afishinado
Moderator
Staff member
http://sites.state.pa.us/PA_Exec/Fish_Boat/images/fisheries/afm/2006/6x11_13accomac.htm
tomgamber
Well-known member
Well I guess you now know where they've all been hiding...
Maurice
Administrator
Staff member
If I know the area which is pretty close to me...it is downstream of Brunner Island warmwater discharge a couple miles. A popular spot to fish in winter. The other side of the river (Lancaster) is/was devoid of fish over the summer for the past few years. It also about a mile upstream of where we fished the river several times over the summer and came up nearly empty.
Either they are all hiding there or my theory is correct. With the poor spawns and subsequent reduction in year classes over the past few years the larger fish are getting fat and happy on the abundance of forage. (since the competition is weak)
It also rings true to what I heard from a popular river guide inthe area that said they are catching many large fish but not regularly. On many occasions they get skunked...then when the big fish feed...only every other day or so) they nail them.
Regardless of the reason, the Susky in htis area is some mighty tough fishing over th past few years.
Maurice
Either they are all hiding there or my theory is correct. With the poor spawns and subsequent reduction in year classes over the past few years the larger fish are getting fat and happy on the abundance of forage. (since the competition is weak)
It also rings true to what I heard from a popular river guide inthe area that said they are catching many large fish but not regularly. On many occasions they get skunked...then when the big fish feed...only every other day or so) they nail them.
Regardless of the reason, the Susky in htis area is some mighty tough fishing over th past few years.
Maurice
F
Fishidiot
Active member
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- Sep 9, 2006
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- 9,960
This survey seems to be pretty consistent with anecdotal reports from anglers, particulary bait and spin fishermen: There are some good sized smallies in the Susky but they're locally concentrated. Note the survey did not conclude that populations are high. I think the PFBC has been trying to put a bit of a happy face on the Susky and Juniata Rivers and their willingness to admit that populations are down is a step in the right direction. I'll be the first to admit that I sure don't know what the problem is or what solution(s) are called for. I fished the Susky only twice this summer and was skunked both times. Last year I did very poorly too. Some bait/spin guys I talked to had success on big fish but I think they were fishing much deeper and slower than I was. Whatever the case, it's a good sign that some large, spawning size bass are still out there.
TimMurphy
Well-known member
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- 2,753
Dear fishidiot,
That's the whole problem. There are large fish available to the anglers that can readily get to them. Those folks think things are all hunky dory but they completely refuse to acknowledge that the river hasn't had a succesful spawn and good survival through the fall since 1999. Either the spawn has been poor or the survivability has been poor each year since.
There are very few small bass in the lower river from the confluence of the Juniata on down. They just aren't there in the numbers that constitute a thriving population. In a year or two when the last of the 1999 year class dies off people will be screaming bloody murder. It will be the same people who say nothing is wrong with the river today too.
Regards,
Tim Murphy
That's the whole problem. There are large fish available to the anglers that can readily get to them. Those folks think things are all hunky dory but they completely refuse to acknowledge that the river hasn't had a succesful spawn and good survival through the fall since 1999. Either the spawn has been poor or the survivability has been poor each year since.
There are very few small bass in the lower river from the confluence of the Juniata on down. They just aren't there in the numbers that constitute a thriving population. In a year or two when the last of the 1999 year class dies off people will be screaming bloody murder. It will be the same people who say nothing is wrong with the river today too.
Regards,
Tim Murphy
afishinado
Moderator
Staff member
I find it curious that the PFBC has not released its findings for the lower Susquehanna River on YOY fish survival in 2006. I believe, as others have posted above, that past surveys have confirmed that there has been a poor crop of YOY fish for the last 6 years because of high water during / after spawning time, and the mysterious fish kill last year. One can only guess that the trend continued in 2006, since the recent survey is not published.
My opinion, based only on my and other peoples fishing experience this year, is that the smallmouth population has fared better on the north branch. There seems to have been more fish caught, and more year classes represented in the catch. The fishing hasn’t been great, but it appears better than the main branch north of Harrisburg down to Maryland.
Let’s hope that Mother Nature cooperates in coming years, and this proves to be just the low point of a natural cycle, and the population rebuilds itself. At least to my knowledge, no other factor for the population downturn has been identified; all we have left is hope.
My opinion, based only on my and other peoples fishing experience this year, is that the smallmouth population has fared better on the north branch. There seems to have been more fish caught, and more year classes represented in the catch. The fishing hasn’t been great, but it appears better than the main branch north of Harrisburg down to Maryland.
Let’s hope that Mother Nature cooperates in coming years, and this proves to be just the low point of a natural cycle, and the population rebuilds itself. At least to my knowledge, no other factor for the population downturn has been identified; all we have left is hope.
tomgamber
Well-known member
They had a return on some data that they knew they could put a positive spin on...its good PR, that's all. It may not be all true but the part they used on their site is, based solely on that claim.
Maurice
Administrator
Staff member
I'm feeling extra mischievous tonight... :-D
The water in the tank of my terlet is much cleaner than the that in the bowl...and definitely cleaner than the stuff that leaves my house...which flows north to about York Haven before entering the Susky.
My point is that the basic issue with the susquehanna is nutrient loading over its entire length compounded by warmer than normal temperatures over summer. It stands to reason that the farther you go upstream...and above Juniata that the loading will be less and the thermal issue less as well.
Ya know when they said the Susky was on the Most endangered list for poluted rivers, it puzzled me because it is a or was a world class smallmouth fishery. As well, it has LOADS and LOADS of trout streams flowing into it. I said to myself...how can this be? Is it just the CBF lobbying for federal funding??? That's Ok with me cus we get some for our home water. But the more I learn about the loading the more I believe they may be right.
Maurice
afishinado
Moderator
Staff member
Good point Maurice...........I guess IT flows downstream, as well as downhill.
S
Spyder20oz
Member
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- Nov 9, 2006
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- 221
I wrote an extensive paper about the Chesapeake Bay and its nutrient loading problems. The Sus-q being a major contributer to the Bay, was bringing large amounts of fertilizer runoff into the Bay. The fertilizer causes algae blooms and when they algae dies it gets decomposed by bacteria which use up the oxygen in the depths creating an anerobic condition. I suspect that this is also occuring in the Sus-q. This might be a partial cause to the lack of a good spawn and the large number of juvenile fish to grow and support the large bass population.
M
Mike
Well-known member
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- 5,434
In response to Spyder, poor spawning success of smallmouth bass in the Susquehanna in recent years has been related solely to high spring flows during the spawning period or a short time thereafter. This has also been documented as the factor in other Pa. major rivers when year class strength has been poor. In 2005, despite great spawning success in the lower Susquehanna, smallmouth bass juveniles experienced substantial mortality as the result of a bacterial infection. This was most likely brought on by the stress of high water temps and low dissolved oxygen in the shallows that fingerling bass occupy. Such mortality did not occur in the other major Pa. rivers due to the slight differences in storm events among the basins. The other basins experienced occasional slight increases in flow, which improved conditions in the shallows. The Susquehanna did not and, as a result, the shallows stagnated.
