I was a bit apprehensive as Jin and I approached the Yellow Breeches at Allenberry Inn. It was 9:30am on Memorial Day and the parking lot was packed with cars so I expected the worst--anglers set up every 30 feet flailing away at the water, hoping to raise a trout. But as we cleared the bushes I was surprised, then shocked. Looking both ways, I realized we were the only anglers on the water on this section of the Breeches.
We split up--Jin went downstream and I walked up and the plan was to fish towards each other and meet in the middle. The water was running a bit off color, probably from a recent rainstorm. I stayed tight to the bank as I tied on a size 18 Baltz paranymph with an orange post. I watched the water for a bit then began fishing the closest seam, casting just outside the main current, not really seriously fishing at this point but to just get the kinks out of the leader and to watch how the fly turned over. The fly traveled no more than 10 feet before I had a take. A fish on the first cast. I had a feeling this was the beginning of a very good day.
After landing and releasing the fish I looked up to see how Jin was doing and saw he was playing a fish. I dried off my fly and began fishing, picking off fish as I moved slowly into deeper water.
Two hours and quite a few fish later we met in the middle and decided to break for lunch. By this time two more anglers had arrived on the Breeches but the crowd I expected never appeared. As we were leaving I found out that most of the cars belonged to people who were at Allenberry for a Bluegrass music festival and not for the fishing.
After lunch at Anile’s Ristorante and Pizzeria we fished at a spot on the Breeches upstream from Boiling Springs. Again, the fishing was excellent but later in the afternoon it began to cloud up and the bite began to taper off. At this point both Jin and I had pretty much had our fill of fishing so we called it a day and headed for home.
EQUIPMENT: We used 4 weight rods. Leader length and tippet strength depends on the size and type of fly you're throwing at the time and the fishing technique (dries or nymphs), but I used an 11 foot leader with a tippet ring and 3 feet of 5X or 6X.
DIRECTIONS: From Virginia, head up US 15 into Pennsylvania, past Gettysburg and other tourist attractions. Make a left turn onto US 74 outside of Harrisburg. The intersection is in a small town, with a Getty gas station across the intersection where you will make your turn and a Wendy's restaurant on the left. Follow US 74 until you come to US 174, an intersection with a local graveyard and a Rutters gas station on your left. Turn here and follow Boiling Springs Road to Allenberry Inn and Resort. Left turn into the driveway (one way) and another left into the parking lot.
To fish The Run, continue past Allenberry Inn and make a left on Bucher Hill Road. Follow the road for a short distance until you see the parking lot on your left. If you need equipment or flies the Yellow Breeches Outfitters is in the town of Boiling Springs.