Juniata conditions

[jifigz]

I didn't doubt it was low enough to fish based on your description, but I am impressed by the clarity. I definitely missed some fishing opportunities this year. I should have known because I have seen pictures at other rain events where the river was much clearer than I anticipated. I often wondered if they were taken the day before. Live and learn I guess. It's under an hour drive for me, but the issue is not getting work done that needs to get done sometime.

Truthfully, I am surprised by the clarity, too. When driving alone it this morning at 6:30 it looked muddier than it does now, but still not too muddy to fish. When I just walked down to the river (I was directly across from the Lewistown/Victory Park boat launch) I am estimating the river clarity at about 2 feet or more, meaning that if I was in two feet of water I could see the bottom.

Clarity can change at any flow and at any given time. I have seen a short, 20 minute thunderstrorm turn the Juniata into chocolate milk and yet no change in flows happen. Either way, I wouldn't consider the river blown out until the gauge in Lewistown would go well over 12 feet or so. But, as I said, I generally use familiar landmarks instead of the gauge.

 

[jifigz]

is it reasonable to assume that regardless of water levels there is a 24hr window before the mud really hits?

No, with this I would disagree with. The river can instantly turn muddy from all the ag fields that line it. Hard rain will immediately make all water flowing within 15-20 feet of each bank pure chocolate, and then this will usually get mixed in and discolor the entire river.

A lot depends on where you are in relation to tribs too, obviously. My pictures were taken just above Kish and Jacks. So, if you went down river two miles, clarity would probably be worse because Kish spiked to like 1300 CFS and maybe Jacks was raging, too. However, I would still assume the river clarity below Kish to be fishable for bass. It still has to mix with all of that other river water.

 

[nymphingmaniac]

I bet you caught a "golden time" before the dirt from standing stone in Huntingdon flows down. Crap, I wanted to fish Thursday or Friday. Maybe Friday.

 

[nymphingmaniac]

just checked turbidity at the Kish monitoring site, it is 45. The upper little J is 44. Based on my knowledge of the "Frankie", I expect that contribute some dirt soon. It's coming.

 

[afishinado]

Tom,

I can understand not wanting to drive and be disappointed, but the river is no where close to blown out. I just walked from my office and took these pictures. It isn't even high. Look at my pictures that I just took, this is directly by the Lewistown gauge, and note the clarity of the water, the lack of ripping water..... In fact, the river couldn't be more perfect for fishing right now.

When the Lewistown gauge reads 5 feet, the river is not blown out.

Good to know, Josh. ^

I guess "blown out" is not the right word. I fish downstream for you and use the Newport gage as my indicator and 4' +/- is ideal for me for kayak fishing. Mid to lower 3's is tougher to float (good wading level though) and high 4's to 5' make it for a fast float and back-rowing all day (in a drift boat) and more limited wading. Plus the high water sometimes causes floating weeds or muddy water making fishing tough (which was the case last week on my trip to fish the J). It really all depends on how one plans to fish. Edit: I talked to a local on my last trip and he killed them in high, chocolate milk water (big ones and he had pics!)

I recently fished at just in the high 4's and had a hard of a time trying to fish travel upstream to fish (I launch and takeout in the same spot). Anyway, nothing beats eyes on the water by an experienced angler like you. I Just factor in how one fishes and the difference between "fishable" conditions and "a little tough to fish".

It costs me close to $70 in gas and tolls to fish the Juniata, so I try to wait for conditions to be close to ideal before I make the trip. All good. Thanks for the eyes on the water. And congrats and good luck with your teaching job.

 

[jifigz]

Good to know, Josh. ^

I guess "blown out" is not the right word. I fish downstream for you and use the Newport gage as my indicator and 4' +/- is ideal for me for kayak fishing. Mid to lower 3's is tougher to float (good wading level though) and high 4's to 5' make it for a fast float and back-rowing all day (in a drift boat) and more limited wading. Plus the high water sometimes causes floating weeds or muddy water making fishing tough (which was the case last week on my trip to fish the J). It really all depends on how one plans to fish. Edit: I talked to a local on my last trip and he killed them in high, chocolate milk water (big ones and he had pics!)

