Susky flyfishing

[stcroixkevin]

Planning on making a first trip to the Harrisburg area next week for some smallmouth action. After reading some of the reports I am not sure that I shouldn't go to the north branch instead. Does anyone have any insight on this matter? We have a 2hr. ride to Harrisburg or 3hr. ride to Towanda, what would be better as far as wading and flyfishing for smallies? What are some of the best access points for wade fishing? I appreciate any help you may have on this matter.

Kevin

 

[Fredrick]

Were ya from ?

 

[stcroixkevin]

Langhorne, PA

 

[DJB66]

I have been fishing the north branch between Bloomsburg and Berwick and been doing fairly well.No problem with wading and the catch rates have been better than normal for me.Though they have been smaller than in past years.

 

[Maurice]

I would recommend going above the Juniata on the Susky or on the Juniata above Lewistown.

I believe the West Branch above Renovo is a dead sea as well. (AMD)

I've fished a few times during the whitefly hatch in Wrightsville and Bainbridge/Fallmouth. I can count on one hand the number of smallies that were seen....not even caught. I touched one, my daughter hooked one the other night. and I saw a guy land one....thats it out of four trips to the river.

Go north young man....go north.

 

[stcroixkevin]

Thanks for the info. Has the Juniata been fishing well for smallies?

 

[Maurice]

Fishidiot gave a recent report....you could PM him for a more accurate location. http://www.paflyfish.com/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=4817&forum=8

 

[JasonS]

Kevin,

While I haven't fished the susky or juniata for smallmouth, I have been fishing the delaware this summer with good results. I've been out two out of the last three Saturdays and both days caught over 20+ smallies with the largest being 20". Seeing that you are from Langhorne you may get a better bang for your buck staying somewhat local. I fish the big D above New Hope. Sorry I couldn't answer your original question but perhaps this will give you another option. Good luck.

Jason

 

[stcroixkevin]

Thanks Jason. I was thinking about that. My home stretch that I fish a lot on the Big D is from 202 bridge down through Yardley.

 

[afishinado]

St. Croix,

Sadly, as Mo said, these days the lower Susky in and around Harrisburg is the Dead Sea for SMs compared to your home waters on the lower D.

Conventional wisdom says "don't leave fish to find fish", but if you have your heart set on a road trip, the north branch of the Susky fishes better, or another option would be the Upper D in Wayne County from Damascus / Narrowburg south, down through Pike and Monroe Counties. The D is closer, and the fishing has been really good this summer.

The Susky raised with the recent storms, is a little off-color and is not fishing very well right now, while most SM fishing reports on the D have been good. Good luck.

 

[stcroixkevin]

AFISHINADO,

Thanks for the info, it seems like I may be leaning toward the Delaware. I have never fished the susky, and I don't need to go there with high expectations and not do that well. We are a bit anxious to take a road trip though, so cruising to the upper D may be what I do. Is there a preferred area to go for wading the river or is most of it wadeable. Are patterns the same as I use down here? (clousers, wolly buggers, poppers, crickets, crayfish imitations)

 

[afishinado]

Go to the PFBC site and check out the three counties I mentioned. They will give you access sites along the river. For the most part the River is all wadeable up there. A real fun thing is to bring a few kayaks or pontoons and float between launch sites using two vehicles. Good luck.