Reporting back on Yellow Breeches PA
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Dave Marcus
Feb 18, 2013, 1:22:58 PM2/18/13
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I wanted to report back on a trip that Ryan and I took on Saturday up to Yellow Breeches in PA. We spoke with Rob at the beer tie and he suggested we try and fish this trout water as we were looking for some winter fly fishing and wanted some tips about where to go. It's a spring fed creek so it fishes pretty well all year round and was only a two hour straight shot up rt 15 from DC (about an hour past big hunting creek).
We hit the road around 7am on Saturday and arrived on the river at 9am. We had planned on stopping at the outfitters which didn't open until 10am, but when we walked up to the stream and saw more trout then we could count actively feeding we decided to forgo waiting an hour and get on the river right then and there. The run that goes from the spring fed lake to the main stem of the yellow breeches is chalk full of trout, but it's also right next to the parking lot and gets fished over a lot. There were some bruisers (~20 inches) actively feeding in clear water but they were not interested in anything anyone was throwing. We decided to walk down to the main river all the way to the end of the catch and release section to work our way back up.
At the end of the catch and release section there was a waterfall that fed a wide deep pool. We started in here with a double nymph rig each, a bead head pheasant tail nymph (size 14) on top and a tiny 18-20 zebra midge. Within about 10 minutes I had landed a nice little 8 inch brookie on the pheasant tail, with the skunk off the trip we were pretty excited to fish the rest of the day. We worked our way downstream a bit more. I had taken the small dropper midge nymph off and was just nymphing with the one pheasant tail and some split shot above it. As I fished the bank my indicator dipper and I set the hook, I saw a large gold flash and felt the weight of a large fish on the end of my line. Turned out to be a decent size sucker fish, what I believe to be a large northern hogsucker (after looking it up). The attached picture doesn't show quiet how large it is as its body is turned but that thing put a nice bend in my rod and thrashed at the surface a lot (maybe ~16-17 inches, bigger then my net). I released the fish and drifted my fly through the same spot only to hook up again, this time it broke me off.
We decided to work our way back up to the waterfall again where I caught and release a larger 10 inch brook trout (my first fish caught on a fly I tied myself! very happy). We started to fish above the waterfall which was beautiful PA spring fed water, clear but a little milky from the limestone. Deep and strong current, as the river was running a little high, made for some challenging wading at times, but a rocky bottom and lots of down trees and structure made for some really interesting fishing. We saw some fish feeding on the surface on tiny BWO's or midges, 22-24, smaller then anything we had.
Ryan worked up stream and I picked my way through the seam with a nymph rig. I hooked one large trout than shook off, my one that got away... As I worked up stream Ryan whistled for my to come up to a debris pile he was fishing. When I arrived he pointed out some yellow rocks, he told me to watch. As I saw them move I realized they were HUGE golden trout. One of the locals we'd been talking to earlier that day called them palamino trout and they were MASSIVE. We fished to those monsters for a while with no success. From about 1pm-330pm no fish were caught, the bite turned off a bit and we were starting to tally the days catch.
As we continued upstream I heard a shout and saw Ryan's rod in a full bend and a large fish on fighting in the current, I hurried upstream with the net. Finally, Ryan had landed the best trout of the day by far, a thick 16inch+ rainbow caught on a Rob SW special koosh ball worm. He had tied that fly for us at the beer tie in, no joke, 5 seconds. Thank you Rob, best fish of the day.
We had a few fish come up and hit our strike indicators which made me want to start using a foam beetle or something else that serves as an indicator but also has a hook cause I would have had another 4-5 browns had that been the case. Later in the day I fell in the river and got one more small brookie. It was a great day and and beautiful river that gets a lot of heavy pressure but was well worth the drive.
For the gearheads
Dave - 8ft 4wt
Ryan 7' 6" 3/4
Mostly fished 12-18 dark nymphs, bead head pheasant tail, prince nymph, and anything dark seemed to be the winning combo.
This will be our new go to trout stream as it was a reasonable drive, beautiful scenery, and really nice fishing.
Dave Marcus
Ryan Payne
We hit the road around 7am on Saturday and arrived on the river at 9am. We had planned on stopping at the outfitters which didn't open until 10am, but when we walked up to the stream and saw more trout then we could count actively feeding we decided to forgo waiting an hour and get on the river right then and there. The run that goes from the spring fed lake to the main stem of the yellow breeches is chalk full of trout, but it's also right next to the parking lot and gets fished over a lot. There were some bruisers (~20 inches) actively feeding in clear water but they were not interested in anything anyone was throwing. We decided to walk down to the main river all the way to the end of the catch and release section to work our way back up.
