Help with Elk at Rick Road

TRY egg sacs or minnows,probably easiest for an 11 yr.old  ,,,,,good luck

Good call fishinguy.  Here it is: http://forums.fishusa.com.m.aspx?m=23220&high=

Water conditions are everything for beginners.  My advice is fish medium size fat head or emerald shiner minnows when the water is dropping after a rainstorm.   50 - 60cfs on the Walnut gauge should be prime for the area you want to fish on upper Elk.  Don't be afraid to walk downstream a little ways from the bridge, if your not having any luck at the big hole.  You can walk downstream a good ways without ever needing to cross the water there.
 
If you go in the type of water flow I just described, she will easily hook up on minnows.  Just make sure you get the weight right for the flow.  If the minnow is drifting through the current to fast and not staying down, then add a bb size split shot.  If it's still not drifting evenly with the current, add another.  If your getting hung up on the bottom and the minnow is lagging behind the current, then take off a bb size split shot.  You should be able to get it perfect with 1, 2, or 3 bb size weights depending on the water depth and flow.
 
The last two hours of daylight should be about the best time of the day this time of year.  Sometimes it can be a little to cold first thing in the morning, and they will turn on better later in the day especially the last hour before dark.
 
Hope this helps, and good luck!

This is a lot of really great information!  That was an awesome article.  I really appreciate it, guys.

I thought you could do everything but set the hook

Cold

50 - 60cfs on the Walnut gauge should be prime for the area you want to fish on upper Elk.

Using the Walnut gauge to determine Elk fishability? 

 
Doesn't everyone?    The upper watersheds are only a few miles apart.
 
I've been doing it successfully for 6 years now, has never let me down once.     Was just up fishing Elk for two days (from 100cfs down to 40cfs on the Walnut gauge) after the six day hurricane blow out.  We hammered them in perfect water both days.  I can confirm that the same cfs numbers from the Walnut gauge held true after the Sandy blowout to what I like on Elk after a brief one day high water event.  

Thanks.  Maybe the bridge area may not be the best spot.  I think we'll try 79 in Mckean first.

XtopwaterkingX

I thought you could do everything but set the hook

See above. You can even set the hook.

Cannot Set the Hook 
  
 

Cold


That's kind of interesting that you do that and it holds true so often for you.  Honestly, at first glance, it seems like it may be more of an interesting coincidence than some sort of fundamental correllation, but either way, if it works, it works.

 
I do the same .
it's not always a "sure thing" , but after some time  of regular trips and checking several creeks per trip, the gauge at  Da'Nut and Bandy Run  are  pretty good indicators of what to expect on all the creeks
 
 
..L.T.A.

I just figured it'd make more sense to use the Brandy gauge for Elk as opposed to the Walnut one, even after considering how close their upper reaches were to one another.  But that's pretty cool...another bit of info to help plan trips in the future.  Thanks dUUds.

william h
well... thats not fair at all. 
The adult should have to possess a valid license if any fish are harvested.