Susquehanna River, 8-7-16, Dauphin County

[krayfish2]

Clear sky, light valley fog, air temp in the mid 60's, water clarity varied from stained to quite clear. Recent rains in central NY sent a slug of water our way for the weekend so I decided to give it a shot. Fished with Fishwagen and my nephew fro. 6:45am until 3pm. Tendonitis in my right forearm had me spend most of the fime steering the boat while the others caught fish in spurts. Decent numbers were boated with only one really good fish being caught by Tony.

Here's where it got strange....... I decided to try and fish for a little so I tossed a floating plug out on a spinning rod. In just a few casts, found myself hooked up with a flathead weighing double digits. If my arm didn't hurt bad enough already, it did after this. After netting the fish we found that he'd snapped my rapala in half during the battle! I went back to rowing for a few hours to rest my arm. I gave it one more try a mile or two before the takeout. Just a few more casts and I was now hooked up with a channel cat of nearly the same size. This one didn't snap the plug in half but did make a few higher speed runs that threatened to break the line, the rod or my arm. That was a very strange happening for sure. Might change my username to katfish2 if it hasn't already been taken.

 

[afishinado]

krayfish2 wrote:
Clear sky, light valley fog, air temp in the mid 60's, water clarity varied from stained to quite clear. Recent rains in central NY sent a slug of water our way for the weekend so I decided to give it a shot. Fished with Fishwagen and my nephew fro. 6:45am until 3pm. Tendonitis in my right forearm had me spend most of the fime steering the boat while the others caught fish in spurts. Decent numbers were boated with only one really good fish being caught by Tony.

Here's where it got strange....... I decided to try and fish for a little so I tossed a floating plug out on a spinning rod. In just a few casts, found myself hooked up with a flathead weighing double digits. If my arm didn't hurt bad enough already, it did after this. After netting the fish we found that he'd snapped my rapala in half during the battle! I went back to rowing for a few hours to rest my arm. I gave it one more try a mile or two before the takeout. Just a few more casts and I was now hooked up with a channel cat of nearly the same size. This one didn't snap the plug in half but did make a few higher speed runs that threatened to break the line, the rod or my arm. That was a very strange happening for sure. Might change my username to katfish2 if it hasn't already been taken.

^ karma (playing golf and playing with a spin rod)

 

[Fishwagen]

This was one of the most memorable days on the Susky and I bet we don't see it for quite sometime, if even again. It's always great getting out and and catching 50+ with at least 20 more hooked but not landed, but watching these 2 catty's being landed was a blast.

What Andy is not telling you is this...I had just landed the big one (probably 18" or better) from the front of the boat, and I hear "alright enough, your a$$ is on the oars." Glady I relinquished my spot for Andy was gracious enough to row for so long.

He hooks up w a few smallies in one of our most productive spots and then flips a cast out to the left. He twitches the plug a couple times and let's it float while he reaches for a little "refreshment"...with one hand on the rod, this flathead smacks the plug. Then it was game on! Had he not had a decent grip with the one hand, no doubt the rod would have been gone.

So the fight ensues and he looks more like he's landing a swordfish w the rod tucked in his belly and pulling and reeling it in. He finally gets the fish to the side of the boat and I kneel down to net it. After several feeble attempts to get it, and him yelling his arm is gonna fall off, we net it and we have it bent in a horseshoe w tail and head sticking out of the net.

All this done on 8lb test and a medium action rod. Pretty impressive!! The plug he was using was utterly destroyed!! It was fun to watch and if you know Krayfish...there was a pretty funny commentary the entire time.

The channel cat gave up way easier and was not nearly as big. But to have the same guy hook up with both species on one float was pretty special.




Great time as always on that river!

 

[krayfish2]

Funny comments like......

* Don't pull anchor, I'm good at pulling 15 pound fish upriver on 8 pound line.

* Hey alligator arms, how about a little effort with the net

* Need a bigger net, we need a bigger boat

Funny thing was after booking the second cat, I claimed I was snagged and made Tony row upriver to retrieve my plug. He caught on when the reel started screaming. Lmao. "Why did you have me rowing if you knds you had a fish?". My response....."looked like you could use some exercise". I don't remember all the stuff I was saying but remember seeing you slumped over laughing hard quite often. Much fun was had. I challenge anyone to float with me and not have fun / pee your pants laughing

 

[Dave_W]

Sounds like a heckuva trip - wish I coulda been there.

It's common to get channel catties on flies but I haven't heard about many flatheads eating plugs or flies.
Neat.

 

[AFISHN]

Andy:I was wading waaaay above Duncannon and also had a great day on both the fly rod and spinning.Tiny torpedo in root beer color and a white Gaines popper seemed the best takers

Fished from 3PM to almost dark....then a vry long 2hr drive back to West Chester reminded me of why I shouldn't fish alone

 

[salvelinusfontinalis]

It sounds like we all had a very good day that day. The weather was odd, looking like it was gonna rain, then not, then a small misting back to clearing up, back to threatening.... Then ultimately getting sun.
I wonder if the odd pattern affected the fish to put the bag on.