It is funny that you mention that specific area between those two bridges. In my view, the fishing and electrofishing were never as good as the habitat appeared to be. Lots of people fished that area, but those of us who did survey work on the river only fished it when we did not have time to go up river to the Codorus Ck to Accomac stretch. I can’t say that we ever had a truly good evening between the bridges.
Susquehanna River, Lancaster Co., 6/26/20
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larkmark
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Mike- I fished that section since about 1974 when a friends Dad stared taking me along as a teenager. For many years i caught nice bass there along with Crappies and Walleye and assorted other species. In winter I would fish from area behind foundry all the way up to Accomac and do very well when the warmwater from Brunner used to run. In the 70's and 80's the fish tended to be smaller but numerous. 100 bass in an evening was not uncommon. Fished whitefly hatches there and had fantastic fishing for bass and catfish. We rarely caught fish much over 15" in the early days but the occasional 18 or even 20" fish was taken.
You rarely see anyone fishing that section these days because it is lousy. I do check it from time to time but never do well. i don't understand what happened. I agree that farther up is better but still lousy in my view. Anyone who thinks that the lower Susquehanna below Harrisburg is not suffering is kidding themselves.
Don't take my word for it. Ask Bob Clouser who used to fish river extensively in Middletown area. He started warning that the lower river was in trouble many yrs ago. Of course nothing was done and no one listened.
You rarely see anyone fishing that section these days because it is lousy. I do check it from time to time but never do well. i don't understand what happened. I agree that farther up is better but still lousy in my view. Anyone who thinks that the lower Susquehanna below Harrisburg is not suffering is kidding themselves.
Don't take my word for it. Ask Bob Clouser who used to fish river extensively in Middletown area. He started warning that the lower river was in trouble many yrs ago. Of course nothing was done and no one listened.
barrybarry
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barrybarry
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Maurice
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I will likely make a pilgrimage to wrightsville in the next few weeks to poke myself in the eye. As I have done so for the past fifteen years. Since the crash. There is Iron in Larks words of life on the river pre 2000. As there is iron in his words of the death of fishing at wrightsville.
Still though its a pretty remarkable hatch of whiteflies, sometimes the hoovering cattys are fun to play with. Plus its a tranquil place to sip a brew when taking off the waders.
So I will be out, if I’m wearing an eyepatch you will know its my second trip.
Still though its a pretty remarkable hatch of whiteflies, sometimes the hoovering cattys are fun to play with. Plus its a tranquil place to sip a brew when taking off the waders.
So I will be out, if I’m wearing an eyepatch you will know its my second trip.
I'm guessing that's a hex spinner(?).
There are so many different mayflies that come off the Susky that it's mind boggling and often very difficult to identify the exact species. Even Greg Hoover once told me he would pick mayflies at gas station lights around Harrisburg and found so many species it had him scratching his head.
Also, note the photo in my original post revealing a large number of stoneflies in that same section of river (we were fishing near Marietta). Of course it's well known that stoneflies do not thrive in polluted water and, although these pics are downriver from H-burg and the city's sewer problems are well known (especially in 2018 with the flooding), the lower river holds lots of pollution intolerant macros and this suggests that the river's situation and problems are complex and not easily reduced to "pollution!"
If the flows stay this low, SMB shore fishing may not be good in the lower river between York Haven Dam and the backwaters of Lake Clark perhaps depending upon where one fishes. Even the Accomac near shore electrofishing site is extremely poor at night in 4-5 ft of water or less under lower flow conditions. One foot at the Hbg gauge makes a huge difference at Accomac in near-shore SMB activity, such as going from 3.7 ft to 4.7 ft. at the Hbg gauge. When I say huge difference, it could be the electrofishing catch difference between a hand-full of fish and a hundred or more in two hrs. Other near-shore stretches may be different and your results may vary, but this relationship between flow and near-shore abundance of SMB adults also holds up on lower Delaware R sites. There is no doubt, however, that this relationship, while holding up pretty darn well, can be site specific and if you have a good, low flow, shoreline fishing spot, your homework has paid off.
Very interesting.
I often expect to have very good SMB action in very shallow water in summer on the Susky (I usually frequent the Dauphin Narrows area and love the grass islands and boulder gardens) and years with low conditions in the mid 3' range are often optimistic for me.
