Susky Tuesday March 5th??

[sparky1423]

I know it's short notice, but I just cleared my work schedule and was thinking about getting my line wet before the snow. I am planning on launching out of Jean Roberts Memorial park around 8am and fishing the same area as the February Meet and Greet. If anyone is free and interested, please send me a PM....thanks!

[HJS]

I guess you plan on targeting yellow perch. But still, take along a few striper lures. Seems a few guys are catching an occasional decent striper while fishing for yperch. Special C&R regs for the Flats went into effect March 1 that specify that, when using bait, hooks greater than 1/2" from hook point to shank must be circle hooks. I think I'd take along a few 5" Bass Assassins and some 1/2"oz and 3/4oz jigheads. During previous late winter periods, I don't remember any yperch fishermen ever reporting catching stripers to.

http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries...bregmap02.html

Just checked the wind forecast for tomorrow and it looks great, 5mph and dropping to a near calm by early afternoon.

[sparky1423]

Thanks HJS, I was just planning on targeting Yperch, and keeping a bottom rig soaked the whole time hoping to snag a cat. I don't have much experience with rockfish....I am going to keep my eyes wide open during the jamboree next month....and watch the MKF masters.

I did pick up some salt and pepper BAs with the chartreuse tails....and some soft jerkbaits (bust ems) at the flea market.

[Shady]

Wish I could fish up there tomorrow, I bet you will do well. Last year a Striper was caught at the Feb M&G. You might get lucky and get a Striper or two on minnows with a regular YP rig. Otherwise bring those BAs and try jigging, you could just find an early Sally Striper...

[sparky1423]

Alright, alright....rigged a few BAs for the trip. Guess I will work these like a jigging spoon or an action I use with a trick worm dropshotting. I can't see myself doing any type of swimming retrieval due to the depths of the water.

What's the reasoning behind the circle hooks? Making the rocks harder to catch due to the ease of live bait? Do the stripers come to the flats to spawn or are they just chasing the shad and herring up the river to feast?

[Shady]

If you can manage it, only a couple miles south of the deep YP fishing grounds are the flats, which are much shallower and may give you a better chance of getting a striper on the jig. I'd concentrate on fishing for the YP deep and then go try for Striper if you get bored. Right now its going to be a very hit or miss, with probably mostly miss.

Circle hooks are less likely to deep hook a striper, they are designed to hook the fish in the mouth. When you fish with bait, the fish tends to swallow it.

The Striper come to the flats to feast and then head a little further up river to spawn. This area is the biggest spawning grounds for Stripers in the entire bay.

[sparky1423]

Big Skunk on the susky, I only fished for a few hours with no success. Launched around 8am and was surprised at the amount of breeze and chop on the water. It was a bumpy ride to the Perryville docks. I ventured north to the Hatem Bridge to make my first drift with some power grubs. Fishing a 1 ounce weight, I wasn't able to hit bottom which was around 70ft at the time. I noticed the drift was significantly faster than the meet and greet and the whole time my line was at a 45 degree angle.

I tried to improvise adding another 1/2 ounce to the rig, but this became useless with my medium action rod. I made a few more drifts only to get snagged, then I maneuvered inside a boat slip to keep from drifting. Make a few more attempts, but the my rig would just take off with the current...not touching bottom. After packing up, I called the Coniwingo hotline and they stated between 6am and noon...7 small flood gates and 4 large flood gates were open. I am hoping this played a part in my kayaking, or is it just my inexperience being a factor? Taking one last walk over to the ramp before leaving, I notice the wind had died and the river was much more smooth...story of my life!

On my way home, I checked out a few launch spots on the Maryland DNR in Harford county. Swan Harbor---which would be quite a trek getting to the beach, and Eleanor Tydings at the mouth of swan creek---as Yakfish said "it's definitely a scene from Deliverance!" Did not seem safe going alone, but I am still determined to get into Swan Creek somehow when the Bass are active. All and all, great scenery and got some more hours on the yak.

[Shady]

7 small flood gates and 4 large flood gates would give you quite a bit of current. During the M&G I think there were 4 and 2, so that would be almost double the output. You may have needed 3-4 ounces to hold bottom today.

Next time, make sure to call the hotline beforehand to know what to expect and have enough weight. I should have reminded you to call the hotline, sorry.

[sparky1423]

It's all good in da hood.....I had the number for weeks

7 small flood gates and 4 large flood gates would give you quite a bit of current. During the M&G I think there were 4 and 2, so that would be almost double the output. You may have needed 3-4 ounces to hold bottom today.

Next time, make sure to call the hotline beforehand to know what to expect and have enough weight. I should have reminded you to call the hotline, sorry.

[reel-em-in]

7 small flood gates and 4 large flood gates were open.

I know it's semantics but just FYI the gates you are refering to are for generation. The "flood gates" are only used when there is a LOT of water. You wouldn't want to be out there if they are in spill condition. Bummer you didn't al least get something, but I guess being out and getting no fish is still better than working!

[sparky1423]

Shhhh, I need a good excuse for the skunk!

