Musky in the Conodoguinet

B

BrownTroutBen

New member
Joined
Feb 20, 2024
Messages
7
City
State College, PA
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!
 
Definitely musky in the conodoguinet. Hooked them while bass fishing before, and have seen several while floating. Look for cold water tribs.
 
klingy said:
Definitely musky in the conodoguinet. Hooked them while bass fishing before, and have seen several while floating. Look for cold water tribs.
Click to expand...

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.
 
Swattie87 said:
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.
Click to expand...
Yea I grew up on a major musky river in VA, I have all the gear for them. 10wt, big flies, wire leaders, etc.
 
Swattie87 said:
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.
Click to expand...
Ha, you got that right! Hooking and landing are two totally different things.
 
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.
 
Swattie87 said:
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.
Click to expand...
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.
 
BrownTroutBen said:
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.
Click to expand...

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.
 
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.
 
Wild_Trouter said:
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.
Click to expand...
Wow thanks for the tips! I've noticed in the few miles I've seen that half the battle is just finding appropriate depth
 
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.
 
Last edited:
Bamboozle said:
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.
Click to expand...
That's really cool that you had a personal relationship with him and new a side of his fishing life that isn't necessarily what he's known for. Sounds like I'm going to have to head up towards 34 soon!

Thanks for replying!
 
It’s hard finding them. If you can see them then they are there and can be easier fishing for them. They hide just like any other fish. Big rocks, weeds are a good start. Also you may get follow s that you’re not paying attention to always look behind the lure/fly not at the fly, also remember your figure 8s or big circles do a couple no matter what. If you see them or follow. Changes sizes or colors can get a strike. I’ve had more following than hitting it but at least I know they are there and save the spot. I would start at around a 5” fly for spring time then get bigger.
 
Try downstream from Letort Falls park, Willow Mill Park, or the park off Sample Bridge Rd in Silver Spring.

Steve
 
If you're looking for musky, that Creek is probably one of your best bets. It's filled with them. I don't know that there's many Giants but there's a lot of middle-sized ones partially due to the extensive stocking. If you're after a monster, you'll have to go out to the Big River. There's not a ton of them but there's enough. Add me to the list of those who have hooked up multiple times and never had a chance of landing it on a medium bass spinning rod
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Montana Angler Fly Fishing
Montana Angler Fly Fishing
Harman's North Fork Cottages
Wayward Trading”/> </center> </div> </div> </div> <div class=


Real Time Data From
the USGS Site

Share this page

Back
Top