Isle of Que today

[DRY]

Yesterday on the local trib I picked up 8 smallmouth over 2 hours.

Haven't had the boat out in over a year. Considering selling it...so I wanted to check out the motor. Second turn of the key and the Yamaha started right up. Checked the oil and lubed the jet. Went fishing on a section of the Susquehanna that I've fished since 1976. Rigged a SJB, a stickworm and a helgraleech (an over-sized undulator with silicone).

In 2.5 hours I had one hit on a stickworm. T'was a 3 pounder with eggs (had not spawned as yet).



Two other boats I met at the ramp had caught nothing.

Sad    .

Bill

[jonsie]

Did you happen to check the water temps? I'm not one to beat them up on the spawn (they enough troubles). I don't think the water has gotten warm enough yet, but I haven't fished for awhile.  I only ask due to fishing on the river or going to the local lakes and pounding some green backs.

Thank you,
Tim

[DRY]

Did you happen to check the water temps? I'm not one to beat them up on the spawn (they enough troubles). I don't think the water has gotten warm enough yet, but I haven't fished for awhile...

My electronics showed 62F
The one fish I caught appeared to be loaded with eggs (or was feeding well...or both)...so I believe that the fish had not spawned.

I have been fishing smallmouth year round (when legal... which has included during the spawn many years) for my entire adult life.  I am a firm believer that fishermen fishing are not the problem and fishing during the spawn on the Susquehanna has not produced the problems that we have today in the watershed.

If you can find pleasure fishing greenies and you feel bad for the Susquehanna fishery...do that.
If you can find smallmouth bass and you enjoy that...then do that. You may not have that pleasure in the future.

Bill

[jonsie]

Thank you for the response.

Believe it or not - I'm not against catching bedding bass and I agree with you that there are other issues with YOY recruitment. This is only for myself. I don't need to beat up bedding bass every day like some of these guys do. And they do - I'm sure you have seen it...whether its guides or just regular joes -  they catch their fish and leave and just that quick another boat pulls in and does it all over again. The fish are at their most stress of the year. Mortality can be high especially because they seem to swallow the baits quicker this time of the year. Plenty of turkeys and flatheads to chase along with pellet heads. Sorry for the rant. I just miss the good ol days we used to have when your day was decided on how many 18 + fish you caught for the day. We still catch them but not near the numbers.


I actually had a better year muskie fishing this winter than bass and you have fished a great area all your life - Do you remember it being this bad? Most of our community holes are filled up with flatheads instead of bass.

[DRY]

Thank you for the response...I actually had a better year muskie fishing this winter than bass and you have fished a great area all your life - Do you remember it being this bad? Most of our community holes are filled up with flatheads instead of bass.

You're welcome.

I will not argue the issue of fishing during the spawn. As long as the law allows it...it is a personal decision.

My background is in biology, chemistry, medicine and...fishing the Susquehanna watershed. I say that not to necessarily brag but to document that I have some knowledge of the issues.

No...since my youth (fishing the Conewago Creek in York County and then the Susquehanna River)...I have never seen it so bad.

When I retired in 2003 I worked for 10 years trying to educate people and show them the source of fishery decline. In the upper mainstem there is a direct correlation to the decline of the fishery there and the establishment of a drainage mechanism from the old Northumberland dump in 2000 leading directly to the waters of Lake Augusta. Smallmouth bass from Norry to York have been shown to be loaded with chemical endocrine disruptors that damage their immune systems causing infertility, cancer and infections. Believe me when I say "NO ONE REALLY CARES" and the way to fix it al this point ''MIGHT WELL BE IMPOSSIBLE."

Add to that the longstanding problems of sedimentation (which impedes spawning) and the somewhat newer problems of cormorants and flatheads...and the smallmouth are screwed. Enjoy them while you can.

Bill