Fishing Season: Basically early April thru Labor Day weekend and extended season to about mid-Feb. Check current reg

Yellow Breeches Creek - PA

Fishing Outlook & Conditions

Water Temp:

68

Tom Baltz/Endorsed Guide's Tip of the Week

> Choose your fishing locations carefully and be persistent and precise with your presentations. The stream is low and clear and fishing pressure remains steady. > If you've ever wanted to try fly fishing, press the button with my name on it in this report. Let's discuss getting you on the water and pointed in the right direction so you have a base to further explore this wonderful sport! > On the Breeches, POSTED means just that. Anglers cannot wade through or fish from a boat on posted waters. This applies to several reaches of the Breeches. > Watch for bugs and rising trout! If no luck on top, a very good rig is a single nymph below a very small indicator (suspension device) or a dry/dropper. A plain Walt's Worm under a New Zealand indicator or a high floating dry fly is a good option. I like these rigs in spots where a foam indicator hitting the water has trout running for cover. > Carry and try some of the traditional, generic all-purpose nymphs. There are a ton of patterns out there. Gold ribbed hare's ears, Prince nymphs, #10-12 rubber legs, green or cased caddis, etc. are all good starters. > (717) 486-7087 is the phone number for Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Regional Headquarters at Huntsdale, PA. If you care about fishing in this area, PUT THIS NUMBER IN YOUR PHONE DIRECTORY AND CALL THEM WITH A REPORT AS TO WHERE/WHEN, ETC. We do have a new Waterways Conservation Officer, and he seems to be working hard. If it's a weekend or he is unavailable, information you provide can help him establish a pattern, thus using his time more efficiently.

Directions open in app

Map of Yellow Breeches Creek

Water Flow Data

Orvis-Endorsed guides nearby

Tom Baltz

5-Day Outlook as of 5/20/26

Well, Weather Guy was correct... we've had a couple of burner days! Sunday/Monday weren't too bad, though it started to warm up considerably on Monday afternoon. Still, David and Krista had good mornings on the Breeches and David, batting clean-up on Monday afternoon added icing to the trip with several trout before they headed back to the world. This morning (Tuesday) Joan and Pam gave it a shot, and we did pretty well until late morning/noon'ish when water temps dictated a change of venue. There were scattered T-showers around the area this afternoon. I seriously doubt said showers will have had noticeable effect on the stream, but they were still welcome for their noticeable cooling effect. So, this early and unexpected HOT spell has been a rapid transition to summer style fishing! Ahh. and now Weather Guy is predicting a welcome return to spring-like weather patterns and high temps only in the fifties, with precip by the weekend! Bring your rain jacket...I don't think it will be a washout by any stretch, but who wants to get wet? While there are wild trout throughout 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 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 any acts of poaching or other questionable activity, call the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission at the 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.

Techniques & Tips as of 5/20/26

> I enjoy dry fly fishing as much as the next angler. If rises are spotty to non-existent but you just have to, try basic shapes. I start with my ParaNymph in sz. 14/16. No results, try a caddis in the sz. 16/18 range. It's not too early for a nice fat ant pattern if neither of the other options bring results. There are bugs about; keep your eyes peeled! > Fishing nymphs suggesting expected hatches below one or another types of suspension devices is a good choice. Target deeper areas...and don't forget to move that indicator to adjust depth! In fact, an occasional twitch can draw strikes, especially in slower water. > Try Euro nymphs with a spot of hot color on them. It could be a tail or built into the body of the nymph. > If you choose to fish nymphs, consider the New Zealand indicator system (also see dry/dropper techniques) Try to fish it mostly upstream, rather than across stream. Hard foam indicators are better for cross-current presentations as they still float with less than precise handling. > Hatches aside, I must add that stuff like Walt's Worms and pheasant tail jigs were my most effective nymphs most of last season and have proven their worth again this spring. > Dry/dropper combos. Trail a small wet fly, caddis pupa, mayfly type nymph, or ant pattern 12 to 20 inches behind your favorite searching dry fly pattern. ParaNymphs, caddis patterns and small Chubbies work well for this tactic... > It's a good idea to carry a few streamers in the fly boxes. The area has had major swings of weather this spring and sometimes for a day or so after a good rainstorm, streamers can be the deal. A basic selection will include a Muddler Minnow, something white like Ed Shenk's great white minnow pattern, and a dark Woolly Bugger. Fish them with an appropriately sized split shot clinched onto the leader directly above the hook eye. This is the way these flies were intended to be fished by their inventors and is a more versatile way of weighting them than a bead or conehead. Fish them like tightline nymphs. Jig streamers are good too. Landon Mayer's leeches in simple black or white, or olive patterns are good additions to the streamer box.

