Yellow Breeches, Cumberland County, 05/23/14

F

Fishidiot

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Breeches is still flowing on the high side with some stain but was certainly at a fishable level in the upper reaches this afternoon. Cool, breezy day with water temp of 64 degrees. Sulphers were prevalent but sparse in the late afternoon with very little surface activity. Got one fish swinging wets but the bite was off. At dusk, the bugs picked up and action was decent with several fish coming to hand. Had hoped to get some stockies for the smoker but all fish caught were wild browns (not an unusual experience during hatches on YB).
Bugs were on the small side, probably a #16-18.
 
Fishidiot wrote:
Breeches is still flowing on the high side with some stain but was certainly at a fishable level in the upper reaches this afternoon. Cool, breezy day with water temp of 64 degrees. Sulphers were prevalent but sparse in the late afternoon with very little surface activity. Got one fish swinging wets but the bite was off. At dusk, the bugs picked up and action was decent with several fish coming to hand. Had hoped to get some stockies for the smoker but all fish caught were wild browns (not an unusual experience during hatches on YB).
Bugs were on the small side, probably a #16-18.
Click to expand...


Nice report, Dave (no need to ask for stream, county and date 🙂)

I really don't get to fish the YB that much, but every time I do, I seem catch more and more wild fish each season.

I remember the days at the YB shop when there was a jar on the counter for donations to buy some more fish to stock, the cupboard was bare. The good old days?!? Now the wilds seem to have taken over. Good to see.

Maybe the day is coming where there will need no need to stock at all!........:-o
 
Agree.
YB will continue to be a stocked fishery (would be politically almost impossible to change this) but there are certainly good numbers of wild fish and most local Breeches regulars are convinced that their numbers are increasing (except for a handful of old timers who will always insist that CV streams are a "shadow of their former self" and similar laments).

The wild trout do seem to be more prevalent in some areas than others and they can really lay low during the day or when fishing pressure is high. I've had some days where I'll nymph during the afternoon and catch nothing but stockies, but then in the evening when bugs appear....you'll suddenly start catching wilds.

Broadly speaking, the wild fish in YB are another example of what I think is happening across much of central PA: increased numbers of wild trout, especially brown trout and this is often occurring in streams that have traditionally been regarded as stocked fisheries.
 
I have only ever fished the C&R section below Boiling Springs. This thread caused me to look at the PFBC Maps. I never knew how long the creek runs. It seems the stream could be surveyed for wild trout in easily distinguished segments so that experimental regulations or policies can be applied. I would bet there are sections where within a few years could be wonderful recreational fisheries with no stocking. What might be learned could be invaluable and might lead to cessation of stocking on some sections.

I would not advocate harvest restrictions on areas that stocking would be halted. I would allow the natural gravitation of anglers to the stocked sections to self-regulate harvest on those sections where stocking would not take place.
 
JackM wrote:
I never knew how long the creek runs. It seems the stream could be surveyed for wild trout in easily distinguished segments so that experimental regulations or policies can be applied. I would bet there are sections where within a few years could be wonderful recreational fisheries with no stocking. What might be learned could be invaluable and might lead to cessation of stocking on some sections.
Click to expand...

YB has over thirty miles of trout water. The reg section is (deservedly) the best known, but there are many areas in the ATW sections that are overlooked by FFers. Many in-the-know local FFers often focus on these other sections and consider them something of a FFing secret (even though these spots are often fished hard by bait folks early in the season). Most FFers visiting from further away usually go straight to Boiling Springs to hit the reg section. For those of you who have only fished the reg water, you owe it to yourself to explore some other spots.

Regarding the idea of selectively ceasing stocking.....it would be an interesting experiment and one I'd support. However, as I mentioned above, this would be almost impossible politically.
 
Fishidiot wrote:


Regarding the idea of selectively ceasing stocking.....it would be an interesting experiment and one I'd support. However, as I mentioned above, this would be almost impossible politically.
Click to expand...

FI, I can't believe that taking a few small segments, say 1/2 mile each, off the stocking list for a few years would be that much of a political hot potato. I know trout travel, but it would provide some evidence of the stream's capabilities of becoming a self-sustaining wild trout stream, even if only in certain segments.
 
JackM wrote:
Fishidiot wrote:


Regarding the idea of selectively ceasing stocking.....it would be an interesting experiment and one I'd support. However, as I mentioned above, this would be almost impossible politically.
Click to expand...

FI, I can't believe that taking a few small segments, say 1/2 mile each, off the stocking list for a few years would be that much of a political hot potato. I know trout travel, but it would provide some evidence of the stream's capabilities of becoming a self-sustaining wild trout stream, even if only in certain segments.
Click to expand...


FYI, ^ is being done as we speak. I'm not sure about the YB, but the FBC in PA is stocking less frequently, in fewer locations on the streams, with less fish. And this will continue given rising costs coupled lower revenues......can't be any other way!

I just wish common sense would prevail (more by some anglers, not necessarily by the FBC guys) and cuts are made to allow wild trout to grow where they have a decent chance. And stocking trout should continue and maybe even increase in the streams without any or with very little wild trout production potential.

Anyway, the water is running over the dam right now without any way to stop it. You can try to swim against the current or ride the wave downstream. Either way the water is wet.
 
I'd be happy with removing the Pine Rd. stretch from stocking for starters. I am well-aware of other productive stretches, but this should be the first for stocking cessation and fish population evaluation.
 
Speaking of wild YB trout. I fished the upper regs section today for about 90 min. I landed two trout and both were stream bred browns. I'm pretty sure at least one of the three I lost was also a stream bred trout. All fish took a size 14 hares ear.
 
I agree 100% Dave. The Pa Fish Comis. has been asked to shock it many times, so as we know it will be class A wild trout. After a few years I was told we need to sell licenses and if we quit stocking the Breeches we will loose too much revenue. I also have had discussion with the YBAC about it. Living on a trib a mile away I put alot of time on it. Every year I catch wild fish further and further down stream. They are starting to show up at Williamsgrove area. There is no need to put all that pressure on the upper water. Only a few years ago I had to cut through the brush to fish many of the areas and know there looks like cow paths in and out of the creek. I am supprised the # of fish there for the pressure it gets. I guess many fishermen are doing a good job of catch and release. I am also convinced we fly fishermen have the edge catching these fish. They do not seem to like power bait. Lets hope the bait guys do not fish more worms and minnows.
 
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