Susquehanna, North Branch, Wyoming Co, 7/28/09

[Fishidiot]

At afishinado's invitation, I was lucky to fish the North Branch, Susquehanna River yesterday - and what a great place it is. This was a first time for me up on the north branch, although I've spent years fishing the river in the Harrisburg area (and, like many of you, am left with memories of the good ole days on that part of the river). Afish and I are both smallmouth bass junkies and I was eager to see a different stretch of the river and hit it with an experienced fellow smallie enthusiast. He'd grown up there and knows it well. The water was finally down to a good wadeable level and fairly clear with a temp of 81 degrees F. We started with poppers but subsurface proved the ticket and, between us, from mid-day till dusk, we caught maybe 40 bass with several fish over 15 inches, with the biggest a 19 incher afish caught. We jumped probably nearly as many more but did the long line release. The bass were a bit neutral with most hits coming dead drift or the fly just starting to swing. The takes were subtle but the fish were exceptionally strong and were a battle, even for our 8WT fly rods. The fish in the picture below, I think a heckuva nice looking 16 incher with a huge tail, pulled line off my rather hard set drag - absolute blast! There was quite a bit of insect activity all day and white flies at dusk but there wasn't much surface feeding. Anyway, it was a great day on a beautiful section of river with great fishing for big, hard fighting smallies (I only wish I lived closer). Many thanks to afishinado for showing me around his old stompin grounds and hooking me up with a great day of smallmouth bassin.

 

[DaveKile]

Fishidiot,

Sounds like a nice trip and good looking pictures. Nice looking smallmouth photo. Thanks for the post and details. Hoping to go after some smallies this weekend myself.

 

[fly_flinger]

I'll be heading up to Tunkhannock in 2 weeks to stay with some friends that have a place on the Susky. Were you guys anywhere near there?

Thanks.

 

[afishinado]

Yup, not too far from Tunkhannock. Anywhere along the River in that area is good fishing. Have fun flinging flies!

 

[fly_flinger]

Thanks Tom. What kind of subsurface flies were you guys using? Buggers?

 

[afishinado]

Buggers mostly. An olive cone head, lead wrapped bugger is my favorite fly for smallies. Runners up is a dark slumpbuster and a Clouser (chart/white). Up on top poppers and sliders. Dave ties up some mean and nasty secret smallie flies, but….well too much said already, I’m sworn to secrecy.

Keep trying different colors to see what they want. Even more important than fly selection is to vary your presentation - swing or strip or drift or a combination to find what the fish want. When things are really tough and the smallies aren't chasing, I sometimes try dead-drifting a fly. A bugger or good-sized nymph with rubber legs works well for this presentation. I watched Dave (Fishidiot) using a floating indicator for this type fishing, which works well. I use a big popper with a dropper to achieve the same thing.

The River has risen quite a bit right now because of some major rainstorms, so the SM fishing may have to be put on the backburner AGAIN! Tough summer for river fishing.

Hopefully the River will be back in shape on your trip…have fun.

 

[fly_flinger]

Thanks again Tom. I'll let you know how I make out when I get back.

 

[flyfish1955]

Would really like to go and spend a oouple of days up there but don't know the area. Could you send me some more specific info as to stream access, good spots, parking, directions etc.? Thanks.
flyfish1955@gmail.com

 

[afishinado]

Pm sent

 

[Fredrick]

Tweedster did you guys do any swimming ? 😛int:

 

[afishinado]

No Fred, my swimming abilites are limited compared to yours. Fishidiot and I kept our boots firmly planted on the riverbed at all times.

 

[yea-who]

Next time youz are up this way let me know. I probly could have watched you from my front porch. ( LoL ) I know i should go to this site more than just January - April.

 

[afishinado]

We fished a little ways below Chalies secret spot....

 

[yea-who]

Chollie named that channel. He's gunna have to tell you the name my virgin ears ring when i hear it. He also found The "1993 ed-it-on of the ****-on-ary" that started the Lie-Berry. He immdiatly called me to go over and read it throw-a-lee.

After reading it i realized alot of phrases and words have bean created since then.

For example:

Shore lunch- Sangwich or Hoegee accompanied with a slim jim and tastycake.

" I cut my butter like cheese, doesn't everone."- bring more than one stick to the cabin. Even if its only you and him over night.

 

[salvelinusfontinalis]

Very nice report and a great smallie!

I havent seen one that big since i caught a 6 lb one out of Hammer Creek @ snavelys mill. I was going for a large brown i saw ;-) The smally prolly fought better anyways( 6lber on a superfine lmfao)

I gotta fish parts of the river more.

I love the first photo!

 

[wgmiller]

That part of the river actually looks clean unlike the Columbia area... I drive across the 30 bridge quite frequently and the water always appears to be stained or muddy.

 

[yea-who]

The river is beautiful above the mouth of the Lackawanna River. This is a topic that really burns me up. From the Lackawanna/Luzerne county line the Lackawanna river is a mess. That strech is beautiful riff, run, pool, riff run, pool and its a shame nothing is done about the pollution its like the pollution isn't even there but anyone can see it with the naked eye. I'm not worried about my life time but, what about my son's and his son and his son. I don't want that around for them. Two generation ago made the mess and just left it.
Have we always been taught to clean up after ourself !