After what seemed like weeks of heavy rain, which really screwed up the later half of shad fishing and pretty much blew out most of the rivers and streams in my immediate area, I decided to head to Pennsylvania to try fishing the Yellow Breeches in Boiling Springs.
As soon as I got a look at the water as I passed over the railroad trestle bridge, I knew this was going to be a very tough day of fishing. The water was running high, fast, and it was very colored—a dirty brownish green. But I was here and I was determined to make the best of it. I fished high and dirty water before, so it was just going to be a matter of picking the right spot to fish.
I decided to start off at The Run, just outside Boiling Springs. My plan was to walk downstream a bit then begin fishing down towards Allenberry resort. However when I reached the fork in the stream, where The Run merges into the Breeches, I saw that there would be no way to successfully wade further downstream much less attempt a crossing. The water was swift and very deep. There was no way to get safely downstream, much less wade across to the opposite bank. There was one spin fisher further downstream, but he was almost chest deep in an area that should be knee deep. I backtracked to the car and headed for the Allenberry resort.
There were already several folks fishing the Breeches at Allenberry and although the Breeches was wider here, it was still running high, fast, and the water was still very clouded. One group of two anglers were working the water just below the low dam, fishing their way downstream. A second group was led by local Orvis guide Tom Baltz, who had a father and son on their first fly fishing trip.
I watched the water for a while then rigged up for heavy nymphing. The water was running way too fast so I figured the fish might be hugging the softer water near shore or in some deeper slots a few yards out. The upstream anglers had waded their way to fish the opposite bank so I decided to fish downstream beginning from just below the dam.
The water was slower and a bit clearer from shore to about 12 feet out, just outside the main current, which was flowing at a high rate. I did not step into the Breeches, fishing from shore with just a tiny bit of fly line dangling out the tip-top and most of the leader off the water, letting the tiny Thingamabobber drift in the slight current.
About five feet into my first drift I managed to hook and land a very healthy Breeches Brown trout on a size 16 Bronzeback nymph. For the next few hours I slowly worked my way downstream, fishing the slow water from shore and cleaning up on six to nine-inch Browns and decorating one low-hanging branch with my fly rig.
It turned out to be a decent day of fishing, but around 2pm I reeled up when I heard the rumble of distant thunder. Another storm was coming.
EQUIPMENT: I used a medium action 8 foot 4 weight rod, a weight forward line and nymphs in size 16 to 18.
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. Follow US 74 until you come to US 174, an intersection with a local graveyard on your left. And a large Rutter’s gas station across the street. Turn left here and follow Boiling Springs Road one mile to Allenberry Resort and Inn and the Yellow Breeches. If you need equipment, flies or information you should stop in at the well-equipped TCO fly shop in Boiling Springs town.