I recently fished at just in the high 4's and had a hard of a time trying to fish travel upstream to fish (I launch and takeout in the same spot). Anyway, nothing beats eyes on the water by an experienced angler like you. I Just factor in how one fishes and the difference between "fishable" conditions and "a little tough to fish".

It costs me close to $70 in gas and tolls to fish the Juniata, so I try to wait for conditions to be close to ideal before I make the trip. All good. Thanks for the eyes on the water. And congrats and good luck with your teaching job.

Everyone has different styles of fishing and that matters, for sure. Floating/dislodged wees are extremely annoying and they often come with a spike in water levels (I bet they are horrible at the WW jam, that fall die-off will start happening.)

Launching a kayak and getting back to the same place is definitely not fun when you have to paddle back up river. I will stop and take pictures later of the same gravel island I was referencing this morning just out of curiosity. I plan to launch my jon boat this evening and actually fish, so I will post those results, too.

 

[jifigz]

I bet you caught a "golden time" before the dirt from standing stone in Huntingdon flows down. Crap, I wanted to fish Thursday or Friday. Maybe Friday.

Unless Raystown lets a lot of water out the Juniata will be 100% perfect on both Thursday and Friday. You will definitely be able to fish.

 

[Wetfly01]

Well, guys Tuesday's float was a BUST. That rainstorm on Monday night turned the water on the Juniata to pretty muddy conditions. My plain was to launch at Lewistown and float to Arch Rock. Driving down 322 at 6:30am the river was muddy and up slightly. Arriving at Arch Rock the water didn't look bad at all. Even seen rising fish. A small stream at the launch was putting in a good bit of mud. Knew the muddy water from Lewistown would catch up to us pretty quick.

So, I did a short float from Arch Rock to Mifflintown about 2 miles. Caught fish right off the launch but threequarters down the dirty water caught up to us and we never moved another fish. As far as the definition for "Blowed Out" for me would be very muddy with lots of grass and wood floating that's what it looked like at the Lewistown Narrows launch when I stopped there on my way home. To make matter worst I hit a rainstorm in Huntingdon that started to fill the raft. I think mother nature doesn't want me to come here to fish. Definitely need to understand the USGS gages better and communicate with Josh. Thats my fourth trip that the conditions have sucked. Definitely will get this place figured out.

Josh, Good Luck with the new job.

 

[jifigz]

Well, guys Tuesday's float was a BUST. That rainstorm on Monday night turned the water on the Juniata to pretty muddy conditions. My plain was to launch at Lewistown and float to Arch Rock. Driving down 322 at 6:30am the river was muddy and up slightly. Arriving at Arch Rock the water didn't look bad at all. Even seen rising fish. A small stream at the launch was putting in a good bit of mud. Knew the muddy water from Lewistown would catch up to us pretty quick.

So, I did a short float from Arch Rock to Mifflintown about 2 miles. Caught fish right off the launch but threequarters down the dirty water caught up to us and we never moved another fish. As far as the definition for "Blowed Out" for me would be very muddy with lots of grass and wood floating that's what it looked like at the Lewistown Narrows launch when I stopped there on my way home. To make matter worst I hit a rainstorm in Huntingdon that started to fill the raft. I think mother nature doesn't want me to come here to fish. Definitely need to understand the USGS gages better and communicate with Josh. Thats my fourth trip that the conditions have sucked. Definitely will get this place figured out.

Josh, Good Luck with the new job.

Sorry Dave. That sucks. The weird thing is the river looked perfect in Lewistown. It was all Kish and Jack's coming in with the mud. The mudline from kish was really bad that day. The river has now spiked again and is pure mud flowing through Lewistown. I would have considered it blown out for sure today and unfishable.

But it should drop and clear quickly.

Good river conditions seemed isolated depending on how close larger tribs were.

 

[nymphingmaniac]

ok gotta ask. Any eyes on the river upstream of Mcveytown?

 

[jifigz]

I live right by the boat launch in mcveytown, a few miles away, how far upstream do you want those eyes to see it?

