Schuylkill Smallmouths?

afishinado

afishinado

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Every summer I shift gears from trout to smallmouths. I lived in NE PA and grew up fishing for smallmouths in the north branch of the Susquehanna and the upper Delaware. Since moving to SE PA I’ve been looking for some SM fishing closer to home. I’ve tried the Susky near Harrisburg without much luck. Every time I go, I’m astonished that such perfect water doesn’t yield many or any fish, but I know it’s not just me. It’s hard to justify a 150+ miles of driving for the results I’ve been getting. I might as well just head north.

I’ve been fishing the Schuylkill the last few seasons. I fished the River close to where I live, from around Birdsboro downstream to Valley Forge. I’ve both waded and floated the section with my kayak. I have yet to have what I consider to be a really good day catching SMs. The River has a lot of flat, shallow, featureless water; but when I find a section with current, cover, and depth I fish it thoroughly. I may catch a few smaller fish on a Clouser or bugger, but not the numbers and size I had hoped for from a great looking spot. Also, I rarely catch fish on top with a popper or slider; my favorite kind of fishing.

I sometimes hear reports of great catches on the Schuylkill, mostly on bait. Reports are one thing – actual results are another. Is it me (inept!), is it the method (fly fishing), or is it that the River doesn’t hold a lot of fish or quality fish?
 
I fished the area around the perkiomen for years and did very well with the smallies. I used poppers, clousers, crayfish and large nymphs. I waded the river exclusively..yellow was always a good color with the poppers..
 
Been noticing the same thing, but actually thought it was me! Very interested to see what others have to say. Anyway, is there still access at the railroad tunnel at VFNP?
 
Sandfly and Philly,

Sandfly - yesterday I fished right by the mouth of the Perky, and I fish that water quite often with all types of flies and methods - not much happening.

Philly - I also hit the River at the tunnel yesterday, it's open but not much happening there too.
 
The FBC Boat & Angler magazine for July is all about smallies. Check it out for an article on the Schuylkill.

Sounds like you are doing all the right things. Have you tried covering the water with a spinning rod and a buzzbait or rapala? It could help you find areas to zone in on.

It's funny sandfly mentions yellow, because that's always been my favorite color (often with a little red). I'd always heard chartreuse was the magic ingrediant.
 
If you want a nice float trip plus plenty of smallies, maybe a walleye or two and a shot at a tiger musky......start below felix dam ( muhlenberg Twp.) and float to Gibralter Rd. ( exeter Twp. ).

Another nice float for some smallies and maybe a lunker is to put a canoe in Maiden Creek, below Ontelaunee Lake, below Blue Falls waterpark ( Ontelaunee Twp.--- and float to the PFBC Boat ramp at Eplers ( Bern Twpl. ).....this is just upstream of Felix Dam.......

Both are nice floats and should yield plenty of smallies plust some other fish.........chartreuse is a good color...........hellgramite patterns and crayfish patters work well........

For the past few seasons............there have been plenty of small smallies being caught.............go deep and make it quick to get to the larger fish.........the little buggers are fast as lightning.......in any event.......small fish........or big fish.........they are still fish...and fun to catch..........lots of carp too!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Thanks for all the advice guys. Maybe I’ll try the River further upstream as suggested. Yellow is also my favorite popper color, tied for second would be chartreuse and white. Have some black ones too – sometimes it’s the only color that will produce – especially in stained water.

Pad – Spinning rods! Buzz baits! Rapalas! Surely you jest! I haven’t yet dusted off my spinning outfit, but I’m close. Actually, I’ve fished with other people that were spin fishing, and their results weren’t that impressive. I’ll keep on “plugging” away – with a fly rod.

Thanks again.
 
If you do get the spinning rod out, fish above gibraltar--just a few miles upstream of birdsboro. When I was a kid, I'd drift senko worms with a spinning rod wacky rig style (hooked in the middle of the worm like it's live bait). I remember doing decent, but it was years ago. I'd give it a shot with clousers and poppers for sure.
 
Dear afishinado,

It's been a while since I've fished the Schuylkill but when I did fish I did pretty good between Hamburg and Shoemakersville. I also had some good days from Port Clinton downstream to Kernsville Dam.

Most of the fish were on the small side with 13 or 14 inches being about the biggest but there were enough of them to stay busy. There used to be some nice green sunfish in there too and they would hit a small yellow popper like a Sneaky Pete cast under a tree. I think they were green sunfish? I always called them river sunnies, they were the ones with the bright yellow/orange bellies and they had thick bodies from eating crayfish.

I may have to try the Schuylkill again because the Susky around Harrisburg is morde.

Regards,
Tim Murphy :)
 
If you want Smallies in SE Penna. the Delaware is the place to go,also the Big Lehigh is getting better every year.Lots of places to wade and good floats also.
 
I live in Royersford and its been fishing well for me. Lots of fish but nothing big. I just moved to the area and thought the river sucked at first but I'm finding fishy spots.
Try between Royersford and Springford. Another area (that holds bigger fish) is up and down from Pawlings Rd. downstream from the mouth of the Perk.

Rumor has it a 79" (~90lbs) catfish was caught at Blackrock.
 
I have been fishing the Perk mainly this year and and my average catch is 12" but I only catch about 3 fish per outing and Im using big flies that I need a 8 wieght to cast .I really haven't had any luck with poppers but I will have to deffinetley have to try that yellow. But I have noticed that there is alot of great water with no fish. Another place I like to go is the Brandywine but I have gone there this year but I will probally hit it this weekend . Is the Schulkill shallow enough to wade ????
 
It's wadable up near birdsboro. Don't know about your area though...
 
My area is your area because you live closer to it than I do. I live in Brookhaven off of RT 352 . JayL is the water productive up there and how far of a drive is it because I have been looking for some spots that I can fish on the river ? :cool:
 
Fredrick,

The area I was referring to was up near Reading. That's where I grew up. I don't think it's wadable as far down river as we are, but I could be wrong.

I've never fished for bass downstream of Yankee dam near Spring City, but I'd be curious to hear your findings if you try it.

Here's a forum that's completely focused on fishing in Philly for you to check out... There could be some good SM info for ya there.

http://www.websitetoolbox.com/tool/mb/pfishguys
 
afish,

post your email address and I can hook you up on some good floats on another river in the area that has been on fire for me. A buddy and I fished a SEPA river yesterday out of kayaks and caught over 100 fish per.
 
The beer-swilling squirrel is funny, but am I the only one who has trouble reading text when something is moving like that? Maybe I'm easily distracted...but I just scroll down until there's no movement on the screen.
 
troutbert, I think you're easily distracted. Do you tend to miss hook-ups when a trout takes your fly because you're looking around to see what critter is making noises on the bank? :-D
 
The beer-swilling squirrel is funny, but am I the only one who has trouble reading text when something is moving like that? Maybe I'm easily distracted...but I just scroll down until there's no movement on the screen.
Click to expand...

Troutbert just use your hand to cover the avatar if it bothers you :lol:
 
I used to have a lot of luck along rt 61 near mohrsville or shoemakersville. Used mostly Schenk's white streamer or weighted buggers. Maiden creek was good too.

and the squirrel doesn't bother me..makes me thirsty but doesn't affect my ability to read.
 
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