Cumberland Valley Streams

[5alp]

Got some extended time tomorrow and possibly this weekend to make a longer ride from the Philly burbs. Never made a trip out to the CV and was hoping to find out if its worth making the trip this time of year. Tomorrow's weather looks promising with highs in the 50s. Flows and temps on both Letort Spring Run and Big Spring Creek are looking fishable.

I'd call myself an advance beginner. Been fishing for the past 18 months, with a job that allows me to hit the streams at least once a week. I spend most of my time on Valley creek and can reliably get fish on nymphs most days.

I'd be honest in saying I'm somewhat intimidated given the reputations of the CV steams. Are these worth my time in the winter given my limited experience? Am I better off waiting for a bit better weather and experience? I'm equipped with a 9ft 5wt and 10ft6in 3wt, are these these decent streams to tightline on or am I better off with an indy?

Any advice would be appreciated! Thanks!

 

[joebamboo]

I don't want to discourage you, but those two streams give even the most experienced fly fishers a run for their money.

 

[JackM]

If you don't mind a skunking, you owe it to yourself to visit LeTort. If you see absolutely no surface activity, I would recommend slow drifting streamers. Start out small, mid-column to bottom-tapping. Move up in size if that doesn't work, then move to scuds.

Riffles or pocket-water riffles should be your first target. Deep pools are thought of as winter habitat, and they might be for resting trout (and baitfish). But as the water warms and the fish go on the feed, they move to the riffles and pocket-water to feed.

At LeTort, the water has a stable temperature, but it is effected by external forces. Since it is mostly shallow, sun on the water is an important factor this time of year. It will warm the water, which was nowhere near freezing at 6:00 AM anyway.

I have no idea what I am talking about.

 

[troutbert]

If you are interested in those streams, just go. Exploring is what it's all about.

The tackle you have is fine for those streams.

 

[redietz]

Definitely worth your time in winter. If you can reliably get fish on nymphs, you should be able to catch at Big Spring.

 

[just_jon]

Big Spring has been fishing well. Bring some cress bugs and scuds and you will put fish in the net. I would go with the 10.5‘ 3 weight as indicators can put fish down In shallow water.

 

[moon1284]

Bring the shortest rod you have and strip smallish streamers on letort. Cover a lot of water and fish areas quickly. You might be surprised. You can try the same at big spring. You can hit both in a day.

 

[5alp]

Thanks everybody for all the good advice. Gonna go for it, if I catch a damn thing I'll be sure to report back.

 

[dc410]

Thanks everybody for all the good advice. Gonna go for it, if I catch a damn thing I'll be sure to report back.

What if you don’t catch a damn thing! Good luck, I hope you stick something. Can’t wait to hear your report back.

 

[5alp]

Of course!

What if you don’t catch a damn thing! Good luck, I hope you stick something. Can’t wait to hear your report back.

Of course!

 

[sgrim]

I find the the upper meadow sections of the Letort to be more easily accessible this time of year when the grass is down, but I'd start @ Big Spring. There are two or three spots where you can park pretty easily and I've found it fishes easier than the Letort. You can do both if you budget your time. Start @ Newburg, fish half the day and then it's 15 or 20 minutes back up 81 to the Carlisle area.

 

[Bamboozle]

5alp:

It's probably too late to offer this advice... visit the Letort however, fish Big Springs.

If you never fished the Letort, especially recently in the CRFFO area, expect to be extremely discouraged with the flooded banks, the muddy morass above the trail in at Vince's Meadow and the limited amount of easily accessed water.

Getting around these days on the Letort is tough and not for the faint of heart, especially beginners. It just doesn't fish like any other place you are used to, especially now with the flooded banks and it doesn't fish well if you move around a lot looking for easier spots to fish. You need waders just to keep dry and keep the mud off your clothes, even though you DON'T want to actually wade IN the stream.

Big Springs on the other hand is much easier to access, it can be fished effectively without wading, doesn't have the flooded bank issues the Letort does and fishes a LOT easier.

Regardless, have fun!!

 

[flyfish1998]

Both streams are very difficult streams. If you happen to get skunked, use your last hour at the mouth of the letort just under the route 11 bridge. Can usually always pull a small one out of there nymphing the riffles.

 

[5alp]

Reporting back - ended up staying at Big Spring for the duration, moving and trying to cover a lot of water. Was able to land one small rainbow. Looked wild given the parr marks and white tips fins. First one for me in PA, in fact first wild rainbow for me in general. So that was fun. Took that fish in some broken water below a submerged log (manmade stream improvement?). Took a sz 16 olive scud.

By the time I got to the stream (11a) the sun was up and there was not much in the way of shade. Even in the lower parts of the stream where the water was cloudy I could see my casting motions, even from my knees, were spooking fish.

That is one helluva stream though. Wish it was a bit closer than a 2 hour drive. I'll have to save Letort for another visit.

Thanks again for all the advice!

 

[redietz]

Looked wild given the parr marks and white tips fins. First one for me in PA, in fact first wild rainbow for me in general.

Big Spring is chuck full of small, wild rainbows. It's the only place I can think of where the brook trout are harder to catch than the rainbows. The 'bows are some of the most vividly colored anywhere. It's a great stream.

Congrats!

 

[Bamboozle]

Reporting back - ended up staying at Big Spring for the duration, moving and trying to cover a lot of water...

Patience is a virtue at places like Big Spring & Letort. I move in inches, not feet and spend more time sitting and watching than fishing.

Typically the guys I encounter that aren't doing well are the ones moving around the most.

However, congrats on catching a fish your first time out!!

 

[Acristickid]

Congratulations. Good job.

My general feedback would be go on a cloudy or rainy warmer day if possible, fish broken water w nymphs. No genius or great angler but I’ve caught fish the first time I visited both but have gotten skunked on both as well. Olives should make an appearance soon- especially a warmer cloudy rainy day.

Guys (aka Legends ) who lived there decades ago and fished in many times in a week, innovators of patterns, tactics and have written numerous books on fly angling those streams. Those guys were something. I think you can’t declare victory on the Letort until you can lure a wild brown up on a cricket!

 

[Millsertime]

Fish the letort during rain or immediately after so the water is a little dirty. I've had banner days on the letort like that.

I was down that area 2 months ago. While looking for new access to the lower letort, I accidently came across the PA fly fishing museum. I'd stop there as well. Nobody works there, you just kind of walk through and read everything while on camera. Plan to spend an hour perhaps.

Since I'm military, I also checked out the letort on army war college. Didn't fish it but walked the banks. Saw mostly smaller fish and not much habitat. I'm guessing it doesn't get fished often.