We have had a break in the extreme temperatures of last week and Weather Guy is predicting some temperate days/nights this week. So, mid to late week prospects look pretty good. Best times to fish will be mornings and again right at dark. Even with the return to more normal weather warm afternoons will push water temps to critical levels. Take water temps and if they are over 65 degrees, go somewhere else. This temperature rule is applicable to the entire Breeches. Landowners up and down from the Zion Rd. bridge are ready to post the entire reach (actually already posted from the bridge up to the bend) due to littering and anglers fishing during high stream temps. They also do not want anglers killing any brown trout. Rainbows, o.k., but not the browns. Cumberland Valley TU members are working to keep this area open but anglers need to respect the landowners up and down the entire stream or it's going to be posted. There are other areas of concern as well. COVID has caused record high fishing pressure on all streams and landowners are stressed out. Any posting will eliminate fishing in that area. Contrary to what some anglers believe, the Breeches has not been adjudicated as being navigable under PA Commonwealth law so there will be no access by wading in posted stretches.
Anglers are asked to not be too creative with parking along the Breeches! Almost all of the Breeches is private property and all access is courtesy of the landowners; Don't blow it! If there is not obvious parking available perhaps looking for a different spot to fish is a good idea.
For a minimal commitment, try fishing the Run below Boiling Springs Lake. There are trout scattered along its length. Stay out of the stream as much as possible. In the few spots that must be waded, try to fish from the very edge. If you do fish, try using tiny BWO nymphs, midge larva/pupa patterns, terrestrials, and midge dries. Concentrate fishing the Run in the riffles. Might get a few in there on the I.C.S.I. Midge or a tiny F fly. Swear at if you like but the F stands for Fratnik, as in Marjan Fratnik, who invented this simple fly (which he called a Fluff Fly) in Slovenia in the early 1980's. Griffith's Gnats in #18-24 are killer too. Think of them as a terrestrial. Try clipping them flat on the bottom.
While there are wild trout in the Yellow Breeches, some sections benefit greatly from supplemental stockings. For many years the Yellow Breeches Anglers have done an excellent job of stocking the C&R and other parts of the creek. If you fish the Breeches, you have likely caught some of their fish. Give something back and support them by joining the Club. Memberships are only $20 annually and are good for the calendar year. Send check to YBAC, Box 1, Boiling Springs, PA 17007-0001. Contributions to feed the fish are always welcome too.
If you see anyone fishing bait or attempting to snag fish in the C&R area or elsewhere for that matter, take a pic and call Southcentral Region office at (717) 486-7087. For nefarious activity of a non-fishing nature call the Pennsylvania State Police at 717-243-4121.
Enjoy the fishing and please be courteous to other anglers. And if you get into some fish show us a picture but please don't put the location on Facebook!! You don't wanna be a spot burner! General information is good! It always feels best when you earn it.
Description: About Yellow Breeches Creek
Yellow Breeches Creek is one of the famous limestone trout streams of the Cumberland Valley in south-central Pennsylvania. Winding its way through a mixture of woodlots, farmlands and old residential or summer cottage areas for some 50 miles, its brushy, narrow upper reaches near Huntsdale rapidly gain volume from many limestone spring and freestone brook tributaries. Below the village of Boiling Springs the Breeches becomes a medium to large sized stream coursing eastward, eventually joining the Susquehanna River at New Cumberland.
A low gradient stream of gentle riffles and long flat pools, good water quality and varied habitat enables the Breeches to host a broad spectrum of hatches over virtually a year round season. Notable hatches include early black stoneflies, Hendricksons, Grannom and other caddis, sulphurs, Grey fox, assorted blue winged olives and of course, the White Fly, in August. Other mayflies from tricos to Hexagenia create fishing opportunities in addition to excellent midge and terrestrial action.
Heavily stocked almost year round throughout its length, there is an extremely popular “catch and release” fishery on the Breeches between Boiling Springs and Allenberry Resort. Fishing is very good up and downstream from this area too, some stretches holding fair to excellent populations of wild brown trout.
Nearest Airport:
Harrisburg International Airport - 45 minutes
Hatches:
> Assorted light Cahills, coral duns, #12-14, and Potamanthus, #8 hatch in various reaches right at and after dark
> Blue wing olives, #20-24
> Tan caddis, #14-16
> crane flies, #16
> Little black caddis and tiny tan caddis, #20
> Midges, #20-24. Midges can show at any time from early morning to late afternoon. Sunny days best.
NOTE: Chasing hatches is like playing the lottery. Weather conditions are highly variable but very important to timing and intensity of aquatic insect activity. Only time on the water will allow the angler to be there when things get rolling. These reports are from observations/experiences up and down a thirty mile stretch of stream and DO NOT necessarily apply to any given area. You may or may not see the same things as reported.
Best Time to Fish:
from about 8 a.m. until dark
Best Stretch:
There are hold over stocked trout scattered throughout the length of the Yellow Breeches and fair to very good numbers of wild trout, mostly browns especially in the reaches upstream of US Rt. 15 to the headwaters. There are areas holding wild trout downstream of there too. The mile long Special Regulations area beginning downstream of Boiling Springs Lake is popular with fly fishers.
Best Access:
There are access points scattered along the stream especially at or near bridges. Several are located in or at local parks. Please use common sense and respect land owner's yards and property. Access the Catch & Release area from the Run parking lot at the south end of Boiling Springs Lake or by parking off Criswell Road. Just across the tracks on the right side of the road there is room to park 3-4 cars between the tracks and the first POSTED sign or cone. Please don't park anywhere else in that area! Access the creek from the South Middleton Township Municipal Authority right of way on the west side of the road. Do not drive onto the right-of-way or block access to it. The former owners of the property along Criswell Dr., Lee and Isabel Castles, both passed away recently so it is suggested that anglers be on their best behavior when accessing the creek from this area so the parking isn't closed completely by the new owners. It has been reported that some anglers are walking down Criswell Road and cutting through the properties along the creek. PLEASE DO NOT DO THIS!
Allenberry is OPEN for business. Their website is www.allenberry.com and phone # is (717) 258-3211. Anglers can park in the UPPER THEATER PARKING AREA only, and walk down to the stream. If you access the Yellow Breeches through the Allenberry property, perhaps you might consider checking out the restaurant for a sandwich and a beer afterwards.
