Foreign hey folks, it's Marvin Cash, the host of the Articulate Fly.
Marvin CashWe're back with the first central PA fishing report of the year with George Costa, TCO Fly shop in State College.
Marvin CashGeorge, how are you?
George CostaI'm a little chilly, I'm gonna be honest.
George CostaA little chilly out here, Mark.
Marvin CashYeah, it's even chilly down here in the mid Atlantic for us.
Marvin CashBut 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 CostaYeah, it's looking like after this weekend it's going to get pretty cold.
George CostaThis weekend's not looking too bad though.
George CostaWe got a high of 33, 34 tomorrow, a little hotter on Saturday, if you can call a high of 37 hop.
George CostaBut it looks like the next couple of days will be fishable.
George CostaJust a little bit of precipitation, a little bit of snow today, not too much.
George CostaSo the weekend is looking pretty good.
George CostaBut going into next week, Sunday into next week, it is going to be cold up here in these hills.
George CostaSo don't expect efficient to be approachable even really.
George CostaI 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 CostaBut the weekend's looking good.
George CostaAnd fishing this past week, the guys that have been out have been actually doing really, really well.
George CostaNymphing has been really good.
George CostaWater is pretty low seasonally right now and pretty clear.
George CostaSo 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 CostaWith the lower clear water hasn't been amazing for streamers.
George CostaBut the nim fishing has been excellent the past week and the weekend should be pretty good.
Marvin CashWell, there you go.
Marvin CashYou can always tie, right?
George CostaYou can always downs the time.
George CostaStock up now.
George CostaWe got a lot of things to start tying over here.
George CostaWe'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 CostaSo expect end of May into June to be bonkers.
George CostaSo take some time and tie up some cicada patterns because this is the year.
Marvin CashYeah, and you don't have to worry about missing college football while your time flies either.
George CostaThis is true as well.
George CostaThis is true as well.
Marvin CashI'm not a Notre Dame fan or anything like that.
Marvin CashI just know those guys aren't playing and I'm a Cowboys fan folks.
Marvin CashSo, you know, have pity on me.
Marvin CashYeah, boo, exactly.
Marvin CashNot super thrilled with the coaching situation right now or the lack thereof, I guess.
Marvin CashAnd so we got got a question for you from Brenner, George.
Marvin CashHe' super optimistic and it won't stay cold forever unless we're in Game of Thrones.
Marvin CashNow 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 CostaYeah.
George CostaSo 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 CostaWhen we start getting some warmer days in February, we always get the little black stone flies.
George CostaThey'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 CostaSo that's like about a size 14 or 16 little black stone.
George CostaThose are a great early season top water bug when they're coming off heavy enough for it to fish the key in on.
George CostaBut look for those olives on those warmer days.
George CostaYou 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 CostaSo yeah, early season is not that far off.
George CostaWe just got to get through this this winter and watch out for the white walkers out there.
Marvin CashYeah, exactly.
Marvin CashAnd you know folks, we love questions on the articulate fly.
Marvin CashYou can email me or DM me on social media, whatever is easiest for you.
Marvin CashAnd 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 CashAnd 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 CashAnd 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 CostaSure.
George CostaWe're going to get a gift card to the shop here.
George CostaYou can use it in the store online and some TCO swag.
Marvin CashThere you go.
Marvin CashWell, the lucky winner is Brenner, Johnson and Brenner.
Marvin CashCongratulations.
Marvin CashI know you are a frequent flyer on all of our fishing reports, so appreciate your support.
Marvin CashI 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 CashAnd if it's too cold you know, tie some pertigons, do something fun.
Marvin CashTie some streamers.
Marvin CashOr, you know, maybe hit a fly fishing show.
Marvin CashTight lines, everybody.
Marvin CashTight lines.
Marvin CashGeorge, take it easy tomorrow.