The river came up and did get extremely muddy, but it is already clearing quite a bit. Upstream of kish it was noticeably a little clearer today than downstream and kish was coming in fairly muddy still. By tomorrow it will be have decent clarity. Definitely fishable m

 

[nymphingmaniac]

Thinking between Mt Union and Mcveytown. The gauge in Aughwick indicates the water is down and likely not dumping in much dirt. Hey, I'm taking the day anyway to avoid the move-in zoo. I will give it a shot. If fishing is slow down river, I'll work my way back to huntingdon. Thanks.
Saw some pics on FB of people fishing at port royal and downstream. It was dirty. I know someone at buttonwood right now who confirmed was still dirty but clearing this afternoon. But I agree I think flyfishing will be possible tomorrow above Lewistown.
I'll get pics for people thinking of going out this weekend.

 

[nymphingmaniac]

dang, just saw strong storms pass over the standing stone creek watershed area.

 

[TimMurphy]

dang, just saw strong storms pass over the standing stone creek watershed area.

Dear nymphingmaniac,

If sight fishing matters to you, with no rain for a week it'll be a solid week until water clarity returns to something tolerable for it, unless you fish way upstream. Even then, a big dump on one mountain or another can ruin things. If you float you could always toss big dark flies and probably do OK. The fish will definitely have their feed bags on.

There are more storms inbound all along the watershed, and for waters east of the Juniata River. As a wade fisherman near Harrisburg, I'm screwed till Labor Day!

Regards,

Tim Murphy 🙂

 

[Wetfly01]

Plan on floating the upper Juniata (Petersburg to the Point) on Sunday. Was in Tyrone yesterday and went down to check the Little J for height and clarity. The J has a good height and clarity and the Frankstown is looking good too. The only concern is Standing Stone, does anyone know if it's still putting in some mud? Going to give the places below Mapleton a break after my last trip down river.

 

[nymphingmaniac]

yes! I drove down to Mt union this morning along rt26. About 9AM SS was ripping and extreme mud and debris. I resisted my urge to hit the raystown branch and headed to Mt union thinking I'd beat the mud. I had about 3 hours of fishing before I noticed the mud catching up to me. At 9:30, visibility was about 2 foot. Quite good. By 12:30 it was Idk, 6-7 inches and by the time I wrapped up at 4:30 it was 3-4 inches in the main channel. On the banks it was clearer.
I'm glad I resisted. Fishing (streamers) was great with lots of hogs brought to hand. I managed to get a big one on top, my last fish, which capped off a good day. I found a new spot for wade fishing. I wade fished because of the wind, which was quite intense at times. My flycraft would have been blown around. The wind kept boats off the river

On my drive back SS calmed down but it was stilly muddy.

I did not check the big J above SS or crooked creek, but I expect it to be MUCH clearer

Aughwick was clear BTW.

 

[TimMurphy]

yes! I drove down to Mt union this morning along rt26. About 9AM SS was ripping and extreme mud and debris. I resisted my urge to hit the rays town branch and headed to Mt union thinking I'd beat the mud. I have about 3 hours of fishing before I noticed the mud catching up with me. At 9:30, visibility was about 2 foot. Quite good. By 12:30 it was Idk, 6-7 inches and by the time I wrapped up at 4:30 it was 3-4 inches in the main channel. On the banks it was clearer.
I'm glad I resisted. Fishing (streamers) was great with lots of hogs brought to hand.

On my drive back SS calmed down but it was stilly muddy.

I did not check above SS or crooked creek, but I expect it to be MUCH clearer

Dear nymphingmaniac,

I know those of us in Harrisburg ain't going to be fishing the Susky for quite some time. There are big lumps of water coming down both the North Branch and the West Branch and the river in Harrisburg is heading for over 7 ft by Monday/Tuesday. That's a solid 3 feet higher than decent wading condition and almost 4 feet higher than good wading condition. The worst thing is any heavy rain anywhere in the drainage will brown it back up quickly, if it ever settles down.

I was looking forward to wade fishing the river this Summer, it's scarcely been below 4 feet since mid-June.

Maybe I'll need to head upstream on the Juniata River to find fishable water?

Regards,

Tim Murphy 🙂

 

[jifigz]

The mainstem down here at Mcveytown just this evening looked fine. Slightly stained, but not bad at all. I'd fish it for sure.

 

[bringthepain]

Anyone been out lately. fished it once this year for the first time, slower day, but it was hot and there was a large tube hatch so i'm sure that didnt help, haha

 

[Wetfly01]

Floated the upper Juniata (Petersburg to the Point then The Point to Mapleton) last Friday & Saturday. Water was in good shape in both sections.