 756 or 755 (watched a few weeks ago). Fiberglass is now my rod choice both new and vintage for fly fishing.

_Incredible Fishing with beautiful Fish Congratulations Fisherman!_ *Hug!!!* 👍🎣🐠🐟😊

[@jeremygroznik297]

I live for this stuff as I'm sure you do too. I'll be in Elk state forest this weekend and I'm so pumped after watching this video.

[@jazztoad54]

Love your videos. I feel like I'm right there with you when I watch them. Love the Vintage series also. As always thanks for shooting great videos!!

[@dugauquiersebastien9327]

thank you for the great videos you are sharing with us. Huge filming work top quality. One of my favorite channel

[@dougperrett332]

Another nicely produced video. You do it extremely well. Thanks for showcasing Keystone brookies.

[@WoolyBugged]

Doug Perrett thanks Doug, we have a great resource here.

[@scottlowe3355]

Some killer takes by those brookies. Great fish and great video, as usual.

[@WoolyBugged]

Scott Lowe thanks Scott, I appreciate you watching.

[@FishHawk]

Gorgeous stream and gorgeous fish. Nice job!

[@WoolyBugged]

Fish Hawk thank you sir, what is your first name, I didn’t want to keep calling you Hawk.

[@FishHawk]

@@WoolyBugged Tyler lol

[@sanjursan]

Simply outstanding, both in content and production. This especially since it seems you are doing it all by yourself. What an amazing amount of work to reset the camera so perfectly, so many times. Awesome!

[@farmerbob4554]

You’re getting close to my old stomping grounds Mike. It’s been many years but I think I fished Schroder creek in Bradford County. I hope you get a chance to move a little further west into Elk, Potter and McKean counties some time. You won’t regret it, the fishing is great!

[@WoolyBugged]

X Papi ya, Potter and McKean are on my list!

[@ronaldbowser3287]

Nice job Mike, beautiful footage!

[@msorendo35]

Mike, thank you for the fine video, it's excellent! The takes were super, as well.

[@WoolyBugged]

mike sorendo thanks Mike, ya everything followed the script on this one. One of those rare days!

[@giuseppe_explores]

Love what you are doing Mike, literally in the process of getting a vintage setup as we speak, been wanting to work the streams like our previous generations did. Good work man!

[@marcianosanchez517]

Abel TR2.... A man after my own heart. I have a couple of TRs. Fantastic reel!

[@WoolyBugged]

Yes, a classic fly reel.

[@johnterebetskyjr5823]

Great video. Glad you are using old fiberglass rods. I have old Heddon and is fun with popper bugs for sun fish.

[@WoolyBugged]

John Terebetsky, Jr I’ve been looking for a Heddon in good condition, still looking!

[@gizmocarr3093]

Very nice video, beautiful stream and Brook Trout. The vintage rod seem to fit the task just fine. Sometimes I think high tech rods are more show than go.

[@toddwaller8951]

Love your videos. Seriously, you have a get talent for this and I hope you continue to make many more for us to enjoy. We have a farm near Mansfield and I love the fact that you are fishing in streams and rivers close enough for me to drive and enjoy the day. Also, I can't say enough for your temperament especially after you hook a fish and have it get off the line. Not sure I could react as calmly as you. Great work and love watching videos near home...

[@rustymorgan8597]

New subscriber, GREAT,GREAT,GREAT! I will enjoy for many hours year around. reruns don't bother me at all. Beautiful filmwork and very informative. Thanks for taking me along to places I'd never see otherwise.

[@jaredi6221]

What a awesome takes, these little devils are so hungry! .I give big hope - the environment not change for worse. I fish for small Brookies in W. PA and enjoy secluded locations.

[@michaelcapurso]

That is a pretty stream, kudos on the find.

[@WoolyBugged]

Michael Capurso thanks Michael, it was a beautiful place.

[@frankieshoenfelt8550]

Outstanding fishery Mike.. I also enjoyed a Great Day.. Sunday.. But mine was in BrownTown PA... Got another Great Wild Brown easily over 18"... Keep up the Great Work..

[@WoolyBugged]

Frankie Shoenfelt thanks Frankie, we need to get back out on some brownies!

[@frankieshoenfelt8550]

@@WoolyBugged contact me.. Will set something up. Bud..