I know it's semantics but just FYI the gates you are refering to are for generation. The "flood gates" are only used when there is a LOT of water. You wouldn't want to be out there if they are in spill condition. Bummer you didn't al least get something, but I guess being out and getting no fish is still better than working!

[HJS]

Sorry you hit bummer conditions. The Susky can be a crap shoot. Following are some of my observations over the years concerning releases from Conowingo Dam.

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Conowingo Dam Releases - 101 Primer

Like “reel-em-in” said, let’s not confuse “generation releases” with “floodgate releases”. They are two radically different things, but I’m sure most of you know that. The first can make or break fishing success; the second can kill you. For kayakers new to the Susky and Conowingo Dam area as well as for those not quite up to speed on this issue, I have prepared this Susky 101 informational sheet. Read it carefully

- Full “generation releases” like Sparky experienced on Tuesday occurs ever day provided there is adequate flow upriver from the dam. The higher the flows are upriver from the dam, the longer are the periods of daily generation. As flows drop upriver of the dam, the length of time and the number of generators in operation will also drop. Generator release ports are located along the western half (Harford Co. side) of the dam.

“Flood gate releases” are made when the river is in flood stage. The flood gates are located all along the eastern half (Cecil Co. side) of the dam. When floodgates are open, all the generators will also be running at full bore. This makes for a LOT MORE WATER than what is normal everyday generation flows. Don’t go yaking there went floodgates are open. Guaranteed to be very muddy and the river and Flats will be full of large woody debris… killer conditions.

Judging from Tuesday’s (5th) flow graph, looks like full generation occurred roughly from sun-up to around noon. Then around noon several of the generators were shut down and flows dropped significantly. You would have had good fishing flows had you stuck it out until noon, or arrived later in the day.

Go to the following site for realtime river flows from Conowingo Dam. Once there, scroll well down the page to SUSQUEHANNA RIVER BASIN and click on SUSQUEHANNA AT CONOWINGO DAM, MD. This will show you what has been released for the past several days. Generally, there will be repeating patterns of daily generation that will slowly change day-by-day as river flow above the dam change.

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/md/nwis/current?type=flow

For future reference, following are a few facts and opinions that will help to interpret the flow graphs:

Full generation, all turbines running = ~87,000cfs or 16’ depending on which graph you are reading. Tuff fishing from a kayak upriver from Havre de Grace upriver to Lapidum and beyond unless you can hide in eddies behind islands. The Susky Flats south of Havre de Grace is quite fishable during full generation although there will be noticeable currents, but no big deal.

Minimum Flow = ~700cfs to 3000cfs or 7’ to 9’. (Keep in mind that river flows rarely if ever drops much below 700cfs or 7’)

Severe droughts – During severe summer droughts, the dam may not generate for days at a time or for only very brief periods of time. Although, I think they are required to at least release some flow, maybe one small generator, to maintain a minimum flow, especially during the spring runs of anadromous fishes.

Weekends vs Weekdays – Generally speaking, when river flows upriver from Conowingo are average or less, there will be less generation going on at the dam during the weekends than compared to weedkdays. Dam operators are stockpiling water for weekday generation when demands and $$$ return is the highest.

[sparky1423]

Thanks HJS, great information...I added the site to my home page. I remember reading a past thread about the flow rates. If I remember correctly, depth gauge of 16 ft was the make or break number for good dam fishing conditions on a kayak. I am going to study the charts more to get more familiar with the data.

I would love to get upstream more, possibly lapidum or even the mouth of deer creek with my kayak. I used to hit the shad run at deer creek and I hear smallmouths are plentiful in this area. Is this possible with average currents or is this area too dangerous for a kayak (keeping in mind I am in beginning stage of paddling)? I can always stick to wading these area as before.

[reel-em-in]

Thanks HJS, great information...I added the site to my home page. I remember reading a past thread about the flow rates. If I remember correctly, depth gauge of 16 ft was the make or break number for good dam fishing conditions on a kayak. I am going to study the charts more to get more familiar with the data.

I would love to get upstream more, possibly lapidum or even the mouth of deer creek with my kayak. I used to hit the shad run at deer creek and I hear smallmouths are plentiful in this area. Is this possible with average currents or is this area too dangerous for a kayak (keeping in mind I am in beginning stage of paddling)? I can always stick to wading these area as before.

I launch at the mill at rock run frequently. It's definately fishable by kayak (I'd even say reccommended). I see kayakers there a lot. Obviously if there has been lots of rain conditions could be bad but for the most part it's good in the summer. As I mentioned at the Feb M&G I'm going to be low on free time this summer but if I make it out I'll give you a heads up.

[HJS]

sparky - Now (March 17) would be a good time to look at the flows at Conowingo. The flow up near Harrisburg has been going up steadily due to recent rains and generation at Conowingo has ramped up accordingly. The Conowingo graph now shows a combination of usual generation flows, then higher flows of 24 hour generation, and then a brief opening of a couple of floodgates on Saturday. So, a couple of release scenarios are shown on one graph.

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/md/nwis/current?type=flow