Conestoga River(Lancaster Central Park) Lancaster County 7/16/11

[salvelinusfontinalis]

I'm fairly new to the warm water game with a fly rod and I still have a ton to learn. After fishing for trout for over 20 years, I can tell you every nuk and cranny in my home county that holds a trout and even plenty of other counties. Ever rising gas prices and no added wage have forced me at times to look closer to home for my fishing enjoyment.

The past few years I have been playing with the sport of Smallmouth Bass fishing, playing but nothing real serious yet. I remember being a kid and fishing Holtwood and other places in the Susquehanna River with my father. Back then it was good, very good but those days almost seem gone. Holding on to hope and watching probably the best Bass fishery in the East go to trash has not been easy. Don't get me wrong, I do know some other places for warm water species in Lancaster County, but something tells me the best has yet to be discovered, at least for me.

Lancaster Central Park is huge. It is also very well kept and very clean as far as trash goes centrally located in a very urban area. You wouldn't be able to tell when you get there that your so close to so much asphalt.

The first 30 minutes of my fishing trip was very exciting. I arrived just at day break and geared myself up at the intersection of Rock Ford Road and Williamson Road in the park. I was impressed with the shear size of the park and I only entered into a small section. Here the river is fairly big for a Lancaster County stream. It is very deep at places and in this section the opposite bank is deeper. I waded out about half way on a shale rock ledge and the water was deep all around me. The scenery was beautiful and I was soaking it all in when I looked upstream.

Do you see them?

Look again

A family of deer were making their way across the stream with 2 fawns. I say family because its awfully small to be a heard.
One more pic
I know they are blurry, I zoomed the whole way in so I could get a shot of them for you to see. It was pretty amazing how the fawns would leap out of the water just to get across. One thing is certain, that park is riddled with deer by the amount of tracks I saw.

After taking some pics I noticed a very very large carp just upstream of me. This fish was huge. 30 lbs maybe? I thought what the heck, I tossed a size 4 bugger at the things. When it turned its head and took the fly I was shocked. It ran so far upstream the fish almost went to my backing. On a rock ledge and surrounded by deep water......I snapped him off. Gave me a rush. I was back to tying on more 12 lb test and a black bugger.

Just as I finished I looked down stream.

I took this pic before the deer so you don't see what I'm about to say. Fleeing bait fish. Literally jumping out of the water in a line headed upstream towards me and out about 10 foot out. Then I saw its dark shadow appear. A muskie. A big one. That fish had to be over 30+ and probably heading to 40. I can't gauge it right because I'm a trouter by trade and trout rarely, if ever get that big in PA. Sporting my 9' 5wt....I thought what the heck, I've never back away from a fight, even if I know I'm going to lose. That fish crushed my streamer. No it destroyed it like a bomb going off in the middle of a full gas tanker truck pulling 2 tanks. It was insane and when I pulled up the explosion happened. SANAP!!!!!!!!!!!
No chance but what a rush.

After re-rigging .....again. I was back to my target fish. Smallmouth. That is what I came here for right? I don't remember anymore;-)

I fished the park from Duke Street down to the next bridge landing about a dozen of these guys and about 7 small mouth bass. I also missed a few really heavy smallies. The average size of the bass was impressive.
one
two

No dinks caught.

Once 8:30 or so hit.....the sun was on the water and the fish moved into the shady areas. Its like the middle channel went dead but you would see baitfish leaping out of the water.....take a cast and BAM! It was like sight fishing a hatch for trout but with leaping minnows. I also took note to a very large amount of crayfish in that River. Some looked green and brown like they just shed their shell.

Several of these things were floating downstream.

Neating looking thing had one eye on the top of its head.

The Conestoga River is a first rate Smallmouth bass stream in the heartland of Amish County. Matt Kothroth has been telling Slaymaker he can't believe more people don't fish it and I can understand why now. In the shadow of the ever dying Susquehanna is a bright spot and you don't need a covered wagon to wade it, the Conestoga River.

I do have a lot to learn when it comes to the warm water game but I'm willing to learn. I guess I didn't learn everything I need to know in kindergarden, *shrugs*. ;-) What a day! I'm totally hooked!

 

[jjsjigs]

Welcome to the smallie addiction! Great post. I too have had a muskie crush one of my flies.... the thrill is... too awesome to write about. But it makes you go on the water more and more hoping for that explosive hit again!

 

[Mike]

Muskies (tigers) have been stocked for a few decades in the Conestoga from the Mouth of Cocalico downstream to the Lancaster Waterworks Dam near Rt. 23. They were formerly stocked as far downstream as the Lancaster sewage treatment plant, but in the recent decade they have only been stocked as far down as the dam. Nevertheless, muskies are known to commonly venture 30 miles in rivers in Wisconsin, so I would expect wide potential distribution from Cocalico Ck to well below Lancaster in appropriate habitats ( generally big pools).

 

[Fredrick]

Sal don't bring a knife to gun fight :-D I think you should change your name now to Micropterus dolomieu and get a 8wt 😛int:

 

[Swattie87]

Cool report Sal (as always) and good pics. I think you'll find that you'll start to enjoy warmwater fishing more and more, especially with outings like that. The main difference I've noticed between trout and warmwater species is that warmwater species like a little more movement to the presentation...they like to chase things.

