Musky in the Conodoguinet

[BrownTroutBen]

Just moved down to the Cumberland Valley this fall, and actually live on the Conodoguinet. I've done some wading around for bass around the house but didn't see any musky. I've covered a few miles in my kayak as well. Anyone have any advice on the musky hunt around here? Or if anyone has room for another person in their float trip, that would be great to!

I tie a bunch of my own flies and have gear for all conditions, even a dry suit for winter fishing.

If you would prefer to pm me that is fine as well!

 

[klingy]

Definitely musky in the conodoguinet. Hooked them while bass fishing before, and have seen several while floating. Look for cold water tribs.

 

[Swattie87]

Definitely musky in the conodoguinet. Hooked them while bass fishing before, and have seen several while floating. Look for cold water tribs.

Notice he didn’t say landed. 😜

Same thing with me on a nearby, but similar watershed to the Conodoguinet. Have hooked three of them fishing typical 8 or 10 lb mono tippet for Bass. All three shook their head once and sliced the line nearly immediately. Wasn’t their first time being hooked I gathered. If you’re specifically targeting them intentionally you’ll want some wire leaders probably. They’re there, but you gotta work for them.

 

[BrownTroutBen]

Definitely musky in the conodoguinet. Hooked them while bass fishing before, and have seen several while floating. Look for cold water tribs.

Yea I know they are around, I guess I just haven't put in enough time yet to cross paths with them.

 

[BrownTroutBen]

Notice he didn’t say landed. 😜

Same thing with me on a nearby, but similar watershed to the Conodoguinet. Have hooked three of them fishing typical 8 or 10 lb mono tippet for Bass. All three shook their head once and sliced the line nearly immediately. Wasn’t their first time being hooked I gathered. If you’re specifically targeting them intentionally you’ll want some wire leaders probably. They’re there, but you gotta work for them.

Yea I grew up on a major musky river in VA, I have all the gear for them. 10wt, big flies, wire leaders, etc.

 

[klingy]

Notice he didn’t say landed. 😜

Same thing with me on a nearby, but similar watershed to the Conodoguinet. Have hooked three of them fishing typical 8 or 10 lb mono tippet for Bass. All three shook their head once and sliced the line nearly immediately. Wasn’t their first time being hooked I gathered. If you’re specifically targeting them intentionally you’ll want some wire leaders probably. They’re there, but you gotta work for them.

Ha, you got that right! Hooking and landing are two totally different things.

 

[Swattie87]

I’m not using tactics specifically targeting them (they’re more a bycatch when WW fishing for Bass for me) so take that into account, but I’ve hooked 3 in probably 20 years fishing that watershed, which again, I suspect has similar numbers of Muskie to the Connie. One was actually a half mile or so up a smaller tributary to the mainstem.

If you’re targeting them specifically, I’m sure you can do better than that, but I think if you caught a couple a year out of a stream like the Connie, you’re probably doing pretty well.

If you know the Muskie game, I’m sure you know what it’s like and it’s definitely not a numbers deal.

 

[BrownTroutBen]

I’m not using tactics specifically targeting them (they’re more a bycatch when WW fishing for Bass for me) so take that into account, but I’ve hooked 3 in probably 20 years fishing that watershed, which again, I suspect has similar numbers of Muskie to the Connie. One was actually a half mile or so up a smaller tributary to the mainstem.

If you’re targeting them specifically, I’m sure you can do better than that, but I think if you caught a couple a year out of a stream like the Connie, you’re probably doing pretty well.

If you know the Muskie game, I’m sure you know what it’s like and it’s definitely not a numbers deal.

Yea the reality is I just need to go out and keep getting my reps in haha. Was just seeing if I could cut some corners early on and maybe find a couple people to do through floats with sometime.

 

[Swattie87]

Yea the reality is I just need to go out and keep getting my reps in haha. Was just seeing if I could cut some corners early on and maybe find a couple people to do through floats with sometime.

I’m not much of the nautical type when it comes to my fishing.

But, there are a lot of guys on here who do that sort of stuff. There’s meetups that get planned, etc. And you’re in a good spot for it as most of it centers around the middle and lower Susky, and Big J. I think most of that crowd is hibernating at the moment, which is normal. Keep an eye on the WW pages of the forum once the weather starts to warm in the Spring.

 

[Wild_Trouter]

It's been 30 years since I targeted Muskies in the Connie and that was with live bait under a float. Most of the ones I caught were upstream of Rt. 34 bridge/Crain Dr. in N. Middleton Township up through Creekview Park off of Douglas Dr. You can also start at Creekview Park and fish upstream to Cave Hill area. Other than that, I also liked the Connie upstream from the mouth of the Susky. I know the watershed has changed dramatically over the years from development and many of the deep holes/stretches are filled in now.

 

[BrownTroutBen]

It's been 30 years since I targeted Muskies in the Connie and that was with live bait under a float. Most of the ones I caught were upstream of Rt. 34 bridge/Crain Dr. in N. Middleton Township up through Creekview Park off of Douglas Dr. You can also start at Creekview Park and fish upstream to Cave Hill area. Other than that, I also liked the Connie upstream from the mouth of the Susky. I know the watershed has changed dramatically over the years from development and many of the deep holes/stretches are filled in now.

Wow thanks for the tips! I've noticed in the few miles I've seen that half the battle is just finding appropriate depth

 

[Bamboozle]

Charles K. Fox AKA "Charlie Fox," legendary Letort angler and author of "This Wonderful World of Trout" and "Rising Trout" was a PASSIONATE musky fisherman with casting tackle & plugs.

He also wrote two other books, "The Book of Lures" and "Advanced Baitcasting."

Back in the 1980's & 1990's when I used to have breakfast with him at the old Carlisle Farmer's Market Restaurant he was ALWAYS talking about going musky fishing in the Conodoguinet, more so than trout fishing but I don't remember if he ever told me where exactly he fished. However, Wild Trouter's mention of the Route 34 bridge rings a faint bell.

I'll peruse my copes of "The Book of Lures" and "Advanced Baitcasting" and see if he mentions any particular spots but I would have to assume baring a major "ecological" issue since those days, there ARE musky in the Conodoguinet.