Brunner's Island

[barrybarry]

Fished Brunners Island discharge today. The rivers finally starting to drop back to normal and clearing up. Water had about a foot and half visibility. Still a few feet high. (I think it's about 6 foot in Harrisburg)

No fish. The wind came up out of the south when I arrived and the fish shut down. Tried a couple different Clousers and a Olive Bugger.
Very few baitfish compared to previous years. They may be laying low with the high water.

 

[wgmiller]

In my travels across the 30 bridge I've noticed how strong the flow looks for this time of the year. I can usually see quite a few rocks, but not right now.

 

[barrybarry]

The rivers been difficult all year. Between work, water levels and wind it's tough to hit it at the right time. If you live close by, like you or I, at least you can look at it quickly.

If you ever try to hit this part of the river with a strong south wind..good luck. I just turn around and go home.

Pretty soon it'll be cold enough that I'll switch to spinning. (and maybe even a little bait) Love those big cats.

 

[1wt]

Brunner's is just starting now!
The water is so warm, you could bring a bar of soap and take a bath while you are there!!

Tight Lines,
1wt

​

 

[Swattie87]

Good pics 1wt. Fallfish love!

I pretty much missed out on most of my warmwater fishing this year due to high water. Definitely miss Smallies, and even the ugly mug of a Fallfish on the end of my line.

The high water made the smaller trout streams fish well, but the Swatara was all but unwadable except for a brief period in July and early August. Hoping for more of a balance in 2012.

 

[wgmiller]

Nice fish. Is it wadeable south of the discharge? I guess the biggest issue would be river levels, but it would be nice to give this a shot sometime this winter!

 

[barrybarry]

Nice pics 1wt. WGM, there are a lot of areas that are easy to wade. I'll send you a PM next time I head out.

 

[wgmiller]

This will be on my list for this winter. I enjoy WW fishing as it is, so I'll definitely be checking this out. Appreciate the PM as I'm not that far away in Mount Joy. I'll make sure the Clouser minnows are all tied up!

 

[1wt]

wgmiller,
Lot's of good places to wade everywhere along the west shore.
I was fly fishing at Brunner's twice last week with my 8wt and floating line with heavy Clousers and Buggers........ not a stinkin' hit!
I went back today with a 5wt and a fast sink tip line with unweighted woolybuggers and Decievers..... again nada!
Also last week I took my 3wt with small nymphs and micro buggers for sunfish and chubs, but ...... nada!
The water is a perfect 5' at the Harrisburg gauge and nice and clear. I fished from 3pm until after dark.
The abundant walleyes don't seem to be there this winter? Also the abundant bluegills and rockbass don't seem to be hiding near the big rocks like they were last year.
I'm really off to a slow start this year!! But still fun to stand in the warm water and check the waders for leaks.

​

 

[wgmiller]

1wt, thanks for the info.

Here is my plan: for anyone that wishes to join me, I will be fishing this area on Sunday (1/15) from 09:00 on. Cold temps are supposed to move in and I'm not really into high sticking trout all day due to frozen guides, so instead I'll check this area out and see what I can dredge up. The only thing I'll have to pay attention to is the river level as we're supposed to get some decent rain tonight.

Hit me up with a PM or reply on here if anyone is interested. I'll be wading, although rather cautiously at that.

 

[1wt]

[color=0000FF]I'll be wading, although rather cautiously at that.[/color]

All along Brunner's Island is pretty easy wading. Gravel with easy depth changes. Actually easier wading than a small creek.
The river is supposed to rise 3' by Sunday...... but no big deal. I think the rising water pushes the fish to the shoreline and I have had better success with the higher water.
Even if 30 outside, the water will still be near 70 so no ice on the guides.
I've had great success last year in Jan and Feb. I think/hope that things will pickup pretty soon there.
If you catch anything, please post a pic ....... even if only a tiny chub!
Good Luck

 

[unforgiven]

I'll be with wgmiller on Sunday. This will be my first time FF'ing in
the Muddy River. So I guess Clousers are the way to go? What size?
Any help is appreciated.

