Yellow Breeches/Letort

CathyG

CathyG

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Aug 2, 2010
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I though I would take advantage of a 3 day weekend and go somewhere different to fish. The past couple weeks my trucking job has me crossing the Letort and it got me interested in heading down that way.

I thought I would probably do better at Yellow Breeches. Can I get some advice as to access, parking, flies? I prefer to stay away from crowds if there are any this time of year.

I'm thinking about heading out in time to get there very early am and maybe fish tricos but my sleep pattern is so screwed up I don't know when I'll actually fish.
 
Welcome to the Cumberland Valley!
Hope you get in some good fishing. The big name streams can be crowded in summer on weekends although "crowded," of course, is relative. My advice would be to definitely fish mornings and yes, Breeches is usually a reliable stream to catch fish. Terrestrials work well, although the fish in the reg water can be very hook shy and hard to stick on dry flies this time of year. Have some scuds and streamers for the other streams as well as the usual beetles etc.
Right in the town of Boiling Springs there is a fly shop and you can access the special reg section of Breeches - which should have some tricos but will also be crowded (check osme of the recent reports). You should also check out Letort if you get a chance, if for no other reason than it's a PA FFing pilgrimage. Big Spring is about 20 minutes drive from Boiling Springs too and worth a visit although it too will likely have a lot of fishermen.
Feel free to send me a PM if you'd like to discuss further as I'll be on and off the 'puter most of today.
Dave
 
Thanks for the input. Maybe I'll try to wet a line in all 3 famous creeks just to cross them off my bucket list.

 
Good luck. I have also been wanting to take a ride out to fish the Yellow Breeches. I am ready to go for sure. Fished Valley and the Tull yesterday.
 
Crowds and Yellow Breeches go together like peanut butter and jelly! :-D

But in all seriousness, as far as success rate goes, you're probably better off with the YB than Letort or Big Spring. Unless you've fished limestone spring creeks with heavy vegetation before, they'll frustrate you beyond belief until you get the technique down.

Enjoy!
 
IMO,

Skip the breeches. If your going to travel to the CV then fish the best it has to offer. I would fish the letort, big spring and falling spring. Spend time there even if it kicks your butt. It's worth it, the experience alone is unique and worthwhile.

The breeches is a good stream but the others are notable world class fisheries. IMO I would spend the morning on Big Spring and the afternoon/ evening on the Letort.

I did this the other week and landed 20 + fish in the first 1.5 hours then it shut off. This is not usual and these spring creek enigmas and even someone whom knows them very well is always learning on them.
 
Heading out now. Planning on Letort and Breeches this trip since they're close to each other. Big spring and maybe Falling Springs next.
 
Post your results and your thoughts. Interested to see what you thought of them.
 
Letort-- historical, good fish if you can entice them.

Yellow Breaches, great stocked and wild mix. Nice hatches, could be phenomenal.

Big Spring-- also historical, excellent example of a PA Limestoner.

Falling Spring-- like Big Spring, but harder.
 
Fished Breeches and Letort. Got 2 at Breeches in the run and lost 3 in the main stream(I really need to find my hook sharpener or buy another). All on a size 16 sparkle green weenie. I think it looks like a sunken inch worm.

Got skunked at Letort but want to go back. I really didn't fish it too long. I probably spent more time exploring.

Really enjoyed the whole experience. Nice countryside and historical buildings.

I didn't see one rise in either creek. There were some really tiny midges in the air. Didn't see 1 trico and I was looking for them, both in the air and on the water. The trico hatch is my favorite to fish.

It wasn't crowded at all. Saw no one else at Letort (fished the CVTU area) and only one other at Breeches and that was after I stopped fishing.

Went in YB Outfitters. Not well stocked but again there's some history in there.
 
On streams like the letort, big spring and falling springs, the fish don't have to rise and don't feed on top all that much. Between shrimp, Cress bugs and sculpins, they ge fat without giving away their location with a rise ring. Get a few more hours on them and they'll grow on ya. Sinking bugs or sculpins will yield more fish than looking for noses. Sulphide and early season olives may bring up some decent fish. Midges and trico will get some of the smaller fish to rise. Tie some Cress bugs! BigBass showed me the streamers you tied for him. Those are some great looking patterns. You're some kind of tyer Cathy.
 
What's a cress bug? Thanks.
 
Ever play in the dirt as a kid and see a "pill bug"? Touch them and they roll up. Cress bug looks like an underwater version of that. Little freshwater shrimp live in the weeds as well. Go to letort or bs and stick your hand in the weeds up to your wrist. Count to 10 and gently pull it back out. Your hand will be covered with both.
 
Thanks. What color are they? Been wanting to take a trip up to Letort and check it out.
 
CathyG wrote:
I didn't see one rise in either creek.
Click to expand...

As Krayfish pointed out, this is typical.
Oftentimes folks used to fishing upstate or in the Catskills are often disappointed at the relative lack of rising fish in the CV. You can certainly fish dries and hatches but, relative to other famous areas, it's a slim game around here.
The trout are also tough to see (esp Letort) and this also discourages a lot of first timers. I'm surprised you didn't see more anglers. Letort is rarely crowded but Breeches can be very crowded on weekends. Nevertheless, I'm convinced that fishing pressure across the state - and Breeches too - continues to drop.

Anyway, glad you had a good time and had some success.
 
Longbow wrote:
Thanks. What color are they? Been wanting to take a trip up to Letort and check it out.
Click to expand...

Grayish olive.
 
re the sow bug / cress bug, a local sharpie directed me to this patterm:

http://donbastianwetflies.com/2012/05/03/cress-bug/

the brown tying thread looks just like the real thing apparently:

cress-bugs-007.jpg


 
Longbow wrote:
What's a cress bug? Thanks.
Click to expand...

Sowbugs and scuds.

If you Google those terms you will probably find photos.
 
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