However - in thinking about this - it is usually the presence of current rather than depth that the bass seem to like. I rarely have much luck in the shallow, rocky frog water that typically lines the shores in summer for dozens of yards before you get out into current. During higher flows, there is much more current in these shoreline areas but when the river drops below 4' and hits ideal wading levels these areas become almost stagnant and very warm in the high summer sun. Sometimes in the evenings fish will appear in this frog water, but during the day you've got to wade far enough out to have substantial current in order to find hungry bass.
At least this has been generally true for me.
These electrofishing results, however, suggest that even at deeper depths and even at night the fish are not close to shore in summer. These results are really striking.
(Mike: did your passes through this section turn up other species, I'm thinking channel cats, when the water was low... or were they also absent with the bass at low levels?)
Hhmmm...
My experience fishing for smallies is the same ^
With lower water levels in the summer, the smallies are usually found in the areas with some decent current.
In high water conditions, the smallies tend to be much closer to the bank, in the eddies and backwaters.
At times when when the sun is low in the sky there is shade along a bank with decent habitat (like rocks or wood and not a mud and sand bottom) the smallies will be positioned along the bank looking to pounce on a topwater or shallow running fly.
The key to success to try different areas and water types to find active fish. In addition you should try to find the right presentation and flies that the fish will react to that day. Not always easy to do, but when things come together, you may end up going home with beat-up fingers and real sore arms.
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Smallmouth behavior isn’t really all that different than Trout, in terms of their preferred habitat at different times of the year.
Yeah, by July or so, my experience is the same. They’re in moderate current, usually over boulder sized rocks. To me, these areas look like the primo run type water you’d target for Trout. When it’s colder, they’re in eddies, slack water, or frog pools. But in the Summer, you want to look for current first, then structure. When you find both, you’ll usually find the Smallies.
Good call on shade lines too. Definitely something to focus on as well.
Yeah, by July or so, my experience is the same. They’re in moderate current, usually over boulder sized rocks. To me, these areas look like the primo run type water you’d target for Trout. When it’s colder, they’re in eddies, slack water, or frog pools. But in the Summer, you want to look for current first, then structure. When you find both, you’ll usually find the Smallies.
Good call on shade lines too. Definitely something to focus on as well.
larkmark
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In the dead heat of August 2019 I dropped my streamer almost on the bank while floating a section of river (not lower) and repeatedly caught smallmouth in the 18-20" range and even a few musky. Moderate current, shade or no shade, foot or less of water. Watched guys in kayaks mid river fishing flowing current and what would be the primo water catch nothing. I did this on successive days so not a fluke. Bass may be more unpredictable than you might think.
lycoflyfisher
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Depending on if you were in early August or later in the month last year could provide further info. Flows were relatively high, especially on the larger rivers and creeks all through July and into August. I do not follow the gauge in Harrisburg to know how it looked last year, but the W. Branch Susquehanna was higher than most bass anglers would have liked for the majority of the summer. This could be why you were finding bass close to shore.
larkmark
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I was above Harrisurg. It wasn't high at all. Guys were in fact complaining at how low it was and prop boats were out of the question. I am simply pointing out that bass are unpredictable. But as usual on this forum everything becomes a pissing contest. Carry on fellows.
To be honest, you always seem to post things contrary to all others.
For the record, the river levels above H-burg were high in August since was a rainy month last year, overall.
If you read the posts above and along with my post saying, "The key to success is to try different areas and water types to find active fish."
The point is, many experienced anglers gave good advice as to how to break down the river under certain conditions. While there are no absolutes in fishing, experience can help an angler begin their search for fish in a methodical way by trying the high probability areas and techniques first.
lycoflyfisher
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Lark, I agree with you that fish can be unpredictable regardless of how much time and effort we put into analyzing patterns. Just thought I would add that much of the year last year was exceptionally wet and except for a dry spell in August- September many streams were above their median flows most of the summer. While many patterns can hold true most days, you always have outliers.
jdaddy
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Hey bud,
Haven't been on here in quite some time, however I just bought a new house here in Lancaster during the pandemic. I haven't gotten out any. If you get out I'd love to hang with ya and[d] pound[/d] sip a few with ya.
Haven't been on here in quite some time, however I just bought a new house here in Lancaster during the pandemic. I haven't gotten out any. If you get out I'd love to hang with ya and[d] pound[/d] sip a few with ya.
