Falling Spring Run

Falling Spring (also called Falling Springs, and Falling Spring Creek) is one of Pennsylvania's most famous limestone spring creeks.  The stream is famous in the fly fishing literature as one of the birthplaces of modern fly fishing methods, techniques, patterns, and equipment.  The source of the stream emerges from a hill in the old village of Aqua.  Falling Spring flows through farmland and suburbia on its path through Chambersburg, Pennsylvania and empties into the Conococheague Creek. 

At one time the stream had some of the greatest fly hatches with durations lasting many months (Photo to the right shows Falling Spring near Edwards Ave).  These included the legendary Sulfur (Ephemerella invaria (rotunda) and the Trico (Trycorythodes). However, contrary to what has been written in the fishing literature, on websites and by some guides, Falling Spring is a shadow of what it once was.  The hatches have declined and their duration is no longer what they once were.  Gene Macri has done more scientific work and research on Pennsylvania's limestone spring creeks than anyone in the country. Gene fished this stream for over 35 years including a time period with his friend the legendary Charlie Fox and Vince Marinaro years ago and the stream is nothing as compared to those days. His research shows this decline but the stream still furnishes excellent fly fishing for fly anglers who have the proper skill level, equipment, and technique. The fish are actually harder to catch today because of the lack of great hatches.  Falling Spring still has a fair Sulfur hatch that actually starts in late April and lasts till October on some sections of the stream. The Trico is almost gone from the upper area of the stream and exists in scattered patches below this but the size of the emergence if often too small to bring up many trout. The local Trout Unlimited Chapter (Falling Spring TU) stream improvement projects have helped some sections of the stream but it is very hard to counter the effects of civilization, improper farming practices, and development that is occurring along the corridors of the stream (The above photo shows the early season sulfur mayfly, Ephemerella invaria (rotunda)).

Falling Spring is a small stream.  In some areas you can almost jump over it.  In other areas it averages around 20 to 25 feet across.  The trout in this stream are extremely spooky.  Most fly anglers send the fish scurrying for cover on their approach and they never see the fish that were there (photo to the left shows the stream in winter. Notice the abundant macrophytes or plants in the stream). Falling Spring is very similar to many English Chalk streams. Falling Spring has a constant temperature range of around 46-50 f degrees in the upper areas of the stream.  This is similar to most of the limestone spring creeks in the Cumberland and Franklin Counties. You can learn how to master this spring creek as well as others so contact me.  Don't waste your time with people who want to tell you everything but the truth about these streams. 

Contact us for more information about fishing, guiding or instruction on this famous limestone spring creek.