[@ronaldruneric4804]

Mike -- Your aversion to mosquitoes and the repellent reminds me of a story. One of my chums in northern Ontario seriously recommends that you should sit behind the exhaust pipe of a transport until the soot covers all the exposed parts of your delicate hide. He says that he does that, and it enables him to work in the bush all day, where the mosquitoes are so intense that Pennsylvania's mosquitoes would be embarrassed by their intensity. I'll give you the necessary translations to Pennsylvania English: (1) "Transports" are the largest tractor-trailer trucks. (2) "The bush" is the dense forest. Please post a film of yourself using this method in Pennsylvania.

[@Deenihan18]

Excellent video as always. Keep em' coming.

[@Osnyfishingadventures]

Awesome video once again mike!!!! Wow that water is some gorgeous water! Was upstate last weekend with one of my fly fishing buddies and landed some gorgeous native brookies! Also hooked into some giant wild browns on the streamer, sadly couldn’t bring one to the net😭😂😂😂 Beautiful Brookies as always, and keep up the great work! Heading up to WV in a few weeks to Fish with Hardman Fishing Adventures!!! Can’t wait!!! Trying to catch my first ever wild rainbow trout and hopefully many more to come with it!!! Tight lines Mike! Can’t wait to get out again!🐟🐟🐟🎣🎣🎣

[@chuckmitchell4608]

Love those wild Brookie's

[@therealKerb]

Great video Mike! Looks like some bigger models on this stretch.

[@trouttrailfishin]

My home county! I now rome the mountains of GA with rod in hand. can't wait to get back to my old stomping grounds though. Great video.

[@BrookieBum]

Sweet rod man. Another beautiful stream.

[@JC-xc8rx]

Amazing job as always.

[@randymatson5710]

Always enjoy your videos nicely done

[@glennflittner5208]

I wanted to suggest you do an exploration video of Kinzua Creek above the reservoir. It’s long ride but the creek bottom is beautiful. Was there 40 yrs ago didn’t no fly fishing. Are you related to one Mark Dauberman?

[@jwayno2550]

If you can learn to identify many of the mint plants that’s are native to PA and you crush them up and rub them on any exposed skin. It is completely safe and totally effective I brought some home and planted it in my yard and it grows like a weed I can’t get rid of it

[@WoolyBugged]

J Wayno so that mint keeps the bugs off?

[@danyoung8707]

Now you have me buying vintage fiberglass rods.

[@WoolyBugged]

Dan Young you could spend you money on worse things!

[@duke2043]

The Thermacells do work great I have used them down Eastern Shore of Maryland Sika Deer hunting in some really miserable marshes that are loaded with mosquitoes and biting flies and your will see where the bubble the Thermacell will put around your because there will be a swarm of bugs flying in front of you!

[@WoolyBugged]

steven wolinski ya I’m looking forward to using it in archery season.

[@jpstanton3223]

I am surprised you did not see any bears back in there.

[@robertknapp6746]

I have a cabin in that area with a brook on the land have only hunted there for 40yrs. I just retired from commercial fishing in oceans.Have subscribed before this video ironic you must be just up the road mike.Find me on face book got a bunk and brook for you. Amazing i have posted comments before thanks mike

[@WoolyBugged]

Robert Knapp very cool! I’ll look you up.

[@robertknapp6746]

Will be at cabin late July thru summer look me up thanks mike

[@alldayjkfishing115]

Absolute beauties. I’m from bucks county far from the good trout fishing. But I got my license to drive and I’ll be around now.

[@ianjones6910]

Pretty streams up there...and the brookies are a bit bigger than in the Smokies; you're tempting me to drive up there.

[@WoolyBugged]

Ian Jones do it!!!

[@ianjones6910]

@@WoolyBugged I will, some time...a bit of a drive for us - believe it or not, I'm down here in the Sportsman's Paradise of Louisiana...great fishing here, of course, but I got hooked on the small mountain streams like you fish years ago....so much so, I bought some land up in Tennessee - maybe I"ll get to retire on it some day....anyway, we fish the Smokies a lot because it's only about 600 miles or so away.

[@bahamajim1998]

This is awesome

[@hillbillysportsman5818]

Those were some nice brookies! What is your best wild brook trout?

