Susquehanna River Problems?

[Maxwell]

Anybody know what's going on with the North Branch? I've been fishing in the vicinity of Falls (downstream from Tunkhannock) since the mid '70's and on a good day I can pull 4 to six smallmouth per hour from the river. I hadn't fished there for several years and when I returned two years ago I couldn't catch a single smallmouth. For the last two years all I caught were what I believe are juvenile walleye. I'm not sure, since I never fished for that species. Before this, I never caught a single one of this species. I noticed that I can't find any minnows or crayfish in the shallows, but the bottom is covered with a gray-olive colored moss out to a depth of 2 to 3 feet of water and the rocks are covered with a scattering of what looks like small snails. I never have seen this situation before. I have always spooked plenty of minnows and crayfish when wading out into the river. Now, nothing.

[flyman 3]

the river is in bad shape. for three years we had fish kills, fish comm. is still saying nature will take care of it. we are going to fish up your way, to see how it is, but from what you say it as bad up there as here. we did fish yesterday at W.B area, 4 man 4 small bass, about 5 hrs fishing time. did have one catfish about 27 ins when getting out of water. there is a guide up there, i think from tunkhannock area that he caught over 11000 bass last year , yea right. so we will come up and see if we can find some bass, will post if we find them flyman 3 pottsville

[jkilroy]

Too much fertilizer is going into the river and when the temps get to 85 degrees it kills the bass. It's been happening for the past 5 years and the fish commission isn't doing anything about it. I think they really need to get new management that will fix the problem. Some other states have the same problem. The states that enforce regulations have healthy river systems.

[cdubinpa]

last saturday there was a "very heavy" hatch in marysville and I fished it from 0830pm until 1000pm and did not see "one" fish rise to it. There are "no" bass to be found!! is the hatch occurring anywhere north and are there any fish?

[Working Class Hero]

The Susquehanna is in the worst shape it's every been in.
I also fish the white fly hatch. The hatch starts around Wrightsville and goes upstream. I too have seen blizzard hatches...... but no stinkin' bass eating them.
In Marysville and Perdix up to Duncannon was a "world class" smallmouth fishery. I could catch and release over 100 bass a day with my flyrod! Even when the sun was out, 3pm until dark, almost every cast.
The smallmouth were so plentiful when I put my woolybugger in the water in front of me to check the action...... a small bass would smack it! LOL I had to yank the fly out of the water. So many bass they were "pesty"
In 03' at Marysville I saw myself the thousands of YOY bass gasping for air and every one had a white fungus spot on their back.
Every year since then I see hundreds of fully grown dead bass floating down the river. Also a lot of sores on the few bass I catch in the last five years.
I fished Wrightsville tonight and didn't have a stinkin' hit. No fish!
The channel cats are stocked in the Susquehanna. They put a truckload in at Wrightsville in May. The small channel cats will smack a black woolybugger at twilight and are a lot of fun with a flyrod. The bass are dying, but I thought the catfish could survive the polluted water.
Almost all of the channel cats are dead now. The few remaining have a pale sick look like they are full of fungus.
The rockbass were plentiful a few years ago, but they are in a huge decline also. The couple small ones I caught had funny white markings on them. Half dead from the fungus in the polluted water. I see a lot of dead carp also!!! I thought they could live anywhere!
Ten years ago the Susquehanna had a gravel bottom with clear water. Now it has runoff silt and snotgrass everywhere.
This breaks my heart and makes me sick. I went up to Sunbury and down to the C Bay, but everyplace has a huge decline with the smallies.
I'm about ready to give up with the Susquehanna and only saltwater flyfish.

[JohnPa]

I hear ya ! I used to drive oven an hour to Perdix and 50+ fish nights were common. During the white fly hatch it was unreal. Now it's all gone...

I've fished up near Berwick a few mornings this year and the best I could manage were 3-4 bass.

I believe the problem is worse down near Harrisbug, but I think the whole river is suffering.

I'm now searching out smaller waters for smallies.

John

[Fishin Rev]

Sorry, but the Susquehanna river and the bottom part of the Juniata river are for all intents and purposes dead. The PFBC has been trying to sell everyone on the fact that this is just nature in a cycle but anyone who's fished the Susky before knows that it's not. I live a stone's throw from the junction of the Susquehanna and the Conodoguinet Creek. Usually I know it's the white fly hatch time just by walking out my back door. This year I had no clue until I read about it online. This must be part of the "cycle" too. I haven't even bothered to fish the river this year. No use. If you are really looking for the whole story, contact Bob Clouser at his fly shop. I know last year he cancelled some guide trips due to no fish, I haven't heard anything this year.
Better luck elsewhere,
Rev. Mike