catfishin 2011

[uncle buck]

I remember when my kids were younger.. March Cabin Fever catching 18 to 22  inch suckers just one foot from the shore with red worms..  In Carlisle were the old tanning or hide place is. That right at the bridge on 34 going North..

[bigben]

i could use me some suckers for bait.  I am actually heading out now lookin for bait.

[foxtrot]

Sorry to hear Marburg was a bust.I think its a little early yet for the lakes but the warm temps this weekend might make things happen.The last week of march in past years was always pretty good depending on the weather.I would love to hook up some weekend Ben I just have to much going on at the moment.Were you after cats at marburg or anything that bites?

[uncle buck]

i could use me some suckers for bait.  I am actually heading out now lookin for bait.

Ben close by the bridge I speak of..There is a feeder stream that enters into the Conaquenta (sp).  I use to gig that small stream.. I comes under the road on 34 and goes West. There is a road that runs parallel with that small stream.. When the time is right you can take a dip net and get hundreds of suckers in that stream.. I use to gig them at night with a Coleman lantern..By t he way just where the stream does enter into the Contaquenta (sp)..Muskies lay in weight at the mouth for the suckers... I can't remember if the road I speak of is in front of the rt  34 bridge or after it... If you travel up the road a bit there is a parking place on the left.   there was a time people in the houses along the stream didn't even pay me any mind when I passed near their houses gigging at night.. By the way...get a chance to gig try it there... The suckers will start to run when the trees blossom....

I'm sure if you find a pool in that stream I speak of you could catch suckers with rod and worm too...they will run from the 18  inches to 22  inch size..

[bigben]

yes I am talking about catfish foxtrot.  I figured with the water flowing they would have concentrated more in a certian location but haven't or didn't.  I think they are still a bit cold.  gonna give em till mid april till I go back down trying them again. 

Thanks for the info on the suckers UB.  I know exactly which road your talking about.  I will have to try it then.  I have been checking streams to see if I can see any but the water is still too stained to know they came up yet.  but I do need to get me some. 

[uncle buck]

Ben you get some suckers you could catch a big Northern and or Musky in the Susquehanna River, Marburg, or Pinchot... By the way after you cross over the bridge.. if you look to your right. Their is a picnic pavilion.. that is where a stream enters the conadaquenta(sp).. You could fish it from the opposite side of the bank by the sewage treatment station too... I know you put a sucker right at the mouth of the feeder stream you may hall in a big Condaqquenta Northern or Musky too...  If you could gain entry by the Pavilion that would be better but you might scare any Northers or Musky away.. Might be better to fish it from the opposite side of the creek?? 

[bigben]

the creek name is conodoquinet.  just for your future reference.  not too interested in northerns and muskys.  I do know that there are some toothy torpedos in the creek by south middleton park.  but they are ones they got outta opossum lake when they drained it. 

[uncle buck]

Thanks Ben native American names are tough to spell.. I know it means "River of  Many Bends"..

[bigben]

its definately bendy.  I believe it is also 100 miles long even though it only goes through two countys as well.  wiki link. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conodoguinet_Creek

I know sometimes when I drift or canoe it it takes a day to canoe something that takes 20 minutes to drive.  I think the creek in this area is under utilized but I kinda like it that way.  not as many people fish it and if ya know where to look you can find some good fishing.  on the other hand I have also floated many areas that didnt produce fish at all for miles.  I think the worst thing they ever did to the creek was take out some of the dams for shad to run.  never understood the logic behind it but thats the state for ya. 

[Critterslayer51]

susky is 40 degrees...and 9 feet in harrisburg...still a little high for what I like, but it jumped like 5 degrees in the past couple days= fish will be slammin baits!

[bigben]

Yeah I heard it got into 40 deg this week.  Where do you find out the temp DJ?  the site I used to use doesn't show it anymore. 

we went to upper potomac on friday but got nothing but sun burn.  no cats caught but some bites.  not sure where I am heading this weekend.

[Critterslayer51]

its on the hotline, I never look at the website, just call the #...it was 42 on sunday actually...I could only get my boat in one launch sat afternoon though, with the mud...I see the first cat tourney had record turn out tho, not sure of the results just yet...the USGS river stage info can be heard at 1-888-881-7555

[bigben]

ok thanks.  I actually have that number in my phone but do not normally call it.  I normally go to noaa and check out the predicted levels and such.  the usgs site used to have the temp but that is not currently available right now for some reason. 

[bigben]

I haven't posted much lately.  only have made it to the river a few times lately.  we had a good afternoon back in the end of march.  close to two dozen in the last hour of light which is pretty good fishin.  between being busy and the weather I finally got back down again on thursday afternoon.  it was a big windy but ended up catchin a 13.35lbr.  I caught 4 cats total in 4 hours.  along with the 13.5lbr I caught two 10lbrs and one 5lbr. 

pic of the big fella. 

[bigben]

ended up doing some flathead fishing friday night.  Dad caught this double on the last few pieces of bait we had.