Striper/Shad Jam, 21 April 2018, Susquehanna State Park, MD

  • Thread starter salvelinusfontinalis
  • Start date
Come join us!

I'm gonna be in a great mood. Just set me up against anything that swims. Spring is coming! :)

I'll have my seaghost 130 ready for a madien voyage.
i was just 2 sick for too long early and late last year. Flows on the Susquehanna kept me on trout. I had a superb 2017 trout season. It sucks though I'm so cabin fever like on warmwater fishing.

I'll also have a n Old town Vapor Angler Yak for Justin. It's a nice sit in really and a speed demon. it will at least get you around and you can get out an fish. Its got a large ****pit so i think youll do ok.

I love good beer ! :pint:

 
Incidntly, if this is an agreed upon thing I recommend beginning a new post or clearig all the deliberation and clutter. Plan and execute. Warm Water Insurgents assemble and dominate!

Hell I might even come down and tool around if you’ll have me.
 
Maurice wrote:
Incidntly, if this is an agreed upon thing I recommend beginning a new post or clearig all the deliberation and clutter. Plan and execute. Warm Water Insurgents assemble and dominate!

Hell I might even come down and tool around if you’ll have me.
Click to expand...

I edited the title so I think we can stay with this thread.

Will need to review rules/regs; think we will need a Bay license and if you want to fish Deer Cr you will need a freshwater license. Also, I think for SB we will need to be down at the flats iot to target SBs. White perch are in the river in large numbers at this time too. There are some good restaurants in Havre de Grace if we want to do b-fast or dinner.

Hey Sal, don't forget your new switch rod. This would be a good place as roll casting will be to your advantage if we are stuck close to shore under trees and with lots of other anglers.

I've got this date off but can't commit at this time - will have to wait till sooner before I can commit to join you guys.

Anyway - since we have a time and place, we can figure out the rules and details...and maybe start tying some shad flies.
 
I'm seriously considering it. My grandfather used to fish for shad in the Susky. Long enough who I don't think he had to go to MD by i could be mistaken.
 
Thanks Dave.

Ya I started reviewing license stuff. Looks like a non resident non tidal and tidal license required if you plan to fish both. I'm sure I have to also do some kind of permit or registration on my boats.
Cost is not really going to deter me. I'll just use it more.

Maurice of course, anyone is welcome.

My switch won't hold up against those very large stripers. But I plan on having a good time. They are fun rods.

 
Tom you dont. You could catch some a few dams up river in lesser numbers. I think conowigo dam catches fish and transport them up river.

Should come over and fish
 
That Saturday should work for me unless something comes up. I've got a Lure Kayak and an MD License, though I may have to pay for an add-on as I think it's just non-tidal/freshwater. I'll be sure to tack on a cooler to the yak... :)

Sal - you and Beefheart will probably be driving right past me so maybe I'll just caravan with yinz. It might even be easier to just meet at my place in Marietta and go from there. I have a Tacoma so I can fit a bunch of gear in the back if needed.

 
Don't forget your NOAA saltwater registration. I don't know if it's included on all those Maryland licenses.
 
I will add one thing... bring a blanket to cover your vehicle if you park at the conowingo dam. My father had $1500 Worth of damage done to his truck from black headed buzzards. Those signs about park at your own risk are no joke. I was lucky and only had me wipers destroyed.

It’s also important to check dam releases. There will be no wading if releases are high. 8 wt fly rods and big top water flies are ideal for strippers. I will likely try to make it out in my kayak for one of those dates!!!
 
Raft- sounds good to me. Both me and Justin are in landisville so we aren't far. Let's make a WWI convoy!

Thanks guys. I'll be calling to make sure I get everything I need. Thanks for all the advice, Im selling gear to help get more warm water equipment. I have a bunch but lack the super huge fish equipment I need.
I still want/need a 9'6-10' 9wt
And a 13'6"-15'6" 9/10wt
 
While big stripers are in that area, in all likelyhood we would ecnounter schoolies more in the size range that can be handled nicely on an 8Wt rod. Shad are also a good target for an 8WT. If you've never caught hickory shad, they're a blast - real scrappers. I doubt I'll bring a 10WT rod.

