Yellow Breeches, Cumberland County, 6/14/15

[Fishidiot]

Fished the upper Breeches this morning. The stream is in fine shape due to the recent storms with a good flow (by early summer standards). Air: partly sunny and mid 70s at 8am. Water: good flow, slight stain, 64 degrees at 9am. No bugs or rise activity.
I did see some sulphers earlier this week but I'd say the sulpher hatch is probably about finished. Stream was recently stocked and I got several rainbows on junk flies and thumped a couple for supper. Got one wild brown on a nymph. With the heavy greened up vegetation, it should be productive now to try terrestrials, although I only fished with nymphs today (I get mostly stocked fish in Breeches when nymphing but terrestrials and dry flies get mostly wild fish for me). The recent stocking had lots of fishermen out, but I had plenty of water to myself.

So Breeches is in good shape with plenty of stocked fish available in the open water.

 

[Swattie87]

I say "bonked", but I like "thumped" too.

When you said upper Breeches, I at first thought you meant the headwater (freestone) branches. Any idea on how those fish? I've fished most of the eastern side of Michaux, but have heard varying things about the western side...buffering issue mostly. PM Dave, if you'd rather.

 

[albud1962]

I tried to fish the water above Allenberry but was impeded on numerous fronts. The first spot I tried a family had set a picnic right at the pool I planned to fish with children playing in the water. Spot 2 looked promising until a raucous group of teenagers floated by. Stop 3, the upper Letort. Not many open pockets and pretty weed choked. Didn't feel like sinking in the mud and constantly cleaning vegetation off my line in the heat. Spot 4, upper Breeches near Stuart Road. The Amish bicycle fishing brigade out in full force. No solitude there. Stop 4, a trip to Big Spring. Recent storm did a number on the fly section. A lot of the weed growth had been scoured from the stream bottom. The number of rainbows hanging out also seemed to be less. Scores of non fishermen hanging out near the access area. At this point I was not in the mood to answer questions or give updates on how the fishing was progressing. Moved on. Spot 5 near Barnitz. All seemed calm. Settled in and found rising fish. Caught several stockies on ants and the rest of the evening seemed promising. Then a spin fisherman plopped into the hole just below me. He did managed to ask which direction I was fishing. Shared the hole with him for a bit then he called his buddy on his cell phone. Moved upstream to avoid the crowd. Continued to catch small wild browns on the ant pattern. Guess it wasn't a total loss. Left at 8 pm to get home in time to see the season finale of Game of Thrones.

 

[albud1962]

Oh George RR Martin sucks.

 

[Fishidiot]

albud,
Please check PM. . .

 

[LetortAngler]

While driving by Big S yesterday, I stopped at the ditch to see the stream after hearing about the recent rain. A local stopped to chat and showed me pictures of the water only a couple feet from the road, while the next day when the waters subsided, he claims to have seen a few trout out in the grass that didn't make it back into the stream. The water clarity was still off with a chalky tint to it and normal temps.
Strangely, downstream didn't look as bad.