Fishing Season: Year Round in C&R Area (Prime: April - mid-November, mid-Jan.-March)

Yellow Breeches Creek - PA

Fishing Outlook & Conditions

Water Temp:

60

Tom Baltz/Endorsed Guide's Tip of the Week

> Spring fishing is in full swing. Watch where you park along the Breeches and pick up any litter you see when you leave. Landowners are VERY touchy right now due to the heavy fishing pressure over the last several years. The last guy in the lot gets the blame! > Anglers accessing the upper catch & release area from the Run Parking area would be well advised to carry and use a wading staff. As a result of recent in-stream work in that reach the Breeches is narrower, deeper, and faster, making wading across from the Point a somewhat hazardous endeavor. > Don't forget the subsurface stages of the major hatches. Try small nymphs to suggest the little olives, caddis pupae #14-16, and generic mayfly nymphs in the #14-18 size range to suggest upcoming hatches like Sulphurs, which are due anytime. > On flat, slow water stretches, midges are a major factor. Watch closely to determine what trout are taking. Tiny little CdC and parachute patterns are worth a try. Flies like the F-fly, #22,24 (see "Seven Day Outlook") and the I.C.S.I. Midge in #22-24. Try sight fishing with very small nymphs, Zebras and so forth. > Little BWO's (sz. 22-26) can emerge anytime from late morning to late afternoon. Try I.C.S.I. Midges, #22-24 for them too. I also like tiny CdC Compara-Duns and my ParaNymph in size 18/20. > Meeting the hatches is a very tricky thing...best strategy is to go early and stay late! > It's still a good time of the season to add those hot spots to your nymphs. Hot orange and red are particularly effective. Right now, the Breeches is stained a tea color from the high water but clear. Just a little "hot" spot and more natural looks to your nymphs might be the way to go. On darker, cloudy days perhaps a bit more color will entice an extra bite or two. > Streamers are a good bet for action both early and late in the day. Consider that a large percentage of the baitfish available to trout are yearlings. A good plan is to match their sizes; streamers of about an inch and a half to two inches or so long are a good bet. Try Muddlers, Shenk's White Minnow, and of course, Woolly Buggers in white, olive, brown, and olive/black. Pinch a split shot onto the tippet directly in front of the streamer and just bounce it along the bottom with a jigging motion. A cast across and slightly upstream, drift, and swing at the end is also worth a shot. > ALLENBERRY is OPEN! Anglers may drive in, park in the PLAYHOUSE PARKING area to the left of the new gatehouse and walk down to the stream to fish. Check them out at www.allenberry.com or call (717) 258-3211 to see what the status of dining in and lodging are. Might also consider dropping a buck or two on a sandwich or beverage at some point to thank them for parking and access. Anglers may also park at the Run and walk down. There is very limited parking off of Criswell Drive. Do not get creative with parking down there! There is room for maybe, three cars. Same goes for the rest of the Breeches. Almost all of the Breeches is private property and every year we are losing access to spots that have been open for many years. Fishing is allowed by the grace of the landowners.

Directions open in app

Map of Yellow Breeches Creek

Water Flow Data

Tidal Conditions

Orvis-Endorsed guides nearby

Tom Baltz

5-Day Outlook as of 5/11/22

Weather Guy says the weekend looks pretty sweet. Low to mid-seventies, but plan on the chance of showers. This is the same storm that pounded us last week, but it doesn't look quite so wet this time around. Sulphurs are due anytime now. I haven't seen more that an occasional one nor have I heard credible reports of any real hatches. I have seen scattered tan caddis, #14-16, little blak caddis, Pink Ladies, #12, and tiny olives, #22. With the stream really ripping after last week's big rain, it has been difficult to even get in the creek until the last day or two. Need I mention that nymphs have been the way to go? Things are shaping up though, so we are hoping we don't get too much rain this weekend. Fishing pressure remains steady, so if there's several cars parked in the area you are hoping to fish, perhaps further exploration is in order. Anglers are asked to not be creative with parking along the Breeches! Almost all of the Breeches is private property, so all access is courtesy of the landowners. Contrary to what some anglers believe, the Yellow Breeches has not been adjudicated as being navigable. That means that any areas posted against trespass will mean "NO FISHING" by wading or otherwise, unless you want to be the test case. So, don't be that guy... 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 a few 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 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 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.

Techniques & Tips as of 5/11/22

All of the different fly-fishing techniques are effective at various times on the Breeches. Dry fly fishers should pay attention to the bugs they observe in and on the stream and choose flies accordingly. A good caddis pattern and my ParaNymph cover most of the caddis and mayflies one might see at this time. Choose sizes to match bugs. Nymph fishing by one or another of the popular techniques is the most productive way to catch some Yellow Breeches trout. Tight-line Euro-nymphing, floats, and dry/dropper all have their places. Try BH Hare's Ear's or Bronzebacks with smaller Frenchies or Zebra Midges dropped below the heavier nymph and suspended by your favorite strike indicator. Reaches of medium depth are perfect for the New Zealand Strike Indicator system. Tight-liners might want a soft hackle or similar dropper off a ring with a small nymph off the back of the anchor fly. Water is pretty clear with a light tea color to it so now is a good time to refine your technique and tackle set up with some smaller floats, flies and finer tippets.

Local Species Available Year Round in C&R Area (Prime: April - mid-November, mid-Jan.-March)

  • Fish Icon

    Wild brown trout

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    stocked rainbows and browns

Tom Baltz/Endorsed Guide's Recommended Fly Patterns

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

Name: Colors: Size(s):
Henryville Special N/A #12-16
Elk Wing Caddis N/A #12-16
CDC Emerging Caddis tan #14-16
Sulphur Parachute N/A #16-18
Baltz's ParaNymph natural #12-20
Baltz's Bronzeback Nymph N/A #12-16
Bead Head American Pheasant Tail N/A #12-18
TH Zebra Midge black, Olive, brown #18-24
Baltz's Iron X-Caddis N/A #14-16
Shenk's White Minnow white #8

Henryville Special

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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 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:

You might see the following... > Sulphurs, #14-16 > Tan caddis, #14-16 > Yellow/tan crane flies, #16 > Pink Lady, #12 (Epeorus sp.) > BWO's, sz. 20-22. > Blue Quills, sz. 16-18 > midges, olive, brown, black in sizes 20-22 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 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.