Local Species Available Basically early April thru Labor Day weekend and extended season to about mid-Feb. Check current reg

  • Fish Icon

    Wild browns/stocker "bows above Rt. 34. wild/stocked browns and stocked 'bows below B. Springs.

Tom Baltz/Endorsed Guide's Recommended Fly Patterns

"Must-have" fly fishing patterns in descending order of importance:

Name: Colors: Size(s):
Sulphur Parachute N/A #14-16
Pale Morning Dun Thorax N/A #14-16
Blue Winged Olive N/A #16-18
Elk Wing Caddis tan #14-18
Baltz's ParaNymph natural #12-20
Baltz's Bronzeback nymph natural #12-16
Flashback Scud Wet Hare's Ear N/A #12-14
Tunghead Hot Spot Pheasant Tail Jig N/A #14-18
Baltz's Iron X-Caddis tan #16
Walt's Worm jig hare's ear #12-18

Sulphur Parachute

Image Not Found

Item #0923

Buy Now

Tom Baltz/Endorsed Guide's Recommended Gear

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 a virtually 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:

> Midges may show at any-time during the day. #22-24. Olive and tiny black are most common... > Crane flies, yellow...#16...Anytime... > Blue Wing Olives, sz 18-20. Spotty... > assorted caddis, sz. 14-18 Mostly tan... Mid-morning or so. Little black cadis (#20) are still around too, so watch for them. > Sulphurs and other big cream/yellowish flies are popping here and there. the big bugs are great to see but it's the sulphurs the trout will be looking for. Nymphs are still best bet. Sulphur hatches have been sporadic, like the weather! > When trout are not rising (which is most of the time) think of the bugs that live in the stream. If you don't try to match them, pattern wise, match their size. See above for rough sizes of the various bugs. There are almost always more small bugs than large ones. There are also things in the Breeches like scuds and cranefly larvae. Again, sz 14 - 18 will usually work if you are persistent and pay attention to your presentations. 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:

Early morning to early afternoon and again around dusk...

Best Stretch:

At this time of the season, pretty much the entire Yellow Breeches fishes well. It is heavily stocked and there are plenty of wild trout scattered about. Note that they are not all in the upper stream reaches! That said, fishing pressure has been very heavy on most stretches. Ingenuity and exploration will get you on the water. Hopefully, pressure will abate as the season goes on... WARNING!! There are various POSTED stretches of stream along its length. DO NOT TRESSPASS!! Contrary to popular belief, the Yellow Breeches has not been adjudicated as being navigable. Anglers CANNOT WADE THROUGH OR FISH FROM A BOAT in POSTED waters!! Try at your peril... There is stream access at various municipal parks, most bridges (but not all) and assorted roadside pull offs. Use common sense...and if there is any litter around, yours or not, please pick it up! Last guy in the lot gets the blame...Please help us maintain the access we do have left.

Best Access:

Access points are 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. It must be noted that using ANY of the various GUIDE BOOKS out there to show parking areas is NOT reliable! We are losing access to the Yellow Breeches at a rapid rate! Don't be that guy! See "Best stretch" section of this report.