Yellow Breeches, Cumberland Co., 7/25/19

[Dave_W]

Fished upper Breeches from about 6:30 pm until dusk.

WEATHER: Very nice - mostly sunny, temps in low 80s and upper 70s. No thunderstorms today as has been common the last several days.

WATER: Above average flow, 66 degrees F upon arrival, confirmed with thermometer. Fairly heavy fishing pressure for a Thursday evening - all FFers (this section gets pounded).

INSECTS/HATCHES: Little of note. Saw a handful of bugs, I think cahills; a rise here and there to mystery bugs, likely midges, but no consistent surface activity.
Mosquitoes prevalent.

Breeches looked good this evening. I started out nymphing briefly and got a good sized stockie and rolled a large fish on a new streamer design I was testing. I switched pretty quickly to terrestrials and had a steady pick on ants and beetles.

It was classic summer terrestrial game. Every fish I took on the surface was a wild fish and every one was no further out than about 6" from vegetation. The key was to plop the bug down as close as possible to shoreline vegetation. In several cases, my casts that dropped a foot out produced nothing, but when I was able to get the fly right up against or under the vegetation, a fish would hit. Slack water spots, no matter how shallow, that were edged with current were particularly good today.

Be prepared to lose some flies, but summer terrestrial fishing is game on right now.

 

[Wild_Trouter]

I know where you were. I used to fish that area extensively in the 80's, 90's, and early 2000's. I wonder if the biomass is at Class A such that they could cease stocking there? Truth be told, I fished that stretch more often than the Run or Allenberry when I lived around there. I know pressure has picked up tremendously in years past. When I go down to visit family in Carlisle, I almost always see people along there.

 

[dc410]

Nice report, Dave. Also some great tips on fishing those terrestrial patterns. Sometimes focusing on little details like that is very important. Sounds like a real nice evening.

 

[Dave_W]

Wild_Trouter wrote:
I wonder if the biomass is at Class A such that they could cease stocking there?

I think it is probably well above Class A but this is a very popular section with traditional anglers and is heavily stocked. I think the odds of getting it removed from the stocking list is about zero.

 

[jifigz]

First of all, ant dry flies (particularly tied in a parachute style) are my favorite summer time dry flies. Second of all, if a stream section supports excellent numbers of wild trout but it is also stocked, why do we care? I'm the same way. I would love to see certain places not get stocked anymore but even though it is the wild fish are thriving. I'm sure it could be better without being stocked but at least this way all parties stay happy.

 

[Dave_W]

jifigz wrote:
Second of all, if a stream section supports excellent numbers of wild trout but it is also stocked, why do we care? I'm the same way. I would love to see certain places not get stocked anymore but even though it is the wild fish are thriving. I'm sure it could be better without being stocked but at least this way all parties stay happy.

I tend to agree.

In the case of this particular section, there are so many wild fish and they seem to be highly resilient to being caught by most local anglers. I've never seen a wild fish on a stringer or even caught by a non-FFer in that section. I should also note that there are still quite a few stockies there despite the heavy pressure from anglers who harvest fish (I keep some stockies from that section myself).

While it would be interesting to see what would happen if stocking ceased here, the local outrage and bad blood directed at TU and FFers isn't worth it.

So yes, this is a situation where all parties are pretty happy and where the status-quo is fine.

 

[Wild_Trouter]

We've had this discussion on here numerous times in the past. Some of us would like to see them cease stocking this section and apply more restrictive regulations like All Tackle C&R. If you have never been there, it is a special place that could be even better. If the PFBC's mantra really is "Resource First", then we should be doing more to promote the wild trout population there. If it is Class A, and I've always suspected that it was, it should be formally surveyed by the PFBC and designated such. While it is predominately a brown trout fishery, I have even caught wild brookies pretty reliably in the mainstem given the number of feeder streams that enter near Barnitz and points upstream. As Dave alluded to previously, it would be a royal sh!t show with the locals and the YBAC even though there are over 30 miles of open stocked water. This section is much different from the remaining 30 miles and should receive protection, but it won't and that is a royal shame. We agree that it is nice to still catch wild trout there in spite of stocking, but this area has the potential to be truly great absent stocking.

 

[fritz]

Agree with posts 6 and 7. The YB has such a long and popular history of trout stocking I’d be surprised if I would see any changes in my lifetime. I don’t know if it is class A for wild browns but since I’ve been revisiting some of my haunts after a 25 or so year hiatus I’ve been positively amazed at the number of wild browns up there. Maybe they were there all along and I didn’t know the difference between wild and stocked (thanks for the education Maurice). And they extend miles downstream from Barnitz. But as Dave says, everyone seems happy for now including the wild browns.

 

[albud1962]

I don't fish up there much anymore. Hard to get a parking space and portions of the stream are posted. Just hope with all the additional attention it seems to be getting that the remaining sections stay open. I have caught really decent fish there. I too think it would benefit greatly with special regulation.

 

[ryanpgh]

I normally fish central PA. Dave you may remember my friends and I from the Spring Creek parking lot during the sulphur hatch zoo. We were the ones who ordered the pizza to the parking lot haha. Hope all is well.

Wondered if you could give me a time frame on the white fly hatch on Yellow Breeches? I've never fished it. I have a few extra vacation days to use up so i thought about making a midweek trip. Problem is I have to get the days approved for vacation in advance so I can't just pick up and go unless I call off.. and that's frowned upon... not saying I haven't done it lol.. But if any of you guys could point to a week when you think the hatch would definitely be on, it would be greatly appreciated! Take care all!

 

[Dave_W]

Wondered if you could give me a time frame on the white fly hatch on Yellow Breeches?

Gosh, I'm always reluctant to suggest that people take time off to try to coincide with hatches - awfully risky. With the strange weather conditions this year and last, it's even harder to predict. As the saying goes, your mileage may vary.

Anyway, with that said, in my experience the white flies are usually popping on Breeches by mid August and this lasts a couple weeks, sometimes longer. I have had some good WF action over Labor Day weekend.

 

[ryanpgh]

thanks a lot! Until then, I'll continue to golf! Appreciate the info.

 

[albud1962]

I was smallmouth fishing tonight and saw white flies and hex’s. Won’t be long now.