Mid to late April usually sees more stripers but fewer big ones. Fish are also more likely to be dispersed around the river and flats rather, than just in the channels as is the case earlier in the spring. Will want to keep an eye on reports come springtime.

I would point out: the Susky flats in BIG water. People fish that area with center console boats. If the Susky is pushing, or the wind is blowing, it will be way too rough for me to even consider venturing out in a yak. That area can really get junked up with white caps and big woody debris after a storm.

Let's hope for low water and a cloudy day. This can really turn on the shad and stripers as they tend to prefer low light conditions. I think we have our best shot at this in the second half of April.
 
Isn't there a closed season for stripers on the flats ?
I should be there, but late April wont be as productive for big stripers, they usually spawn on the full moon then roll out a few days later with just leaving the boys behind and they usually hang out for about a month after.
 
I'm interested in attending and fish that area pretty regularly. As Dave has said, it's an area with tons of variables (tides, wind, dam releases, etc) so i'm not going to get too caught up in setting a plan right now.

Last year the water was so high and dirty it put a damper on pretty much the entire spring run. In recent years it seems like the peak for fly sized stripers has occurred in early may. Water temps need to be above 50 for them to start hitting flies.

I wouldn't count on getting anywhere near the mouth of deer creek on a weekend in april with a fly rod. It's a well known spot and usually mobbed with fishermen.

I will probably look to wade fish in the morning by the dam for shad and would be willing to show some people around if i can attend.
 
Those who fish Deer Creek and wade near shore are probably only going to be catching shad. The stripers run the deeper water towards the middle of the river, between the giant boulders. You are going to want to try to fish the top of the tide, as well, when the water is deepest. Once it starts going out, there is usually a good hour of heightened activity. Dave W is correct that most fish caught will be in the 24-30" range, but it's seriously important to note that there will be 50 pounders in there, no $hit. I have caught more than a few there in excess of 20lbs, and if you hook one on an 8wt, you are not landing it without chasing it into the flats. If you can't horse a big fish there amongst the boulders, he's going to cut you off pretty quickly.

Also to note is what Dave W said about the flats. It is big water (even though you can stand up through most of it (kind of like Barnegat Bay-if your boat breaks down, you can just walk it back to shore). If the wind picks up, get the Hell out of there as fast as possible. The shallow water means less fetch is necessary from the wind to build up significant swells. It can get really hairy in a big hurry, and that's in a CC boat--I don't even want to know what it could be like in a kayak.

Also--Definitely don't be there when they're releasing water. You will die. Get some whiskey in me and ask me how I know sometime.

There is an island downstream of Deer Creek. The Southern bank of that island has always been kind to me, and I believe the bulk of the stripers runs up a channel adjacent to it. I have caught fish there in broad daylight in May on the fly (25lbs). All said, though, the best time to catch the stripers is from dusk until dawn. After that, it becomes much more of a crapshoot, and you have to get past both the shad and white perch.
 
I fished for stripes in the ocean but not from yak.
If I can only find right size net...
Very tempting.
 
Just some experience: I've been fishing for shad there for many years. Both wading and kayak. I use a 7 wt. with a #3 sinking head and flutter spoons. I do not go out in the kayak if it is more than 50K CFS. I never target stripers in the river as it is not legal. Only 2 trips have I had a shad on and one of the big stripers takes it. Keep tight and they will let go. No way you can land a big fish in that current. The fish will die unless you have a very stout rod. Last year was bust as the only place I caught shad was up at the dam. I did catch a bunch of American's aka Whites. The hickories are a HOOT! They jump and usually are plentiful. Note: It is crowded!!!! And, Susquehanna State Park campground is great. They do have cabins to rent also.
 
shadspoon wrote:
I never target stripers in the river as it is not legal.
Click to expand...

We're meeting in April at the state park at Lapidum and if I read the regs correctly, C&R fishing for SB is permitted downriver from the boat ramp at Lapidum and out into the Susky Flats. Single hook flies would be required. To be sure, up at Conowingo Dam and at Deer Creek, targeting SB would not be legal as this is above the Lapidum Line.

Of course, I may be wrong as SB regs change frequently...

2018 Striped Bass Regs
 
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