[@WoolyBugged]

Hillbilly Sportsman good question, I don’t measure them.

[@FatManFishing]

I'm a spinning rod fisherman in Pennsylvania. Would love to get together and do a collaboration with KZbin channels. Love the care you have for the fish and the fact you are like me and mainly are catch and release. If you are Interested please let me know

[@WoolyBugged]

FatMan Fishing thanks for the note Fatman, are you a fly fisherman? Or do just spin fish?

[@FatManFishing]

@@WoolyBugged I just spin fish. Plan on maybe dabbing in fly fishing next year. If not, then definitely the year after

[@WestVirginiaWILD]

ahhh the one who got away!

[@WoolyBugged]

West Virginia WILD always! They haunt me.

[@zenbooter]

Whatever it takes, you have plenty of it Mike. These videos are filmed very well. I was thinking you must have some body help ing.😀 but no, I know you don’t. Phew.

[@conmartys2749]

Awesome mike. Did that bug repellent thing work for you?

[@lukevanblois8099]

I see you switched to the simms sling. Do you prefer it over the fish pond? I always love gear comparisons

[@SwitchbackGuitars]

This makes me want to Hit the stream and hit a few yard sales too.

[@WoolyBugged]

Do it! There is something really nostalgic about buying a vintage rod and catching a wild trout on it.

[@bulldogbrower6732]

Which stream are you fishing in Bradford County ?

[@drc1883]

great stuff! do you fish PA in the winter?

[@MilkymikeTV]

is there a map of Pennsylvania that shows where public land is??

[@straithill5965]

Awesome!!

[@NickAndCaroline]

EXTREME RAGE 5:33 lol

[@WoolyBugged]

eledruid1 extreme!

[@patrickreynolds6861]

What is the make and model of the reel that you are using? I sometimes fish with my fathers old Fenwick 7’6 5 wt. Great rod! I believe my father purchased the rod in ‘70 or ‘71.

[@roccomanginelli9498]

Looks like an older Abel Tr reel.

[@brickbros211]

Since your rod has the made in the USA logo on it like st.croix rods it might have been made be them but I’m not sure

[@matthewdelorme1368]

You should give the Brodhead a wack again!

[@robertknapp6746]

Hi Mike did you make it back to Bradford county in 2020?

[@WoolyBugged]

Rob, I did get back to Bradford County one time in 2020 doing some exploring. I just hiked with the rod and didn't shoot any video. I love that county.

[@robertknapp6746]

@@WoolyBugged Thanks Mike let's hope for a healthy spring for all try you then

[@nmuguy]

On average, how much are you spending on your vintage glass rods. Nice video!

[@dizzybuizzy9347]

I like your Video, but I like to say that on a Stream that small, One should use no more than a 3wt Rod 6 to 7 feet long..

[@tomj4456]

Dizzy Buizzy why though? I’ve successfully used 8’ + 4 to 5 weight rods on streams like this many times. Don’t need anything specialized

[@dizzybuizzy9347]

@@tomj4456 I guess there is no need in telling you what to use!!...

[@russellcowher3877]

I know you're dedicated to fly fishing, but if you use live bait, you could cover a lot more water and maybe catch a lot more and larger fish.

[@farmerbob4554]

Russell Cowher Fly fishing is a lot more than the number and size of fish caught. Any one can drown a worm and catch fish but fly fishing is about the entire outdoor experience of mastering a difficult technique to catch a trout and release it unharmed. And I have fly fished the same stream as bait fishermen an caught more and larger fish. Native trout seldom take the same baits as planters.

[@davidthomas7465]

Are you 8 years old 😂🤔?

[@garyknepper4546]

Russell Cowher if you use live bait on small native brook trout like these you will end up killing many of them. They should be caught and released.....unharmed.

[@duke2043]

How do you expect to cover that much extra water these Brook Trout are really aggressive so most cases 1st cast these fish will grab your fly.Worm chunking you have these fish inhaling your worm and you would have alot of bleeding fish that would not make it.

[@WoolyBugged]

Hey Russell, what did you mean by cover more water? These guys are right, if you use live bait, the fish will inhale it. So unless you’re going to keep the fish, live bait can be a problem.