Pre spawn is on

Mwheaps32

Mwheaps32

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Sep 7, 2016
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I had a great quick trip after work tonight on the north branch. I found the fish just off the current breaks in the soft water caught 5 on a white/olive Clouser.

Hopefully this picture gets you guys excited
https://flic.kr/p/2f7fQvQ
 
Hell Yeah!
 
Yessss! (fist pumping)

This warm weather we're finally getting should turn 'em on. It's still early, but I'd expect action in the predictable spots now.

Thanks for the update Mwheaps.
 
Look at the black on those fins...is that normal for smallies?

Beautiful fish BTW..bet he took some drag.
 
Millsertime wrote:
Look at the black on those fins...is that normal for smallies?

It's normal, but typically seen on the body, not the fins.

Those dark spots, usually called "blotchy bass," are a pigmentation effect that is common on river SMBs in PA. It is usually seen on larger fish during the colder months of the year. Its cause is unclear. This particular fish is strange in that the visible spots are just on the fins.
 
Last year was such a disappointment. Too much rain the lower river was too scary to fish.
I'm really excited, in a few more weeks its really gonna light up!

JUST STOP RAINING! ;-)
 
Looks like we have a dry stretch of weather coming. The section of the Susky I fish should be fishable again by Thursday or Friday of next week. I think it's going to be a good season if we can get the weather to cooperate a bit.
 
That first smallie is huge.
 
It will be of interest 1) to learn if the exceptional population of large adults in the middle river last fall appears to be as large this spring and 2) if it makes it through the summer, as nature has its ways of re-setting a balance.
 
Water temp was 43 at the spot I hit today (17 March - was fishing from shore). Smallies were definitely hot and I got a big one on a muskie fly early.

This fish below came shortly later a bit downstream in the same shoreline eddy: 19.5" and, I guessed, about 4lbs; may turn out to be my best SMB of the year. This fish took a black Clouser, my go-to fly for cold weather bass in stained water.

If you're a river bass fan, get out there if you can - it's certainly game on and spring has sprung!
 

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That's a great fish dave it's amazing how heavy they can be after a long winter
 
Hitting the river for the first of many tomorrow.
Cant wait!
 
I got nada yesterday. Its early but the river is flowing. Knowing what boulders lay just 10 ft out, now completely covered makes for a very scary river. I did more walking than fishing.
 
I was hoping to try the North Branch of the Susky this Sunday, but rain is more than predicted.

How has high water affected early pre-spawn bass fishing? The bass are moving into slack water near shore or spawning gravel anyway. Dark or "pushy" flies are usually indicated for muddy water.

Any thoughts or tips would be appreciated.
 
Fly-Swatter wrote:
How has high water affected early pre-spawn bass fishing? The bass are moving into slack water near shore or spawning gravel anyway. Dark or "pushy" flies are usually indicated for muddy water.
Any thoughts or tips would be appreciated.

The main issue is whether temps are dropping and this time of year a big shot of water usually implies dropping temps. Unfortunately, I'd expect bass fishing to slow down significantly for the next week or two based on the amount of water on the landscape and the forecast for continued colder weather. The fish will probably still be in the eddies but with significantly higher levels, many of these spots will be hard to get to as the water will be up in the shoreline trees.

If you know of a medium sized creek that hold early season SMBs that might be a better bet as we wait for levels on the big rivers to subside and for a return of warmer, more stable weather.

With respect to flies for muddy water, I'd go a bit bigger, heavier, and darker, with emphasis on heavier as you really want to get down and fish slowly. A fast sinking line will help too, if there's room to backcast. I find roll casting is much easier with a floating line and, with overhead tree cover along the shorelines I fish this time of year, I find roll casting is often required.

Dang rain - just when things were looking up...
 
No doubt ^

It's really a shame and hard to believe the high water conditions continue on and on and on for so long.

Hopefully the flow will return to normal and we can have flows conducive to successful spawning in the critical spring and early summer period.

As well, levels and clarity in the summer and fall that allow us to actually do some smallie fishin' in the rivers and streams this year. :roll:

To add to DaveW's message above, I recommend anglers stay away from the big rivers and streams when they are bank full and raging. It's downright dangerous to be on the banks under those conditions. It's got to settle down some time soon... :-?
 
We (just north of Scranton) got 4-5" of wet snow late last night and this morning. I shoveled the freaking driveway so my wife could try driving to work, only to get stuck 1/2 mile form home. So I walked to her with a shovel and she came back home. There were a few accidents on I-81 near my exit. Crappy morning (and not in a good way....a pun only an angler would get).

The river should crest as the small to mid-size streams are falling.

Lows of 20 and 16 Monday and Tuesday, respectively (!). My spring flowers are just teasing me.

The 28th thru the 31st are supposed to be mid-50s to mid-60s. Hope springs eternal (2nd pun also intended).

My "dad humor" increases in proportion to my fishing frustration. Example: What do you call a chicken that becomes a ghost?

A Poultry-geist.

Guys, it's getting bad....really bad!

 
Fly-Swatter wrote:
We (just north of Scranton) got 4-5" of wet snow late last night and this morning. I shoveled the freaking driveway so my wife could try driving to work, only to get stuck 1/2 mile form home. So I walked to her with a shovel and she came back home. There were a few accidents on I-81 near my exit. Crappy morning (and not in a good way....a pun only an angler would get).

The river should crest as the small to mid-size streams are falling.

Lows of 20 and 16 Monday and Tuesday, respectively (!). My spring flowers are just teasing me.

The 28th thru the 31st are supposed to be mid-50s to mid-60s. Hope springs eternal (2nd pun also intended).

My "dad humor" increases in proportion to my fishing frustration. Example: What do you call a chicken that becomes a ghost?

A Poultry-geist.

Guys, it's getting bad....really bad!

I hear yuh man. It's frustrating. The Warm Water Insurgents are getting surly.

With this weather we may even have to stoop to the low levels where we were so much of last year. . . and go slink off to a trout stream. :roll:
 
Between the hugh waters last year and this....


Fantasy and visualizing only go so far.
 
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