anyone catching any SMB?

[glenrockonthefly]

Hey all,

Just wondering if anyone is catching any smallies on fly anywhere? I drove 100 plus miles of the susky from York to Bloomsburg and can find no wadeable water, fished a few smaller creeks neat mouth and had no hits, this should be when they are trying to fatten up but I just can't find any!

So just womdering how everyone else is doing, anyone been to Patomac since Lee?

Thanks,

Sean

 

[Fishidiot]

Glenrock,
This has been a terrible year for smallies (at least it has been for me). Very high water has kept me away from the big rivers. I did do well on the Potomac back in the summer but the Sept deluge ended the game for me. The rivers are still high. SMB fishing is usually very good in October on mid to large rivers but, in my experience, November is much tougher and fish migrate or go deep. I'd recommend you not bother with small creeks anymore this year. Usually by this time, most SMBs have migrated out. It isn't completely hopeless and you might find some in a creek....but don't be surprised to discover that that pool that had lots of bass back in the summer doesn't have any by November. If you're a small creek guy, it's pretty much time to go back to trout (at least this is my approach FWIW).

 

[pwk5017]

Yep, just started fishing for smb this summer, and I noticed a total lack of fish in my favorite holes 1-2 weeks ago. I agree with fishidiot-- its time to move onto another species. Keep in mind, I am fishing small-medium creeks and streams.

 

[CLSports]

I only target smallies in the summer months and usually on the Delaware River around the water gap area and north. There are still plenty of them in there. Further down past Easton there seems to be less than there has been over the years.

 

[glenrockonthefly]

Thanks Everyone! I was pretty much putting the nail in the coffin for this years SMB but wanted to check the pulse one more time.

I had good luck on the Potomac in August, S. Codorus creek near Twin Arches was treating me well until they started draining lake williams in mid-August. I did not catch 1 smallie this year in the Susky. Maybe next year we will have a normal dry summer and early fall.

Trout are treating me well so back to nymphs and buggers!

Sean

 

[1wt]

[color=0000FF]I was pretty much putting the nail in the coffin for this years SMB but wanted to check the pulse one more time.[/color]

Me too! I have put several nails in the coffin also!
The best fishing of my entire life was in the Susquehanna..... September and October. Only a few years ago, with a fly rod in my hand and a olive woolybugger size 8 3X. Anywhere from Sunbury down to Long Level, usually a >100 fish day!
My, how things have changed!!
But....... trout are also fun with a light fly rod! Lots of "stockies" are around now!

 

[brookiesRfun]

Same here. Last year a few weeks after the steelhead started running up lake erie tribs the smb fishing stopped...So steel is the fish now...School and working full time has put the stop to that so far till tomorrow...Will be my first time for Chrome. 🙂

 

[RichK]

I'd rather fish for smallmouth than trout, and this year has been great for me. I live a few miles from the Delaware, but it's been blown out for most of the summer (at least the portions below Lambertville that I like). Neshaminy Creek has been crazy for smallmouth action, and I caught some monsters until mid July. It seemed that only the 12" and smaller SMB's were interested in meeting me after that, but then I hooked into the beast of all smallmouth a couple days before hurricane Irene....HUGE!!!! I was about to give up hope of catching smallmouths when the temps dropped, but caught a nice one this past week. A healthy 10 incher: not a beast, but it fought like a champ. I also caught the largest rock bass I'd ever seen Friday afternoon (8"), and it fought like a madman as well. Guess I'll have to settle for those pale stocked trout now.....

 

[j_man]

I have been still getting them, but I have been in my boat. Type 3 and heavy clousers. The Juniata has been very good.