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

Yellow Breeches Creek - PA

Fishing Outlook & Conditions

Water Temp:

64

Tom Baltz/Endorsed Guide's Tip of the Week

> Summer has suddenly arrived. I've had two days into the '90's at my house. Best times to fish now are going to be in the morning and again around dusk. Carry and use a stream thermometer. If you're not catching, water temperature could be a big reason. > Please don't try to get too creative with parking along the Breeches. Landowners are understandably sensitive about some spots. Just before the season opened, I saw new POSTED signs and have observed vehicles parked in questionable spots since. > Nymphs will likely produce the most catching...suggestions of potential hatches like sulphurs, caddis, or crane flies are good fly choices. A bit of color, bright collars and tails, can be very effective. As in Euro style nymphs. > Swinging soft hackle style wet flies is popular and a fun way to hook a few trout. Match pattern colors to expected hatches, both mayflies and caddis flies. See the "HATCHES" section on this report. > Streamers (Woolly Buggers, Ed Shenk's White Minnow, Muddlers and variations, are go to flies on those days when trout are not taking nymphs. > If trout chase but won't quite grab when streamer fishing in cold water, try a slow roll technique with a front weighted streamer like a Woolly Bugger, Shenk white minnow, or similar. Attach a split shot of appropriate size to the leader directly in front of the hook eye. Slow rolling is very similar to tightline nymph fishing... > ALLENBERRY is OPEN! Anglers have been parking in the gravel lot at the bottom of the hill behind the Meadow Lodge. 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. > Parking access at the traditional spot, The Run, just downstream of Boiling Springs Lake is OPEN! If you go there, watch for the new traffic patterns. 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

Orvis-Endorsed guides nearby

Tom Baltz

5-Day Outlook as of 5/1/24

If you have questions about the fishing on the Yellow Breeches, fly hatches, or are interested in booking a guided trip, just click on my name on this report. I will get back to you. What a difference a few days make! On Saturday, my guests and I were all chilled to the bone, fishing through a raw, wet day. Sunday was nice and then summer hit! Fishing was good Monday until late afternoon when undoubtedly, water temperatures climbed into or over the mid-60 degree, range which shut things down for us. Weather Guy says the week will be a warm one so best fishing times will likely be mornings and toward dusk. Saturday looks like a slight cool down and maybe some much needed rain. Doesn't sound like very much though. We could use some; the stream dropped dramatically as things greened up. It's only a guess but sulphurs could start very soon. Look for them about dusk on the warm, clear days. There are a lot of anglers out there so try to be courteous and share the stream. Please! DON'T LITTER! You might even consider policing the area when you are done fishing and pick up any trash left by others; the last guy in the lot gets the blame. Littering and illegal parking are the two biggest causes of landowners' posting their properties! So, 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. 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 5/1/24

> Nymph tactics will produce the most action. Whether you choose to tightline or use floats, get 'em down! See "Tips" for patterns... > With water levels falling, the dry fly game again offers possibilities. Hatches include assorted caddis flies, and crane flies, with sulphurs likely ten days or so ahead. Tiny bugs could be blue quills or small bwo's > Streamers also have their moments now. A basic selection will include a Muddler Minnow, something white like Ed Shenk's great white minnow pattern, and a dark Woolly Bugger.

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):
Sulphur Parachute black/olive #14-16
Henryville Special N/A #14-18
Tunghead Hare's Ear Grub N/A #14-16
Bastian's Floating Caddis Emerger N/A #14-18
Baltz's ParaNymph natural #12-18
Baltz's tan caddis pupa N/A #14-16
Bead Head American Pheasant Tail N/A #12-18
I Can See It Midge Fly black, gray, olive #18-24
Baltz's Iron X-Caddis N/A #14-16
Shenk's white minnow white #6, 8

Sulphur Parachute

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Item #0923

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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 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:

You might see the following... > Assorted tan/dun caddis, sizes, 16 to 20 Spotty...morning and evening. > Little yellow crane flies, sz. 16. morning and evening. > Little black caddis, sz. 20.morning and evening. > Pink lady (mayflies), sz. 12 late afternoon/evening. light hatch of creamy/light grey mayflies. The female flies have bright pink eggs in their abdomens, thus the moniker, Pink Ladies... > Sulphurs could start at any time. On warm, sunny days look for the flies right at dusk. Cool overcast days, they may trickle off all afternoon. > Little blue wing olives, sz. 20, roughly...sporadic. Small dark flies that are quite difficult to see on the water. 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 and again around dusk

Best Stretch:

There are hold over stocked trout scattered throughout the length of the Yellow Breeches and fair to very good numbers of wild brown trout 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 the big pool at the Ege Bridge at Boiling Springs is popular with fly fishers. > The Run parking area at the south end of Boiling Springs Lake is open and the best way to access the catch & release area. > Anglers have also been parking on the big gravel lot at the foot of the hill at Allenberry. Park against the hillside and stop up to Fairfield Hall once in a while to have a burger or a beer. Thank you Allenberry, for letting anglers park on your private properrty!!

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. We are losing access to the Yellow Breeches at a rapid rate! Don't be that guy! Access the Catch & Release area from the parking area on the south side of the stone bridge at the edge of Boiling Springs, or park in the redone lot at the south end of Boiling Springs Lake, near the iron furnace. Allenberry is OPEN for business. Their website is www.allenberry.com and phone # is (717) 258-3211. Anglers have been parking in the gravel lot at the bottom of the hill behind the Meadow Lodge. If you access the Yellow Breeches through the Allenberry property, you might consider checking out the restaurant for a sandwich and a beer afterwards.