It's good to see the Smallmouth Bass is alive and well in PA, even if it is struggling in the main stem of the Susky. The Swatara is another great warmwater fishery not too far from you. I've never fished the Conestoga but from your description and pictures they seem pretty similar. I'd be happy to show you a few spots on the Swatara if you're interested some time. I'm fairly new to the fly rod, but I know the creek well. Thanks again for the report.

 

[Fishidiot]

Great report!
Another trout guy sees the light.....welcome to the Warm Water Insurgents. 🙂

Remember our motto: "Trout are for suckers!"
Of course, with due respect to trout......muskies enjoy eating 'em. Instead of tying flies for trout, you'll have to tie some flies that imitate trout.
🙂

 

[jjsjigs]

Sal,

you may want to try Mill Creek too... if your looking for another LanCo creek that is generally very wadable and hold lots of smallies and carp. East Lampeter Park and around the Good N' Plenty resturant is excellent fishing and easy access.

 

[wgmiller]

Good report. I always remember that stretch of the Conestoga being muddy and generally undesirable. That was years ago when I was doing quite a bit of trail running and mountain biking in the park. I've come up on deer quite a few times while in my travels through the park. There's a heftier population than what you might think as the park offers a 'safe haven' for them.

I'll have to give the river a shot sometime. One thing that always sticks in my mind is the burn hazel that lines the banks.

Did you find a lot of siltation while you were wading? Did you fish the stretch back by the Kiwanis area? I believe that is actually Mill Creek. Beautiful scenery back in there.

 

[salvelinusfontinalis]

Wgmiller,

Actually the Park has a sediment/rock bottom and certain areas were flat shale rock. I didn't sink in at all. Wading was fairly easy. The area I was fishing was the Conestoga not Mill Creek. Ill be hitting it a lot in the next few months. I just got back from there in fact ;-)

jjs,

I will try Mill Creek but it will most likely be next year. The fishing in the Conestoga has been excellent and I just have too much River to explore. Thanks for the tip! 😛

 

[wbranch]

Great report! did you wade wet or wear waders? Anyone else fishing?

 

[salvelinusfontinalis]

Thanks WB,

I wet waded because I was in process of purchasing wading shoes. I have them now 🙂 0 people seen fishing in 4 days on the river.

I did have some kids interested and talking w/ me. I will post that story at another date.

 

[MattBoyer]

Welcome to the world of carp addiction, my friend. It might not hit you for a few weeks or months, but you will wake up one morning unable to think about anything but that run to your backing. Mwahahaha! Another victim! Great report Sal, thanks for posting it!

Boyer

 

[salvelinusfontinalis]

You ain't kidding Matt.

Not just the carp but the Smallmouth Bass. Like I said, I have been dabbling here and there the past few years with flyrod and warm water fish. Each year it gets more and more exciting. There is nothing like a nice Smallie hooked on a big streamer on a 5wt rod.

The carp have been an added bonus. I have actually gotten 3 to take a size 4 black bugger now and I've only landed one. The one thing I've noticed is that they just run the complete opposite direction from where you are standing. They don't mess around.

All you trout guys that aren't taking advantage or think that warm water fly fishing is inferior are missing out big time! My only regret is not getting into this sooner.

Looks like I need to buy a 7wt or 8wt now :lol: damn this addiction! :-D

I can see my future........

Winter: Fishing Limestone Springs getting my arse kicked by fickle trout in the most harsh of conditions.

Early Spring: Fishing for trout half the season waiting for the later half for early season Smallmouth.

Late Spring: Fishing for Smallies during the window before they breed only to hang it up once they start to target trout in some kind of disappointment.

Summer: Smallies! YAY!

Fall: Being torn between my favorite season of trout fishing and the last bite of the Smallmouth Bass. Oh the issues Ill face then. Which to fish?

All and all, though its torture.........its a good problem to have :-D

 

[Lonewolve]

Salve,
Thnx for the post this was very enjoyable, try some wire leader then maybe you can get that musky in.

 

[Nickyboy]

I enjoyed the report here especially since I live pretty close. I live in Parkesburg area and frequently fish for ww species but I cannot bring myself to touch carp. They are absolutely horrendous looking, of course that is my opinion. Smallmouth Bass are probably my favority warmwater fish and I find them pretty easy to catch if you have a firm grip on trout fishing because tactics can be somewhat similar in catching them.

 

[Mike]

Parkesburg area? Then the East Branch Octoraro is not too far away and has a fairly good SMB population from just below Atglen down almost to Chester-Octoraro Res. (but Sal's Conestoga fish are bigger in general).

 

[Nickyboy]

Hey Mike, I may check that out tommorrow now that you mention it. I have not fished there for almost 10 years.

 

[flyfishinx2]

I've hiked just about every trail in that park and it is indeed huge!! I've yet to fish it but there is some very tempting water by the campground , did you fish that area? Deer are everywhere in that park, last fall I saw the largest rack I've ever seen, he was in a field down by the exhibit farm. It just stood there and stared at the dog and I.....I highly recommend during an intensive inspection of yourself for ticks , that park is loaded with them