At the end of the catch and release section there was a waterfall that fed a wide deep pool. We started in here with a double nymph rig each, a bead head pheasant tail nymph (size 14) on top and a tiny 18-20 zebra midge. Within about 10 minutes I had landed a nice little 8 inch brookie on the pheasant tail, with the skunk off the trip we were pretty excited to fish the rest of the day. We worked our way downstream a bit more. I had taken the small dropper midge nymph off and was just nymphing with the one pheasant tail and some split shot above it. As I fished the bank my indicator dipper and I set the hook, I saw a large gold flash and felt the weight of a large fish on the end of my line. Turned out to be a decent size sucker fish, what I believe to be a large northern hogsucker (after looking it up). The attached picture doesn't show quiet how large it is as its body is turned but that thing put a nice bend in my rod and thrashed at the surface a lot (maybe ~16-17 inches, bigger then my net). I released the fish and drifted my fly through the same spot only to hook up again, this time it broke me off.
We decided to work our way back up to the waterfall again where I caught and release a larger 10 inch brook trout (my first fish caught on a fly I tied myself! very happy). We started to fish above the waterfall which was beautiful PA spring fed water, clear but a little milky from the limestone. Deep and strong current, as the river was running a little high, made for some challenging wading at times, but a rocky bottom and lots of down trees and structure made for some really interesting fishing. We saw some fish feeding on the surface on tiny BWO's or midges, 22-24, smaller then anything we had.
Ryan worked up stream and I picked my way through the seam with a nymph rig. I hooked one large trout than shook off, my one that got away... As I worked up stream Ryan whistled for my to come up to a debris pile he was fishing. When I arrived he pointed out some yellow rocks, he told me to watch. As I saw them move I realized they were HUGE golden trout. One of the locals we'd been talking to earlier that day called them palamino trout and they were MASSIVE. We fished to those monsters for a while with no success. From about 1pm-330pm no fish were caught, the bite turned off a bit and we were starting to tally the days catch.
As we continued upstream I heard a shout and saw Ryan's rod in a full bend and a large fish on fighting in the current, I hurried upstream with the net. Finally, Ryan had landed the best trout of the day by far, a thick 16inch+ rainbow caught on a Rob SW special koosh ball worm. He had tied that fly for us at the beer tie in, no joke, 5 seconds. Thank you Rob, best fish of the day.
We had a few fish come up and hit our strike indicators which made me want to start using a foam beetle or something else that serves as an indicator but also has a hook cause I would have had another 4-5 browns had that been the case. Later in the day I fell in the river and got one more small brookie. It was a great day and and beautiful river that gets a lot of heavy pressure but was well worth the drive.
For the gearheads
Dave - 8ft 4wt
Ryan 7' 6" 3/4
Mostly fished 12-18 dark nymphs, bead head pheasant tail, prince nymph, and anything dark seemed to be the winning combo.
This will be our new go to trout stream as it was a reasonable drive, beautiful scenery, and really nice fishing.
Dave Marcus
Ryan Payne
Matt Geiman
Feb 18, 2013, 1:54:38 PM2/18/13
to tidal-potoma...@googlegroups.com
This is my favorite time to fish the Breeches. There can be decent midge hatches, and it's not too crowded yet. As the weather warms it gets pretty crazy with alot of fisherman within the 1 mile special reg area.
Kevin Chaney
Feb 18, 2013, 2:14:23 PM2/18/13
to tidal-potoma...@googlegroups.com
Great trip-report guys and thanks for posting about the gear you used - I'm looking to hit the YB area for the first time ever and was considering whether to bring a 7/6 3wt or my 5wt. Maybe I'll bring both!
Matt Geiman
Feb 18, 2013, 2:20:58 PM2/18/13
to tidal-potoma...@googlegroups.com
Either one will work depending on the flow. I generally like a longer rod on the breaches so your 5 weight may be better if it's longer than your 7/6 weight. However if the water is low and clear I'd use the 3 weight.
Carl Zmola
Feb 19, 2013, 9:13:17 PM2/19/13
to tidal-potoma...@googlegroups.com
would be a better choice. The main stem of the Yellow Breeches is open
enough for a 9ft rod. I would say a 4 or 5wt rod between 8 and 9 feet
would be perfect for this stream.
If you end up with a lot of topwater action the 3wt would be fine, but I
would make sure the 5wt makes it into the car.
Carl
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