Swatara Creek – 2015 – Down Year?

[Swattie87]

Anyone else noticing a slow, or down year in fishing the Swatara? There’s been a lot of glowing reports on the Susky, Juniata, and Connie as of late, but I’ve had a bit of a struggle this year on the Swattie. I’ve WW fished this year less than most years, mostly because the Swatara was running very high until mid July or so. But still, I have half a dozen outings in now, and other than a mediocre day in late May in the upper Lebanon County stretch, it’s been a slow struggle each time. Every other outing I’ve failed to break double digits…and that’s including Sunfish and Fallfish.

For example, Saturday I fished about ½ a mile of primo water in the Hummelstown area…caught one 6” Smallie, one Green Sunfish, and two Fallfish. That same stretch probably averages 20-30 fish historically for me, and I’ve had 50+ fish days there. Fortunately, an order of Smoker Wings from The Wharf salvaged that trip.

Maybe I’ve just had the timing off, and hit it on “slow” days, but it usually fishes consistently better than it has this year. Anyone else noticing the same, or something different?

 

[troutbert]

Here's a theory. I've got a lot of theories.

Maybe in most years when the Susque gets very warm, a lot of smallmouth move up into the tribs, including the Swattie.

This year when temps were cooler, flows were good, which keeps oxygen levels better, fewer bass moved up from the river.

 

[afishinado]

troutbert wrote:
Here's a theory. I've got a lot of theories.

Maybe in most years when the Susque gets very warm, a lot of smallmouth move up into the tribs, including the Swattie.

This year when temps were cooler, flows were good, which keeps oxygen levels better, fewer bass moved up from the river.

^ That's as good of a theory as any. It makes sense.

 

[Fishidiot]

afishinado wrote:

troutbert wrote:
Here's a theory. I've got a lot of theories.

Maybe in most years when the Susque gets very warm, a lot of smallmouth move up into the tribs, including the Swattie.

This year when temps were cooler, flows were good, which keeps oxygen levels better, fewer bass moved up from the river.

^ That's as good of a theory as any. It makes sense.

Certainly possible, although I'm in the camp that thinks SMBs like warm water. But something like this could be at play. The fact that sunnies are slim pickens too however suggests to me that conditions affecting the spring migration may be off(?). I dunno.

Haven't hit the Swattie this year (I'm not a regular) so can't say anything definitive.

 

[sarce]

My dad was telling me similar things about the Brandywine all summer, then suddenly starting a few weeks ago fish were everywhere. It seemed like he was describing a very delayed upstream migration of the bass and sunfish. I would think the swattie is large enough to be more consistent though.

 

[krayfish2]

I haven't fished the Swattie in years but always found it to be up and down when I fished it as a kid. 3 weeks ago, I did give a glowing report of the Susky. I have fished it twice a week since that report and it's not half as good as I posted. Things dropped off quickly. Not sure what happened.

 

[wgmiller]

Fishidiot wrote:
Haven't hit the Swattie this year (I'm not a regular) so can't say anything definitive.

Ditto. Swattie - are you floating or wading? My impression of the Swatara is that it is best fished via float. Too much dead water otherwise which causes the fish to move around. The muskies should have "residency" in their home turf - that should be a given.

 

[Swattie87]

wg - I'm wading, but focus my efforts on the primo water stretches. I've fished nearly all of the Dauphin/Lebanon County water and have 7 or 8 half mile or so beats with good habitat and water that usually produce consistent results that I spend my time on now. I've fished 4 of them this year as I recall (one twice), with just that one mediocre outing to show for it.

 

[brain]

i've only hit the creek a few times this year due to the water levels.
my last outing, which is a few weeks past at this point, was the best i had seen in years. most sizes were average or a little less, however i did loss one monster to a poor hook set and then proceeded to break another submarine off. have not been back out since, but hope to change that later this week.

 

[Bobert540]

I have heard stories of musky in the Swattie but I have yet to have a follow or see one. Would love to find some musky in the swatty as it would be a nice change of pace from smb fishing.

 

[brain]

they stock tigers in it every few years. i have personally seen them. i have also seen them beach themselves in the evening chasing dinner.

 

[JasonP329]

I fished the Swattie last night in the Lebanon. What a great evening of fishing. I fished from about 5:30 till just a little after dark. I caught between 15 to 25 fish, mostly small smallmouth bass in the 8-12 inch range. Several nice sunfish and fall fish. I was using a Clouser crayfish size 10. Someone had mentioned about muskies. I did have one follow my crayfish as I was stripping it back, roughly 28 to 30in.

 

[Bobert540]

I was out the other day for an hour and had decent success with a hinged double hook sculpin. I wasnt getting bites stripping it in and making erratic movements so i switched to fishing it slower and caught most of my fish basically dead drifting. It was early evening so the sun was still relatively high, i believe if i waited an hour or so things would have picked up. The fish looked healthy and well fed!

 

[Swattie87]

Good to hear some better reports. Makes me think I just hit it on "off" days this year. Maybe I'll try to get out for a day of Fall Bass.

 

[JasonP329]

Bobert540, you are correct the fish that I was catching were very health and eating good. I was out again last evening. I went to another spot and had really good success. They were all in the same size range of 8 to 12in.