Small Stream Smallies

trevor

trevor

Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2010
Messages
75
When can we expect the smallmouth to be showing up in the small to medium streams this year?
 
I usually start chasing small stream bass around Memorial Day weekend - sometimes earlier. I don't care to fish bass in big rivers during the spawn but, in my experience, small creek bass often aren't spawning and so I'll target them earlier. Oftentimes, creek bassin doesn't really take off until July.
This year - who knows?
 
Just make sure you check the regs before chasing bass in the tribs. I talked to a few fish police and they both said they will be setting a no tolerance standard.........PERIOD!
 
delta_dog wrote:
Just make sure you check the regs before chasing bass in the tribs. I talked to a few fish police and they both said they will be setting a no tolerance standard.........PERIOD!
Click to expand...

DD,
Could you elaborate on this? Which tribs? Susquehanna? Erie? No tolerance of what?
 
Closed season for Bass May 1st - June 15th in sections of the Susky & Juniata, including the tribs listed in this link:

http://fishandboat.com/fishpub/summary/bass_cr.htm

 
Bass in the tribs can be lawfully fished during that time, just make sure you're more than a 1/2 mile upstream from the confluence with the Susky or Juniata.

In most cases the new regs won't affect "small stream Smallie" fishing, unless you were looking to target the mouths or extreme lower reaches of streams that are direct tribs to the Susky or Juniata in the areas mentioned in the reg.

Even in the tribs, not a good/sportsmanlike idea to target Bass actively on a bed though. Thought that used to be illegal across all of PA, but couldn't find anything specifically stating that in the regs now.
 
Fishidiot wrote:
No tolerance of what?
Click to expand...

FI - The reg says it's unlawful to "target or attempt to catch a Bass." Like most PFBC regs, that's a little vague. Do you have to visually see the Bass and cast at it? IMO anyone fishing the Susky or Juniata in the regulated stretches is effectively targeting Bass, whether they see them or not, or whether they intend to catch them or not. Whether the reg would be interpreted that way I don't know...but from a realistic perspective if you're fishing those rivers, there's a more than reasonable chance that the fish that eats whatever is on the end of your line will be a Bass.

In any case, I foresee a lot of "Muskie/Walleye anglers" taking to these rivers from May 1 through June 15.
 
Unfortunately due to the fact that a good number of streams I would normally fish for smallies in SW PA are off limits till the opening day of trout, but I've had some hot action in some very small streams lately. The fish are definitely in pre-spawn, or just real hungry. My youngest brother and I were not too far into NY state over the the weekend, and landed a considerable number of sizable smallies on a stream that isn't more than about 40' wide or less. With water temps there in the high 40's - low 50's the bite should really be on in points south.
 
Quote: delta_dog wrote: Just make sure you check the regs before chasing bass in the tribs. I talked to a few fish police and they both said they will be setting a no tolerance standard.........PERIOD!

DD, Could you elaborate on this? Which tribs? Susquehanna? Erie? No tolerance of what? Posted on: Today 10:39
Click to expand...

The no tolerance was in regard to people actively fishing for bass and saying they are fishing for "Walleye" or "Muskie". I asked how can this be enforced. The one officer said " Make sure you dot your I's and cross you T's ". The reason this conversation took place was I asked what their viewpoint was on Carp fishing with the long rod in both the Susquehanna and lower limits of the tribs. They both said its the officers discretion. They said it shouldn't be an issue as long as your not catching bass after bass and then one of them made it VERY clear that any bass caught accidentally MUST be released IN the water. I think that is part of the " DOT YOUR I's AND CROSS YOUR T's " comment.
 
I got out yesterday to a small creek, and caught around 35 smallmouth, with sunnies mixed in. Most of the smallmouth were in the 6-7 inch range, but I landed a few that were around 12, and pulled the hook one a beauty. It didn't appear that they were spawning, so I figured it was OK.
 
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Small stream smallies are my favorite! While you wait for the Closed Season to finish up, you might like to read more about it:


Small Fry: The Lure of the Little

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0984267700/ref=aw_d_detail?pd=1&qid=1260539926&sr=1-3


Several chapters of this book are devoted to Pennsylvania's small stream bass.

;-)



.
 
Got 3 nice small stream smallies on the West Branch of the Brandywine yesterday. Cold and wet with the rain but worth it--first time out this season.
 
Hi Kennetsteve. Welcome to the PAFF forums. If you're an avid bass or warm water fly fisher, you want to hang out with us here in the Warmwater Forum. Pay no attention to all the trout snobs around here. :)
 
Fishidiot wrote:
Hi Kennetsteve. Welcome to the PAFF forums. If you're an avid bass or warm water fly fisher, you want to hang out with us here in the Warmwater Forum. Pay no attention to all the trout snobs around here. :)
Click to expand...
Says the guy with the Brownie for an avatar. ;-)
 
Thanks much for the welcome.
 
Local water hovering around 48 degrees and the bite is on! They're most active in the evening (warmest part of the day) but are they ever. Swinging Murdich minnows with little extra movement brought 12 fatties to hand in about an hour and a half. All in the 12-15" range. Things are looking good because I believe these were last years 10-12" fish which dominate the water shed with the occasional heavy weight. I can finally get my fix!
 
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