WB Susky

[csoult]

My wife and daughter both had something going on last night so I decided to do a little warm water fishing. The West Branch of the Susquehanna river where I live has some nice small mouth fishing above Moshannon creek or "The Red Mo". I only had about 2 hours from the time I got home so I headed to a spot within 5 min of my house. I ended up hitting the water about 6:30p. Water temp was much cooler, and up considerably, from when a friend and I went a week ago. Started fishing and immediately caught a smallie, as I am reeling him in I notice about 5 or 6 huge carp had moved in below me. At first I contemplated going after them with some sucker spawn flies that I have in my box but decided against it due to the fact that I was only using a 4wt rod and would like to continue using it. So I continued fishing the olive wooly bugger that I had on and proceeded to catch 2 more smallmouth the last of which had definitely been caught very recently as you can see from the tear in his lip. Things got quiet after that so I switched to a black bead head wooly bugger. Well when I did this I learned a lesson for that section of the river, if I want to catch rock bass all day this is the fly to use! The problem is the rock bass were hitting it so quick I don't think the smallies even got a chance to look at it. Caught about 15 rock bass before it got dark, some of which were nice sized. So all in all it was a good evening. I attached some photo's of the smallies but didn't take any of the rock bass. On a side note when we were driving down the road the week before to fish at this spot we noticed something in the tree I attached that pic also, thought you guys would get a kick out of that.

 

[roosters977]

Nice fish and nice looking Black rat!

 

[turkey]

cool pics csoult.

 

[Fredrick]

I say Black racer

 

[plombardo]

I have to disagree. a black racer rarely get about 55 inches. this snake was pushing 70 inches. Pretty sure it is a black rat. Down there i was surpised we didn't see a copperhead.

 

[Fredrick]

Were you there ? How do you know how big it was ?

 

[Lonewolve]

I fished with Coty earlier this summer hopefully september ill get to fish with him again.I have cabins in clearfield county where these pics were taken.It is more likely a black snake, we have copperheads but there are more rattle snakes ,garters,and black snakes than copperheads . i give snakes alot of room when i see them,poisonous or not they are there for one reason or another and have their job to do.for instance if you ever see a bunch of black snakes its because there is a rodent problem,after the rodents have been eaten up the black snakes move on.
I know copperheads are here ,my fiance's stepsister and husband were out for a walk with thier Jack Russell Terrier and he was ahead of them a lil bit but they could see him he got bit they heard the yelp and saw him jump,ran to him.her husband rocked the snake and imediately id'd it.Copperhead,took the dog to the vet but it was too late the dog died as they got in the emergency room.
Tight Wraps & Tight Lines
Rick Wallace
P.S. rattle snakes have two color phases a dark almost balck one and the lighter diamond one

 

[plombardo]

Elaphe obsoleta obsoleta AKA Black Rat Snake.

NOT a black phase rattler. rattlers have two phases yellow and black. That has nothing to do with the sex of the snake.

That area of the WB is loaded with copperhead. Go into the railroad tunnel.


Yes, I was the one that spotted the snake and told him to stop. it was atleast 70 inches long.

 

[Lonewolve]

Plombardo,
didn't say there weren't copperheads just that i see way more rattlers and garters and black snakes.also i only mentioned the color phases of rattlers because some don't know that and its good to know where you step as well as what you are looking at.

 

[plombardo]

Sorry.. Depends were you are at in Clearfield county. You are corrected. had a buddy from maine down and he was stomping around like nothing. They don't have such things up there.

 

[Lonewolve]

Plombardo,
they have snakes in Maine i have seen em only lil choclate brown ones. http://www.maineherp.org/index.php?display=native_species&show=snakes
Heres a link, ones i saw were in rangeley lakes region,to my best knowledge they have no poisonous species there.
Plombardo send me a pm maybe when im up you can join Coty and i or we can fish.
I dont care for snakes but my attitude on them has changed the last few years,in my garden i usually see garters and e few ring necks, i also get a eastern box turtle from time to time.everything has its place and reason i just look at em an let em be.
Tight Wraps & Tight Lines
Rick Wallace
BTW i usually get a few weeks each year in Maine ..Maine rocks for flyfishing IMHO,never had a bad time ever,or a bad time here in Pa,so what if you don't catch everything with fins flyfishing and fishing in general is so much more than the catching ,catching is just the icing on the cake.