 

[barrybarry]

I hate young people with strong fishing constitutions. Checked the forecast, best of luck. Too much for my old bones.

 

[wgmiller]

How young are we talking here? :-D I just hit 40 this year and I'm fairly certain "Unforgiven" has a few years on me. I think it's more this sick addiction we all refer to as "fly fishing"!

 

[barrybarry]

You'll find out.

Mid 50's.

The years between fifty and seventy are the hardest. You are always being asked to do things, and yet you are not decrepit enough to turn them down.
- T.S. Eliot

 

[wgmiller]

Well, I made it out today for an hour or so (at that point I couldn't feel my fingers anymore). The water clarity was poor and the flow was up due to the recent rains. The bait guys were getting some 20"+/- catties and stringin' em' up. I tossed Clousers until my fingers went numb and made a hasty retreat to the car. Fingerless gloves work for a while, but even they have their limitations.

Ambient temp was 17 upon arrival and 21 upon leaving. It was butt cold with a 10-15 MPH breeze which only made matters worse. Always nice to get out, but it was a tough morning. In reality, too cold to have any success fly fishing as trying to cast a stiff line doesn't work well. Proud to say I took a skunk today.

I'll definitely be back to Brunner Island, albeit when the ambient temp is at least above freezing and the water level drops some.

On a side note, the water did feel good! :-D

 

[1wt]

wgm,
You have courage to make it out today with the super cold weather.
I was there three days ago at the last of the warm spell. The water was up and the vis was only 1". I fished hard with black woolybuggers and didn't catch anything. The bait boys were catchin' with liver and worms.
When the water clears up a bit, I still think that Clousers / Buggers will catch just as good as bait.
I'm pretty sure that the commish stocks small channel cats (8" to 12") in the Susquehanna a couple times a year. Maybe Maurice knows? With the decrease of the smallmouth bass, the channel cats are a wonderful thing to catch on a flyrod. Many times at Brunners, Saginaw, or Wrightsville I would have a ball with the abundant channel cats and a 5wt.

 

[wgmiller]

In retrospect, I'd say it was more stupidity and a desire to wet a line than anything. It was so cold that stripping line meant wet hands which in turn froze. Sometimes I should use my common sense a bit more, but I'm always up for a challenge.

I look forward to getting back to Brunner to fish, so let me know if you want to wet a line sometime. I bet those catties are quite a blast on a 5wt!

 

[Maurice]

I am not aware of any channel cats being stocked. I think they breed pretty prolifically though. And they are a nice fight even on a 7 weight.

During the white fly its always good for a few 20"ers.

When the water clears try drifting white, gray or brown buggers near the bottom. Fish them like a tube bait.

 

[1wt]

[color=0000FF]During the white fly its always good for a few 20"ers.
When the water clears try drifting white, gray or brown buggers near the bottom.
[/color]

Thanks, Maurice.
Three years ago, a guy told me that a truck filled with small channel cats is dumped into the Susquehanna at both ramps at Wrightsville and also above Rockville. He saw it with his own eyes. And many times I have seen small muskies in 6" of water at the John Write Store in Wrightsville. I asked about that and folks told me that they stock the Susky with small 5" muskies every year. I was also told the walleyes are stocked in the river. I don't know where they would grow the fish? I thought you would know. But yes, the catfish and carp seem to be thriving in the semi polluted river. I caught a few carp on a fly...... this year that's what I'll go after with a fly rod.

Yeah, the White Fly hatch used to be a wonderful thing. Ten years ago smallmouth bass...... now channel cats?

I drifted some fine woolybuggers near the bottom at Brunners for a couple hours, but not a stinkin' hit. Then I went to my car and got a spin rod with half a night crawler on a small jig head and ...... a dozen small channel cats!!
I can't understand it? My flyrod is really striking out this year. Everybody only uses bait now..... I hope this isn't messing up us fly rod guys.