River Bassin' Update

[jifigz]

I waded into the Juniata for the first attempt at Smallies yesterday of 2023. Some very large fish were moving into spawning grounds but no beds yet (which I didn't expect to find them on beds yet, anyways) and the sunfish were also not up on their beds yet, but starting to move in. Rock bass were more abundant and easier to come by and I saw more of them yesterday than I have in recent years. They had all but vanished compared to their levels of 20 years ago. I took my brother in law out and he actually caught a few rock bass. He has been trying to pick up fly fishing and he has gone 3 times now. He has been struggling A LOT with trout and hasn't connected yet. Too bad rockies are the worst fighting fish in all of freshwater fishing.

I was able to catch a few bass on top on surface bugs in the main river channel. In a couple weeks they will all be on the spawn. With levels so low on creeks and no rain the big river felt nice. I always love the topwater game midsummer in the beautiful fading sunlight here in Central PA.

 

[Silent Ocelot]

I've always thought rockbass to be decent fighters, not the best fighters, but fun nonetheless. I enjoy the larger ones I catch in the Skook. I've had rockbass try and eat and stick to lures that were the same size as them so I commend them on their aggression. I've only caught a small one this year while pounding away on stockers with a mop (probably what I will be doing tonight).

To help your brother I'd probably get him fishing nymphs under an indicator, if not already doing so. It's hard to explain the finer points of FF and I have a major issue of just data dumping on newbies and confusing them further. By now I am extremely confident in my nymphing game, just banged out 14 trout on a local stream yesterday, so it's hard to tell people that it's easy to do what I do without sounding officious, even though they could replicate similar results by just being in the same area I am. Things I try and teach new people are how to read water, line management, and depth control. In nymphing before a cast is made an angler needs to have an idea of what the particular hole they are fishing looks like. Well, he's in good hands with you @jifigz.

 

[lars]

Rock bass fight the best once you lip them.

Rivers/creeks over this way must be on a different schedule as i was watching spawning smallmouths several weeks ago on beds. They're gone now but the shallows look like the Moon with so many sunnie craters as they are all spawning now.

 

[TimMurphy]

Dear jifigz,

I'm going to be floating the Juniata on Memorial Day so your report is timely. I haven't seen a Rock Bass except for Lake Winnipesaukee in many years. There were sections of the Susquehanna River near Binghamton where they were common, but that was over 20 years ago when I lived there. They would hit a bass popper or even a Zara Spook or Torpedo and if you let your line go slack the lure would float to the top and just wiggle in the water with the hooked Rock Bass hanging down under it. Fighters they ain't!

Still, we had a lot of fun on that river. I'm hoping my brother and I have the same kind of fun we had long ago when we fish the J.

Regards,

Tim Murphy

 

[Fish Sticks]

I night fish specifically for rock bass in the winter because when its 32 deg they are the only fish that will reliably take a swung wetfly at night in the winter time around me.

 

[jifigz]

Rock bass fight the best once you lip them.

Rivers/creeks over this way must be on a different schedule as i was watching spawning smallmouths several weeks ago on beds. They're gone now but the shallows look like the Moon with so many sunnie craters as they are all spawning now.

Interesting. I saw no signs of spawning bass. Generally here fish are spawning right around mid-June or so.

 

[Andrwhite610]

I night fish specifically for rock bass in the winter because when its 32 deg they are the only fish that will reliably take a swung wetfly at night in the winter time around me.

That’s dedication

 

[Fish Sticks]

That’s dedication

Cabin fever in winter gets me bad and I love fishing at night. Might give it a try on Juanita for bass this summer.

 

[sreedy47]

Caught a nice 14-15inch smallie this past Sunday. Water is really low and warm where I was fishing

 

[nymphingmaniac]

interesting report about RB. I caught an unusual number, some quite large, near Huntingdon last Saturday. I usually only fish the big J July-Sept and I just thought it was the time for year. I guess not.

 

[jifigz]

interesting report about RB. I caught an unusual number, some quite large, near Huntingdon last Saturday. I usually only fish the big J July-Sept and I just thought it was the time for year. I guess not.

This time of the year Redbreasts get very, very easy to catch in reliable sheltered like habitats. They apparently just aren't quite there for me yet downriver from Huntingdon.

I target redbreasts every year in these places with a 4 or 6 weight. It's a good time. There are ample spots right in front of my parents' property they congregate each spring.

 

[Fish Sticks]

Yea they are around to some extent in the swatty too. Fun fish to head out with a 3 weight glass rod and swing wets for or use a popping bug

 

[lars]

Hit the Delaware this afternoon for some smallie fishing. River is really low for this time of year
and gin clear. I usually only fish top water, but the river temp is still a little chilly and i only managed to
get one to eat my bug so i went darkside and nymphed with a black Shenks sculpin. Hooked and released
four decent fish and lost the nicest on a hook throw on the jump. I was wet wading and the East wind was
blowing pretty hard so i got kinda chilly and only fished a couple of hours.

 

[krayfish2]

Floated Susky Sun. Caught a few mid sized on various spin lures. I think the fish wrapped up spawn and were on the move to summer spots. Saw quite a few very big fish on the move up river

 

[Fish Sticks]

Going out tomorrow to swing some buggers, hoping for some action.

 

[TimMurphy]

Dear Board,

My brother and I drift fished the Juniata From Thompsontown down to Greenwood on 5/29 and 5/30. Popper fishing was pretty poor though I did miss a hog on a popper on Monday. Most fish were caught on Murdiches, or Clouser floating minnows, and many of the fish chased the minnows for a long time and many strips before taking or turning away.

I want some of the carp we saw, there are some real submarines in that stretch that were pushing 30 pounds!

Regards,

Tim Murphy

 

[lars]

Hit a local creek yesterday to kill some time catching panfish. The sunnies are still creating lunar landscapes and i did still see one smallmouth still guarding a bed. Caught sunnies and rock bass on a

top water bug and got a nice bonus when a large wake came towards my bug and a post spawn smallie around 19" inhaled it and gave a good showing of herself. I don't carry a camera, but i took some shots off the bridge looking at the sunfish beds.