Sunday, October 11, 2009

Jeff Knapp: Susquehanna's North Extension Provides Solid Fishing

From Indiana Gazette Online
Published: Sunday, October 11, 2009 1:14 AM EDT
http://online.indianagazette.com/articles/2009/10/11/sports/outdoors/10025604.txt

Perhaps the state's greatest angling resources, our major rivers furnish outstanding, and often overlooked, opportunities. In the northeastern portion of the state, the North Branch of the Susquehanna River features an outstanding smallmouth bass fishery, as well as solid numbers of other warmwater gamefish.

Initially formed at the outlet of Otsego Lake in New York, the North Branch initially enters Pennsylvania in northern Susquehanna County, only to curve northward back into New York. After a brief east-to-west flow, it again turns to the south into Pennsylvania, this time in Bradford County. From that point to its merger with the West Branch near Sunbury, the North Branch provides a fine multi-species fishery.

``I've found the North Branch to be a consistent producer of fish - spring, summer and fall,'' said Jason Venesky, a highly experienced and well-traveled river angler. ``I've fished it in all three seasons, and it always seems to produce not only good numbers of fish, but enough quality-sized fish to keep you on your toes.''

Venesky added that while smallmouth bass are the premier species, one is never sure just what will be on the end of the line.

``It might me a bass, but then again it could be a walleye, a nice northern pike, or a big muskie,'' he said. ``The river is in a beautiful setting, flowing through some wonderful valleys and terrain of northeastern Pennsylvania.''

The fishing is of high enough quality to make guiding on it a viable venture, something North Branch Outfitters guide Greg Smith has done for several years. And while the Susquehanna River basin, as a whole, has been considered an outstanding smallmouth bass resource for decades, the habitat within the North Branch differs from what anglers experience on the river's main stem.

``We don't have the ledge, boulders and rock outcroppings that are so common on the main stem,'' explained Smith. ``It's more of a riffle-pool situation, more similar to sections of the Allegheny in western Pennsylvania than the main Susquehanna to the south. Also, we haven't had the problems with smallmouth bass spawns that they've had on the lower Susquehanna. We've had pretty consistent spawns over the past eight to 10 years which has resulted in some pretty good fishing.''

The problem Smith speaks of is die-offs of young smallmouth bass in both the main stem and the West Branch (which originates in Cambria County) over the last four years.

Research by the Fish and Boat Commission and other agencies identified the culprit as the bacterial infection columnaris.

Since the bacteria that causes the infection is commonly found in waterways, extensive work has been done to determine what other stress factors are allowing the disease to infect young-of-the-year bass, why the event occurs only during certain years, and why the main stem of the river is more highly affected than the North or West branches.

Mortality from columnaris within the Susquehanna watershed has occurred in 2005, `07 and `08 during the spring of each year. Only young-of-the-year smallmouth bass, which would be 1- to 2-months old, have been involved.The ongoing multi-agency research is examining factors such as dissolved oxygen levels, nutrient concentrations, pH levels and fluctuation, vegetation and algae growth, and variables in water temperature.

The survey work done in 2008 on the North Branch by PFBC Area 4 Fisheries Manger Rob Wnuk show catch rates for one year and older bass at 85.5 per hour of electrofishing, just slightly below the long-term

average (for that river section) of 91.6. The rate for 12-inch and larger smallies was 2.5; for 15-inch and larger the rate was 1.02.

Columnaris only affected 2 percent of 2007's young-of-the-year bass, and 2 percent the following year. Similar survey work on the main stem of the Susquehanna - between Sunbury and York Haven - has shown rates of columnaris-diseased young-of-the-year smallmouth bass as high as 36 percent (in 2008).

Good smallmouth bass fishing currently remains in the main stem of the Susquehanna, as adult populations haven't been affected by the disease. But well-warranted concern remains regarding the future of those waters as the older fish leave the population, with little coming in behind them.

Smith said excellent smallmouth bass fishing is available on the entire length of the North Branch. Access sites are plentiful.

Fall is an excellent time to target all of the North Branch's species as bass, walleyes, pike and muskies migrate into slower wintering holes that will hold them until the following spring.