Conodoguinet creek flies for bass/carp/shad

[fishstix77]

I have fished for Bass on the conodoguinet creek with decent success. I am going to try to fish for carp this summer, it looks super fun. Anyone have any tips for me to better my success rate on these tricky fish! I would like to fish under the water because that seems to be where they always are on the bottom. Also I mentioned shad because I found a hole that is infested with them.... I didn't even think they lived in that creek but they do please all tips would help!

 

[Letort]

Shad ?!

 

[krayfish]

Letort beat me to it. Really? Shad? I know they were raising them on the J over near Thompsontown years ago. Didn't know there was any success with that program. Are you legally allowed to "fish" for them in the Susquehanna watershed? Just curious.

For flies.....smaller crayfish pattern, big prince, helgramite, egg or small jensens minnow should work.

 

[Fishidiot]

Stix,
The Connie is an excellent place to target carp on a fly - I get some nice ones there every year.
With respect to how to do it: yes, you want to fish subsurface. Take some time to look through the Warm Water forum as there are many threads with info on carp fishin (no need to re-write all of it here).
The fish you found "infested' in the creek are almost certainly fallfish, not shad. Connie is loaded with them and they grow to large sizes (I've caught them up to 19" from that creek). Fallfish are a lot of fun and will eat most fly patterns.

 

[TimB]

Shad = chubs on the Connie.

Like Dave, I've caught big chubs there. One of these days I'll break the 20" mark.

 

[fishstix77]

I'm telling ya I have fished the Connie for 20 years I have caught Muskie walleye catfish carp fall fish bass both large and smallies I'm not kidding you shad!!! About 12 inches a couple schools of them too I would be more than happy to show them to ya anytime.....

 

[Fishidiot]

fishstix77 wrote:
I have fished the Connie for 20 years .

Me too. I've never seen shad there.
However, there could indeed be some schools of shad - probably gizzard shad based on the size you describe - in various sections. I've seen gizzard shad in some odd places. They aren't likely to take a fly, but if you can get a hold of one, take a photo and post it - would be interesting to see what type of shad it is.

 

[buffalo]

It has been a couple years now but I caught Gizzard shad in the creek just below the spillway at Little Buffalo State Park. Wasn't sure what it was so I asked a park Ranger and he confirmed they sometimes come up that far.