Fly Fishing Schuylkill For Smallmouth Bass

[tom416]

I saw where there were several fellows here who fished the Schuylkill for smallmouth bass.
I drive over it between Mont Clare and Phoenixville every morning and evening on my way to and from work.
It looks like it could be some nice fishing.
My question is where are some places to access the river.
I do not want secret spot info, just some places where I could access it and have a nice time in the evening on my way home from work or on Saturday or Sunday for awhile.
I usually fish the small streams like the French and Pickering Creeks but right now they are so low that I do not want to stress those fish any more till we get more water in them.
I also thought about the Perkiomen but I am not familiar with that stream at all.
Any information would be appreciated.
Tom Hartman

 

[jayL]

I don't think the perk has much water at all right now either.

As far as Phoenixville goes, I don't know any areas. If you're willing to drive to the Springford area, I can help. Just PM me.

 

[mute]

Phoenixville is the part of the schuylkill i fish tom. You can access it from bridge street(its a bridge). Theres a place called Lock 60, its right across from the store Produce Junction. Take that all the way down to loop/parking. Theres fishing access and some nice water. Hit me up if you want to fish sometime

 

[shakey]

i fish the schuylkill around the walnut street bridge in center city.
the smallies around there like crystal buggers and simple bucktails.
just fyi ,i think the stripers are starting up.caught a small,probably resident one the other night on a flashback hares ear.but,it seems like the baitfish are getting smashed by big stripers.

 

[jayL]

Shakey,

I live a short bike ride from that bridge. How is the fishing there? I've lived in the city for 4 years and have yet to fly fish within city limits.

 

[shakey]

hey jayl,fishing with a fly rod can be very slow there.i usually stop there when i don't have time for a full outing,after work etc.

you can catch a few smallies anywhere from locust street to the art museam.across the river from the art museam at the falls can be pretty hot.just throw a classic streamer into the faster water and you could catch crappies,walleye,bass,perch etc.

you could lock your bike to the guard rail at the falls and go down on to the rocks.

at any of the bridges walnut,chestnut,market,jfk etc,you can watch for what looks like a rise,but is really a bait fish jumping out of the water to escape stripers.toss a bucktail,clouser,deciever
etc. in there and you could get a hook up.you could actually catch the baitfish on small bead heads with holographic tinsel bodies.i think the baitfish is some kind of herring or alewife or something.

good luck!

 

[jayL]

Thanks.

What kind of gear do you use there?

I've got a 9wt with a 10ft sink tip WF line on it. I think that may be a bit much for bass and whatnot, but might do the job for stripers.

The next biggest rod I have is a 5wt. Looks like I'll be in the market for a 6/7wt in the coming year.

 

[CAMBYSES]

I use a 7'6" 5wt for smallies, and I have even used my 6'6" 4wt for smallies as well. I use both rods on the schuylkill and the perkiomen.

Is there parking near these bridges? I don't live far from there either

Bob

 

[shakey]

gear:i use a 9 for 7 usually,just to make casting easier.
sometimes i just use my eight and a half foot five weight trout rod.
it is a travel rod and fits in my motorcycle saddlebag.
once in a while i use my girlfriend's 9ft 6 wt.
i only use floating line,wt forward.
i don't think it matters since i rarely catch anything.
today i caught the grass and myself,two pretty big catches.people more successful than i do use sinking line.

parking;parking during the day,during the week can be tough as it is in the middle of a city.however ,at night you can park right on the walnut street bridge and walk down.some people park near the 30th street post office or at the art museam.

i don't know if it is worth coming in to town for,but if you're in town anyway it can be fun.catching a catfish on a "garbage" fly can be hilarious.

 

[shakey]

i stopped by brinkman's(a tackle shop in NE philly)and heard a report that the big stripers are still in the salt.maybe this new found cold streak will send them upstream!