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Yesterday I decided to fish the Susqy, launching out of Lapidum. This was my first time fishing the Susqy at this location.
From the fishing perspective I did not do well. I caught 2 dink smallies. One on a crankbait, the other on a 3 inch worm wacky-rigged. I happened to catch the location on a bad day for fishing it. I had planned to peddle upriver to the mouth of Deer Creek then turn around and fish back. Deciding to fish my way up there was a mistake as I look back. The wind was blowing stronger as the morning progressed so that my progress upriver was very slow. When I got to within about a half mile of the Deer Creek mouth I realized that I would have been much better off just peddling (I'm in a Hobie Outback) straight there rather than fishing upriver for 3 hours. The area around the old mill and the huge boulder field reminded me of the Fort Hunter area. Additionally, the dam had only one small gate open resulting in a slower flow than really needed to get the smallies active. The wind made this very deceptive because what I thought was current was nothing more than the wind blowing the water downriver. Had I started in this location, the fishing still would have been slow but I definitely would have caught more fish.
When I finished fishing, I did some scouting around to look at other launch locations I had read about. I looked at the old mill first to see about launching there. To do so, you have to negotiate a set of stairs made of rock that are very, very steep and narrow (stair width) going down to the river. I can't imagine doing this with a Hobie Outback by yourself but with some help it is doable. Getting back up those stairs would also be challenging. But you would be very close to the prime area to fish.
I also looked at the option to launch into Deer Creek. As I see this option, it is only doable with a very light kayak as you have to go down through the woods on a very steep grade and climb over rocks while going down. I know that some of you guys do it but I can't imaging even trying it with any reasonable amount of fishing gear and a kayak.
Finally, I though about launching from Fisherman's Park, just below the dam that I read some of the guys launch from. The problem I see with this is that if the dam guys decide to do an unscheduled release and you were downstream you might not have time to get back to the launch ramp after hearing the warning sirens. Seems like this option is not for the faint of heart and definitely requires an expert understanding of the perils in launching there and the workings of the dam.
I am hoping to get comments on my float and some suggestions on things that I could/should have done under the circumstances other than stay home.
From the fishing perspective I did not do well. I caught 2 dink smallies. One on a crankbait, the other on a 3 inch worm wacky-rigged. I happened to catch the location on a bad day for fishing it. I had planned to peddle upriver to the mouth of Deer Creek then turn around and fish back. Deciding to fish my way up there was a mistake as I look back. The wind was blowing stronger as the morning progressed so that my progress upriver was very slow. When I got to within about a half mile of the Deer Creek mouth I realized that I would have been much better off just peddling (I'm in a Hobie Outback) straight there rather than fishing upriver for 3 hours. The area around the old mill and the huge boulder field reminded me of the Fort Hunter area. Additionally, the dam had only one small gate open resulting in a slower flow than really needed to get the smallies active. The wind made this very deceptive because what I thought was current was nothing more than the wind blowing the water downriver. Had I started in this location, the fishing still would have been slow but I definitely would have caught more fish.
When I finished fishing, I did some scouting around to look at other launch locations I had read about. I looked at the old mill first to see about launching there. To do so, you have to negotiate a set of stairs made of rock that are very, very steep and narrow (stair width) going down to the river. I can't imagine doing this with a Hobie Outback by yourself but with some help it is doable. Getting back up those stairs would also be challenging. But you would be very close to the prime area to fish.
I also looked at the option to launch into Deer Creek. As I see this option, it is only doable with a very light kayak as you have to go down through the woods on a very steep grade and climb over rocks while going down. I know that some of you guys do it but I can't imaging even trying it with any reasonable amount of fishing gear and a kayak.
Finally, I though about launching from Fisherman's Park, just below the dam that I read some of the guys launch from. The problem I see with this is that if the dam guys decide to do an unscheduled release and you were downstream you might not have time to get back to the launch ramp after hearing the warning sirens. Seems like this option is not for the faint of heart and definitely requires an expert understanding of the perils in launching there and the workings of the dam.
I am hoping to get comments on my float and some suggestions on things that I could/should have done under the circumstances other than stay home.
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