Public Land Brookies, Lycoming County, PA - Wooly Bugged

Daylight: knowledge or understanding of something that has been obscure
I spent a lot of time researching a surveyed wilderness trout stream in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania. On Saturday I made the trip and was prepared to hike the 4.5 miles through public land down to the mouth of the tributary. I was in search of wild brook trout that would take a dry fly. The day was partly cloudy and very warm. The mosquitos on this stream were some of the worse I’ve encountered. On the lower portion of the stream, the fishing was incredible. It seemed I could cast to every pocket and find a brook trout rising. Upstream the water narrowed, feeder streams were lost and the pine forest held few fish. I observed several mayfly hatches, including a handful of the well-known Green Drake. I fished #14 and #16 sized dry fly Wulff patterns all day. There was never a need to tie on a dropper.
99% of my videos are self-filmed. 99% of my videos are on water I've never fished. All streams are accessed on foot.
To learn more about the fly rod used in this video, please visit: www.yamameflyr...

[@jamesvatter5729]

That's quite an outing. Decent sized natives too. Glad you said only "Central Pa!"

[@bdickinson6751]

Mike, thanks for another great video! I really appreciate the time and effort that you, obviously, put into the quality of your videos. It's always a pleasure to find places like this, when you put in the hiking involved and are rewarded with such beautiful fish in an equally beautiful setting. Thanks again and God bless. 👍👊🏼🇺🇸

[@WoolyBugged]

Thank you, I honestly do put a lot of effort into this. Both in research and in the physical effort of getting there. I enjoy it and appreciate you watching and commenting. Hope you’re catching a bunch this spring.

[@polarizedoutdoors]

I relate to your desire to primarily fish small streams. There's such a delicacy to the fight of a small trout. Last night, I had frost where I live. I'm planning on getting out again today, but it'll be a little later in the afternoon when it warms up. Thanks for putting out another great video.

[@WoolyBugged]

Thank you for this comment. One thing that draws me to this type of fishing is the remoteness and the unspoiled beauty of the fish that live there.

[@polarizedoutdoors]

@@WoolyBugged I 100% agree with fishing going the extra mile/hour to fish remote/unspoiled spots.

[@drbtrava]

hey Mike, really enjoy following you. would like one request, can we get more technical info at the time you are fishing , type leader, tippet,sizes, what your looking for while you are at the stream, etc, etc.

[@shawngray5412]

Nice video, Mike. This is the type of stream I learned to fish on, and brookies I caught when I was 14. Fifty years later, those secluded spots still give some of the best memories.

[@WoolyBugged]

I love to hear stories like this.

[@MatthewHarrisStudio]

I’ve been subscribed for over a year now and I just want to say thank you. I’m busy with my blacksmithing business, family and kids sports and I don’t have the time to fish like I used to. Sure is relaxing to watch an episode. Thank you Matt Harris

[@WoolyBugged]

Thanks Matt, I appreciate that

[@msorendo35]

Superlative, Mike. Felt like i was at the movie theatre. Your videos are top-notch as is your fishing. We really appreciate the time and effort. Tight lines!

[@hillbillysportsman5818]

I too like to fish in remote places like this. Thanks for the video!

[@WestVirginiaWILD]

That intro is sweet and you got a drone! Some brave flying by the way. Nicely done man one of my favorites!

[@WoolyBugged]

Hey Cody! What’s up buddy, I missed hearing from you. I see WV in my future, haha.

[@ronaldbowser3287]

Mike, absolutely beautiful! Another great video, excellent scenery shoots. Thank you for sharing.

[@WoolyBugged]

Thank you Ron, hope you’re doing well and appreciate the comment as always.

[@TheCampbellseth]

Love the quality of the new videos. Drone footage, better camera work and overall feel and experience of the stream. Peaceful, relaxing and plenty of space for the viewer to come along :)

[@WoolyBugged]

Thanks Seth, I’m slowly learning a few things. I’m a late adopter, haha.

[@TheCampbellseth]

@@WoolyBugged You are living my dream on small streams. I get stay connected to it through your channel. Thank YOU

[@darrelwesterveld1973]

Beautiful country. Thank you for a great video.

[@WoolyBugged]

Thanks Darrel, I love PA man!

[@Androth12]

An absolute sanctuary. This is my dream, to hike and find natural streams.

[@WoolyBugged]

You should live out that dream Andy!

[@Androth12]

All in good time. Once house work is finished, I’m going to alleghany to hike the woods and fish the brook streams.

[@MikeSmith-up2px]

Another great video. I love the Wulff patterns for the natives. I'll be interested in your review of the waders. As always thanks for posting.

