Schuylkill River Smallmouth

[Brownie101]

Mike, what area did you survey in?

 

[JasonS]

I think the decline of skook is being a bit overstated in this thread. There are plenty of smallies and of good size in the Bridgeport/conshy/Norristown area.

 

[JasonS]

But with that said, the Big D >>>>>>>Skook for bronzie fishing.

 

[Mike]

Jason,
That is the isolated stretch in the lower river where you can still find them in fair numbers and where reproduction is still suitable. I don't know how it is in the stretch from Falls Bridge upstream to Flat Rock Dam anymore, however.

 

[Mike]

W Br Braandywine was surveyed from about a mi or so above the dam that is upstream from Coatesville downstream to an area that is about a mile up from the mouth. Sampling sites were about 4 mi apart throughout. You fellows may find the warmwater stream survey biologist reports on the Area 6 portion of the PFBC web page helpful as starting points for selecting waters to fish. Many WW streams have been surveyed in SE Pa in recent yrs.

 

[surveyor06]

Thanks for everyones replies. I'm going to give the West Branch of the Brandywine a try near Cheslen Reserve tomorrow morning. Ive tried upstream of it and only caught one so for. Parts of that creek are pretty deep and i feel should hold a lot of SMB. I just haven't found them yet, or they don't like what im offering.

 

[Brownie101]

Nice. My favorite stretch is right below the Embreeville Dam. Let us know how you do.

 

[surveyor06]

Sunday I fished from Harvey Bridge down to Embreyville Mill. Right away i cuaght a small SMB on a black slump buster. Then the water turned slow and flat until I got down to the mill. I swung streamers under the bridge hooking one but got off pretty quick. Then I noticed tons of fish rising to tricos. I proceded to hook about 5 smallies on a Al's Trico, and a few fallfish. Nothing too big, but there were ALOT of smallies rising and eager to take a dry fly.

 

[JasonS]

Mike wrote:
Jason,
That is the isolated stretch in the lower river where you can still find them in fair numbers and where reproduction is still suitable. I don't know how it is in the stretch from Falls Bridge upstream to Flat Rock Dam anymore, however.

I don't know how that section is either as I mainly just stay in the section I posted about since it is 2mins from my front door and the fishing is good enough.

 

[Brownie101]

Surveyor, I catch almost all of my smallies on streamers down there. Interesting to hear they were rising, I'll have to get back down there soon.