Southcentral limestone recommendation

Mucka

Mucka

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Joined
Aug 26, 2013
Messages
171
After years of driving through the barren cornfields of interstate 80 in Ohio, work is finally taking me out east next week. If all goes according to plan, I hope to hop off the turnpike for a couple hours and hit one of the streams I read so much about on here. I'm between a handful, but I'd be interested to hear what people might think is best for a couple hour pit stop on the west side of harrisburg? Any and all tips and advice is very much appreciated!
 
Letort is closest to Harrisburg and, I think, if you've never fished it, you owe it to yourself to make the pilgrimage.
Big Spring is a bit further down I81 (about 40min from H-burg) and Falling Springs further still. Breeches is cold but fishable. There is a fresh report in Stream Reports on the Run in Boiling Springs (this is a trib of Breeches) and Breeches has some fresh stocked fish as well.

My recommendation is hit Letort if you just have a couple hours. It's famous and located in Carlisle, which is close to your destination
 
I agree. If it were warmed I would suggest getting off in bedford and heading up to yellow creek, which would only be a 20 minute or so detour. But it is iced up as of this weekend. Letort would be great. I plan on stopping there this summer when I pass by Carlisle.
 
Were ever you decide remember the open water will close March 1. Check your Pa fishing summary for were it will be open to fish. I will not give my opinion because I am sure you will get more info then what you will need. Hope you enjoy our area and good luck on having a nice day on the water.
 
Big Spring And Letort were the two I was really eyeing up.. I was leaning toward big spring but sounds like I need to go to letort.. clueless on regs for those streams... I assume I need to stick to the ffo section given it'll be March 3rd or 4th when I'm passing through? And what should I attempt to tie up prior to going. Thanks again!
 
Mucka wrote:
Big Spring And Letort were the two I was really eyeing up.. I was leaning toward big spring but sounds like I need to go to letort.. clueless on regs for those streams... I assume I need to stick to the ffo section given it'll be March 3rd or 4th when I'm passing through? And what should I attempt to tie up prior to going. Thanks again!
Click to expand...

Letort is open as all the fishable sections are FFO or Class A (C&R only, of course). In BS, you will want to stay in the FFO (above Nealy Rd). Hit the link "Where to Fly Fish" in the upper right corner of this page to find the FFO sections.

You'll want scuds and cress bugs and whatever your preferred streamer flies are. Also have some small BWO dries as these can emerge on Letort throughout the winter.
 
Great, thanks! Hopefully I'll get to both on Tuesday
 
OK so I'm turning this into 1 full day on Tuesday and half day on Wednesday afternoon- I'd like to squeeze in Falling Spring as well, but access looks like a nightmare?? Can anyone shed any light for parking on the FFO and DHALO sections? Looks to be heavily residential and google isnt turning up any blatant parking areas! Thanks in advance
 
Send me a PM and I'll explain the parking on FS.
 
One thing about both of those places, they are a couple of the hardest streams in PA. They are not pushovers. Stealth, long casts, thin tippet, and minimal commotion on the water is your friend. They are fishable right now though.
 
Fishable is my only concern.. it's been so long since I've been out that results won't matter for me.. added bonus that I get to write off my expenses to get out that way and fish. I'm going into it with the mindset that if I bring one fish to hand I will be thrilled. No limestoners and few wild streams out this way.. so I'm going into this pretty blind... read tons but there's no substitute for experience. Thanks for the tips jkilroy
 
For BS use grayish 12-16 sowbugs, and small midges 20 and smaller. Red midge usually work good. There are some tanks in big spring. Rainbows that is.
 
Great thanks. I've whipped up about a dozen sz 14 sowbugs and some sculpins in preparation for the big boys. I'll take some red midges too, thanks again!
 
Watch your step on the banks of the LeTort. There's places that will swallow a man.
 
Thanks for the heads up, I'm sure I'll manage to find them if they're there
 
Don't forget to bring warm dry clothes for afterwards, the local forecast is looking lovely.

NWS:
Tuesday A slight chance of snow before 1pm, then freezing rain, possibly mixed with snow between 1pm and 4pm, then snow, freezing rain, and sleet likely after 4pm. High near 34. Calm wind becoming southeast 5 to 8 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New ice accumulation of less than a 0.1 of an inch possible. New snow and sleet accumulation of less than one inch possible.

Tuesday Night Rain and snow, possibly mixed with freezing rain and sleet before 7pm, then rain, snow, and freezing rain between 7pm and 1am, then rain after 1am. Low around 32. South wind around 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Wednesday Rain likely. Cloudy, with a high near 44. Southwest wind 5 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
Click to expand...
 
tomitrout wrote:
Don't forget to bring warm dry clothes for afterwards, the local forecast is looking lovely.

NWS:
Tuesday A slight chance of snow before 1pm, then freezing rain, possibly mixed with snow between 1pm and 4pm, then snow, freezing rain, and sleet likely after 4pm. High near 34. Calm wind becoming southeast 5 to 8 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New ice accumulation of less than a 0.1 of an inch possible. New snow and sleet accumulation of less than one inch possible.

Tuesday Night Rain and snow, possibly mixed with freezing rain and sleet before 7pm, then rain, snow, and freezing rain between 7pm and 1am, then rain after 1am. Low around 32. South wind around 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Wednesday Rain likely. Cloudy, with a high near 44. Southwest wind 5 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

Thursday 100% Precip. / 1-3 in
Snow during the morning will taper off as a few snow showers during the afternoon. High 29F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 100%. Snow accumulating 1 to 3 inches.

Thursday Night 0% Precip. / 0 in
Clear. Low 8F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.

Friday 0% Precip. / 0 in
Mainly sunny. High 29F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph.

Friday Night 10% Precip. / 0 in
A mostly clear sky. Low around 15F. Winds light and variable.

Nice!
 
I'll be out and about Tuesday morning on the Letort. Shoot me a PM and we can meet if you want. I can show you around the lower stretch a bit...
 
Not sure but it seems they re defined class A regulations. Pg 10 All species of trout and salmon. April 4 through Sept 7. This is what I am looking at!!! Extended Seasons: Class A wild trout streams sections. Jan.1 through Feb. 28 and Sept. 8 through Dec. 31.

Our WCO is covering 4 county's and hard to get a hold of. Perhaps someone from The commission can chime in.
 
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