[@WoolyBugged]

Thanks Mike! Ya, the Wulff pattern is great for most wild trout this time of year, especially on unpressured streams that get some larger mayfly hatches.

[@toddwaller8951]

Another great video from where I call home. When you can't be there, you are the next best thing. Would love for you to shoot some video in Tioga County. Always looking for great fishing spots when I make it home. Keep the great work.

[@WoolyBugged]

There are some beautiful streams in Tioga!

[@jeffreylea2319]

Another really fine production, Mike! Inspiring! In my area of CT we have a couple of small streams designated WTMA with no stocking, with healthy wild reproducing populations of brown trout and brook trout, where we can catch gorgeous 5-10 inch brookies, but there are few such places. I envy the vast areas of forested mountains and trout streams which exist in PA! Fortunately I get to spend a a great deal of time in my cabin in NH where thin blue lines in the mountains can be followed by those willing to put in some hiking. The trout are there. I look forward to viewing your next effort!

[@tightliningmd]

I am headed to Central PA this weekend as well. Can't wait! Not sure exactly what streams I am gonna hit yet. Gonna scope out some stuff this week, to pin down locations I want to hit. Great video my friend. Love the fair shake you gave the waders and being upfront. I am sure he appreciates it. I am with you too about wearing waders all year too. The instant ivy, snakes, bugs, etc, just all about avoiding any headaches that may come about.

[@WoolyBugged]

Nice, ya, I rarely get to pin pinging exact travel locations until late in the week. I think the waders are easier for helping to avoid all the things you mentioned. As a previous guy mentioned, wading pants may be an option too.

[@mitchellstem_5084]

Thanks for something to watch and for the smile as always.

[@berks8260]

Fantastic trip, fish and video! Beautiful fish!

[@Rich-fg9vj]

Love your videos Mike! The little extras you put in your production make a world of difference, ie: running water, nature shots etc. Plus the miles you hike just retrieving your cameras. Keep'em coming! Tight Lines.

[@michaelfairchild1417]

Another really great video Mike, I love the camera work and the locations. The remoteness and unspoiled beauty is simply amazing. Great work

[@ianjones6910]

Man, your videos have really gone up a notch or two....beautiful. That walk in you described and showed at the beginning looks like what I'm doing down here in Louisiana; the only differences are - no rocks, probably several degrees warmer, and along with the skeeters, humongous biting horse flies. Also, instead of brook trout, my target is spotted bass...but, the idea is the same - small streams in the woods. We hope to get up to the Smokies sometime this year for the brookies, once things settle down.

[@WoolyBugged]

That sounds interesting Ian, do you make videos of your trips? I’d be interested to see.

[@ianjones6910]

@@WoolyBugged I haven't so far - I'm so focused on fishing....maybe I will sometime. I've taken short videos with my phone, to post on Facebook; I put one up to prove that there are actually streams in Louisiana with current caused by gravity, not tides. These spotted bass we have here might be related to a new species discovered in the Florida panhandle - Choctaw Bass....the only way to know for sure is via DNA testing, but the dorsal fin ray counts match. They are terrific fighters, even though they don't get huge - a 1lb fish would be very large.

[@marksimmons5991]

Your videos are wonderful. I enjoy watching them. Thank you for sharing.

[@bowencheng2939]

Bob from Taiwan. I love the wild stream you have been and the effort of walking to explore them. Hardly we can find such clear stream with wood shade it must be very cool during summer.

[@jared5862]

I’m glad to see you out fishing and making videos again. The 30th was a great day. I caught my new personal best native and my second best both that same day here in WV. One was 11” and the other was just a hair shy of 12”.

[@seanearnest]

Hi Mike! Small world, I just got a pair of those waders myself. Loving them so far. Warm enough for the colder spring creeks but not too hot in this warmer weather. They seem very durable. Looks like a grand day out for you yet again, those fish and surroundings are beautiful! Best regards, Seán

[@iwaderstore1214]

Hey Mike, thanks for your great video! I really appreciate your time and effort on it. Hope you enjoy fishing all day long with iWader S1. Cheers, Kenny. :)

[@toddh6102]

Hey Mike. Glad to see you back at it! Tight lines.

[@battistebuono2530]

Very nice video Mike. I appreciate your explanation as to why you wear chest waders to such a remote, small stream, because I was actually going to ask why you do in my comment. I understand your concern with ticks and Lyme disease. Personally, as soon as the weather warms I wet wade in a pair of Patagonia wading pants. I have found a tick or two crawling on me but never embedded. I'm usually keeping my eyes peeled for rattlesnakes this time of year here in the Blue Ridge mountains of Virginia.

