Fishing Season: Basically, early April thru mid-February. Closed approx. mid- Feb. to Opening Day.

Yellow Breeches Creek - PA

Fishing Outlook & Conditions

Water Temp:

58

Tom Baltz/Endorsed Guide's Tip of the Week

> I have not seen any spawning activity yet. But it could get going at any time. Please don't disturb trout that are paired up and/or working gravel. > Take your time. Fish slowly and carefully! Don't push a wake when you wade. > Don't put the stream thermometer away just yet. > Watch for bugs and rising trout! Morning hatches are mostly midges, small caddis. With cooler weather, insect activity begins a bit later, like mid-morning on sunny mornings and later on murky days. Tiny bwo's could show up at any time but late morning and late afternoon are prime times. > During daytime fishing, those bugs could include terrestrial insects like ants and beetles. > Pinch those hook barbs down! You won't lose any fish. In fact, I believe you will actually land up to 40% MORE of those trout that take the fly. Improved hook penetration is the reason. Further, you'll be happy you pinched when trying to remove hooks from places they weren't intended to penetrate! > 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, pheasant tail, or Frenchie under a New Zealand indicator or high floating dry fly is a good option. Zebra Midge, black, sz. 16-20 is another option. It's not a bad idea to add some hot colors to nymphs. Just a touch, please! Orange and red are good starters. > There has been an unprecedented amount of illegal fishing on the Yellow Breeches this season. Not to point a finger at any particular group, there is plenty of blame to go around. Aside from the regular "keeping over the limit" and catching a limit, then changing locations gambits, a number of cast nets have been discovered. THESE ARE NOT LEGAL FOR ANY USE ON THE YELLOW BREECHES! If you discover one, please! Call PF&BC! (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 10/27/26

The Yellow Breeches is again, quite low and very clear. Weather Guy is predicting another perfect week of fall weather. Perfect for leaf peeping but we could use some rain! Leaf fall is still pretty gradual unless it gets breezy. I think the area will hit peak color later this week or by next week. Daytime temperatures are nice and cool in the morning and shirtsleeves by afternoon. Fishing actually picked up last week; at least the catching part. Not going to say it was gang busters, but we caught fish on every trip. I don't recall anyone getting skunked! Trout were hooked on small nymphs under tiny indicators or dry flies, and some were caught on dry flies, mostly small #16/18 caddis patterns. On several outings last week, we had to actually wait around a bit for things to warm up. Frosty mornings will do that! Not going to be quite so chilly this week so the early morning start might be wise. I'm not saying crack of dawn, but 8 a.m.? 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 10/27/26

> Mornings offer possibilities of dry fly fishing. Look for midge hatches, small BWO's, small caddis (#18-20) in cinnamon or mottled grey and #14-16 tan/cinnamon caddis flies. Get on some flat water downstream of riffles. Long-ish leaders and fairly fine tippets are in order. > 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.16/18. No results, try a caddis in the sz. 16/18 range or a nice fat ant pattern especially during mid to late morning. > If you choose to fish nymphs, consider the New Zealand indicator system (also see dry/dropper techniques). Try to make your casts 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 year. Go small now, like #18/20. > Dry/dropper combos. Trail a small wet fly, zebra midge, 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/Stimies work well for this tactic...

Local Species Available Basically, early April thru mid-February. Closed approx. mid- Feb. to Opening Day.

  • Fish Icon

    Wild browns/stocked browns/'bows..

Tom Baltz/Endorsed Guide's Recommended Fly Patterns

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

Name: Colors: Size(s):
Elk Wing Caddis N/A #14-20
Bead Head Soft Hackle Pheasant Tail N/A #14-18
Blue Winged Olive N/A #16-26
I Can See It Midge Fly grey/black #20-24
Flashback Scud Wet Hare’s Ear N/A #12-16
Tunghead Hot Spot Pheasant Tail Jig N/A #16-18
Baltz's ParaNymph natural #12-22
Baltz's ICSI Parachute Ant black #14/16
Baltz's Iron X-Caddis tan #16
Fall caddis pupa tan/brown #12-16

Elk Wing Caddis

The must-have Elk Wing Caddis dry fly offers the realistic presentation of an insect irresistible to trout.

2.49

Item #0378

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, generally good water quality and varied habitat enable the Breeches to host a broad spectrum of hatches over the course of the Regular and Extended trout seasons. 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. The Yellow Breeches Creek holds trout year-round. It is heavily stocked by the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission and the Yellow Breeches Anglers & Conservation Association, a participant in PF&BC's co-op trout nursery program. The Breeches also holds fair to good numbers of wild brown trout in some reaches.

Nearest Airport:

Harrisburg International Airport - 45 minutes

Hatches:

> Midges. Morning is best, but they may show at any-time during the day. #22-24. Olive and tiny black are most common... > Small caddis flies. Cinnamon (#18-20), grey (#18-20). There could also be some cinnamons in #14-16. > Blue wing olives. #18-24...any time from mid-morning, on... > Assorted terrestrials like ants and beetles and flying ants. > Crane flies, yellow/orange...#16/18...Anytime... > Slate drake patterns. sz. 14. Something to try...pitch 'em around in riffles. Mid to late afternoon. > 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 - Sz.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:

morning, mid-afternoon to dark......

Best Stretch:

Look for areas where colder water either flows or at least seeps into the creek. Riffles and directly downstream will also hold trout. Ingenuity and exploration will get you on the water. 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.