What's with the Schuylkill?

[RRR]

Up until about a week ago, the Schuylkill was very clear and smallmouth fishing was very good. Was averaging 20 to 30 fish in an afternoon's fishing. ( Catching most of them on poppers by the way) I fished in the Pottstown area last Sunday and the water had a dingy color to it. Caught 10 fish, but had to fish about 1/2 mi. of river to catch them. Talked to a couple of spin fishermen who also had very poor fishing. Went down in the Royersford area Monday afternoon and the water was so off color I couldn't see bottom in 2 ft. of water. Couldn't get a hit on top. Finally switched to a crayfish pattern I tie and caught about a dozen. All of these were very small fish. Like 5 to 8 inches, and all of them came from a very short stretch of water. Above and below there, I couldn't get touched. Rode by there this past weekend and the water had a deep green appearance, not quite like pea soup but almost. Didn't even bother to fish. I guess it's some kind of algae bloom. Every year about this time alot of clumps of junk break loose from the bottom and float on the surface making fishing almost impossible, but I've never seen the water go off color like it is this year. Hope it's nothing worse than an algae bloom and also hope it doesn't last too much longer.

 

[JasonS]

RRR,

I found the same thing in the Conshy section of the skuke this weekend. Went down Sunday and the water was pea green. Visibility was maybe a foot. Decided that I didn't really feel like wet wading through that crap or getting it all over my fly line so I turned around and went home. From my understanding it is an algae bloom, but what is happening is with the cooler nights the algea is breaking off from the bottom and the rocks. We just need a good rain to wash all this crap out and things should be ok.

 

[RRR]

Went by the river today to check it out. Looks like it's almost back to normal. Saw a few fish rising to caddis and mayflies. Planning on giving it a shot tomorrow to see if they're back to eating poppers.