[@WoolyBugged]

Dino, that’s a great point, the wading pants are probably a great option. The one thing the chest waders do provide is extra pockets to carry more stuff that’s quickly accessible.

[@seanm451]

Awesome video. Loved the action shots on those natives.

[@gt_outdoorexcursions]

Wow, never disappoints! Great stream and some epic fish!

[@WoolyBugged]

Thanks Gerald, thanks for saying hello too!

[@sdjanelli]

some of the views and shots you have are incredible! great job!

[@dougroberts4535]

Enjoyed the video Mike! Looks like a great little stream!

[@captzero7529]

Great content, video quality and editing. I've got to get back to WV and PA to fish ! CZ

[@WoolyBugged]

Capt Zero yes you do Captain!

[@kalebbooher8092]

Walking through the woods in waders always makes me scared to pop a hole in them suckers! Beautiful spot

[@lukebrittin7046]

Great Work!

[@WoolyBugged]

Thanks Luke, did you get out for some brookies this past weekend?

[@anvildo]

Great video , I don’t think “ Missing 411” books covered any FlyFishermen , yet.

[@WoolyBugged]

I don’t plan on being the first!

[@seanearnest]

This is crazy, this is the second time in less than 1 week I'm hearing about those books...and the guy who told me about them also put me onto the waders Mike is wearing in this video. Spooky!

[@GWrex1skip]

Mike, you make awesome videos

[@ThePurpleChaosMonkey]

You make it look like clockwork! I hope to get to a point where I can at least get 1 fish per outing

[@WoolyBugged]

You’ll get there with practice!

[@kennethpowers9754]

Great video Mike. I have been to that area more than a few times in my younger days, not to fish, simply to hike and camp. Should you return to any of these wilderness areas in northcentral Pennsylvania, be mindful that this area contains a healthy population of timber rattlesnakes. I once came across one in Hickory Run State Park that probably measured over four feet in length. And those mountains, more like plateaus, are brutal to scale. Rock on top of rock, with more loose rocks and tree roots on top of all of that solid mass. With weight on your back, it is oftentimes an even tougher descent. However, the size and serenity of this area are well worth the effort.

[@WoolyBugged]

Ken, thanks for the note. I don't run into as many rattle snakes as you'd think. I was just telling another fella that I DO run into a lot of rattlers up around Renovo, PA in the Hyner Run area. I think almost every visit up there past April I've run into one.

[@JerseyMiller]

Wild brookies are the best kind of brookies that are born in the stream

[@peterwelsh9509]

Pete from the North of England. Lovely video and content, those fish are beautifully marked. I fish small becks here and those waders look good for the scrambling I do over rocks and scrub. Have they a website? Cheers Pete

[@wronghandshooter]

great video. it looks like you pinched the barbs down on your flies

[@WoolyBugged]

Any fly that goes on my rod for brookies gets the barbs pinched.

[@1pcmedic]

Nice video! A 4 mile walk in waders through the woods = 16 miles.........

[@BiffWaltman]

New backpack? You have using a sling pack until this video. Do you a preference. By the way, I’m a lefty and wonder if you have a recommendation? Really like the vids

[@buick4622]

Great video. What was your set up? Weight, length, reel type? Also what's the verdict on the waders?

[@alecjensen9781]

Thanks for not playing ridiculous music on your videos. I'd much rather be able to hear nature than listen to drunk squirrel music.

[@WoolyBugged]

Haha, you’re funny Alec!

[@Mike-us3fk]

Hey Mike awesome video !!! What kind of setup were you using ? rod and reel

[@patrickreynolds6861]

Great video Mike. What size are the flies that you used? 🇺🇸

[@WoolyBugged]

Patrick, I like to fish #16 Wulffs on the small streams because any larger and you’ll find you miss a lot of fish.

[@patrickreynolds6861]

Thanks Mike I don’t use dry flies too often I mostly use nymphs occasional streamer or bucktail but a little information always helps fly fission there’s always something to learn keep up the great work really appreciate it

[@aaronmiller6118]

I wish I knew where these streams are but at the same time I'm glad I don't

[@lechium02]

Permethrin is the only solution i've ever found for ticks...pre-treat everything.

[@five-0outdoors750]

Where’s this at exactly? I live in Lycoming county.

[@WoolyBugged]

This is public land in Lycoming County.

[@anthonymiller6417]

It must suck walking back for the camera all the time Hahahaha

[@WoolyBugged]

Honestly, some days it really does!

[@jamesbeebe5281]

Ohiopyle Statte park 19052 acres