This past season I went back to my home waters. The river. Mother Nature had been hard on it over the last handful of years. Was not sure if I’d ever live long enough to see it rebound some.  I’m pretty sure by the numbers and some nice fish I caught this season it is trying to.  
 

I could not finish my season on the river this year. Had high expectations of doing so. I know all of you guys have to get past what Mother Nature deals us. The recent hurricane silted my ramps that I put in at. Could not dump the trailer. Not gonna shed that tear and hope the state and local counties can get them back open for the upcoming season. 
 

There was some major destruction that went on along the river. Some major structure changes for sure. Maybe for the better when it comes to the fishing. During my river walks I’d seen my share and more than I wanted to see of some dead smallies. Seeing only One would have been enough but nature is cyclical I guess and those fish will rebound. 
 

The river rat that I am is gonna keep the faith that this upcoming season will be more promising than last. I’m gonna put some feelers out there to see if I can help in anyway to do ramp work. Needs to be done to get to them. 

Volunteering is a endless joy.  Once you start doing it.  For anything you want to see become better.

 

Famous quotation from Cyclops.

i fish probably the same river. was really great up until about 5 years ago.the huge rains that summer destroyed the river. i didnt fish it again until last year. shes trying to come back. i didnt get as many big fish as i used too but i have to say i caught a ton of small fish. keep our fingers crossed if we have reasonably normal weather for the next couple of years and mankind doesnt destroy anything we could be looking at some really good fishing the next couple years.

In early 2020, I attended a talk about river health, focused primarily on the Potomac, that I believe was sponsored by the Maryland DNR.  A biologist who spoke stated that depending on the time of year, a significant high water event could destroy as much as 30% of river life…fish, crustaceans, insects, amphibians, reptiles, plants, etc.  He stated further that it could take 3-4 years to see signs of recovery. In 2018, the Potomac, Shenandoah and nearby rivers, and I suspect the Susquehanna, experienced 3 distinct high water events in a matter of just a few months.  Devastating!  And the fishing in 2019 and 2020 proved it.  But I can say without reservation that if the successes I and some buddies experienced in 2021 are any indication, the health of these rivers is definitely improving!  

Extremely interesting Old Man Lure. Thanks for the post. I have a question about high water events. What constitutes a significant event over a high water event? The reason I am asking is I fish the Duck River in middle Tennessee and the Duck will rise as much as 20' with severe flooding of farmland along the banks at least twice a year in the rainy season. The river changes from a gentle green flow into a brown raging torrent for several days at a time. Would this destroy or at least damage the river life? Just curious.

1 hour ago, Blue Raider Bob said:

Extremely interesting Old Man Lure. Thanks for the post. I have a question about high water events. What constitutes a significant event over a high water event? The reason I am asking is I fish the Duck River in middle Tennessee and the Duck will rise as much as 20' with severe flooding of farmland along the banks at least twice a year in the rainy season. The river changes from a gentle green flow into a brown raging torrent for several days at a time. Would this destroy or at least damage the river life? Just curious.

It sure doesn’t help but if it destroyed it completely, there would be nothing left presently because it’s been flooding like that for thousands of years 

I could be wrong, I could go back and check the charts but I believe we were 20 ft above flood stage. 
 

But as bad as it sounds, and seeing dead smallies (I can’t let that surprise me, the event was a catastrophe) I’m looking forward to getting back on it in the spring. I believe the smallies and largemouths will be there. It was great getting back on my home waters this past season. Was a great feeling. I’ll try to find out some good ramp info. Gonna keep optimistic everything will work out. 
 

I guess a bass is a bass is a bass but I don’t want to loose being a river rat. I love it there. 

11 hours ago, Blue Raider Bob said:

Extremely interesting Old Man Lure. Thanks for the post. I have a question about high water events. What constitutes a significant event over a high water event? The reason I am asking is I fish the Duck River in middle Tennessee and the Duck will rise as much as 20' with severe flooding of farmland along the banks at least twice a year in the rainy season. The river changes from a gentle green flow into a brown raging torrent for several days at a time. Would this destroy or at least damage the river life? Just curious.

the problem we had that year i cant remember if it was 16 17 idk, anyway the high water lasted for months. it wasnt like a couple big rains then it subsided. it started raining in early june and rained liike crazy for 2 months or so. like 2 to 4 inches of rain 3 or 4 times a week, just crazy.

To make things worse, with every heavy flood in the Spring and Summer, city of Harrisburg is dumping tons of raw sewage water directly into Susquehanna river, because the city lacks the funds to give the outdated sewage system an overhaul. It's been going on for over 6 years, and sadly there's no saying how long it will keep going like that.  While dead fish and human feces floating downstream, mother nature has nothing to do with this. 

 

https://www.fox43.com/article/news/investigations/fox43-reveals/sewage-dumped-susquehanna-river-fox43-reveals/521-7efedb86-d954-4992-86a6-1643215d86ab

Similar was the Potomac and Monocacy, floods in 2018 I think it was really wrecked both rivers.  At some point DNR put in 50k smallmouth fingerlings to attempt and revive it.  2020 it was still pretty down, but towards the end the Monocacy picked up a little.  2021 it had rebounded nicely as did it's tribs.  Too bad we had huge floods again though - 30 foot flood one of the times.  

3 hours ago, John Diamond said:

Similar was the Potomac and Monocacy, floods in 2018 I think it was really wrecked both rivers.  At some point DNR put in 50k smallmouth fingerlings to attempt and revive it.  2020 it was still pretty down, but towards the end the Monocacy picked up a little.  2021 it had rebounded nicely as did it's tribs.  Too bad we had huge floods again though - 30 foot flood one of the times.  

The Monocacy? I just had to reply to someone from Frederick. I grew up there and still visit once in a while. If I’d graduated I’d have been FHS class of ‘77. Frederick is unrecognizable to me nowadays and is turning into another Montgomery County. I used to play in the fields where (the now closed) Fredericktowne Mall is before it was built. At least I have the memories of when Frederick was mostly corn fields and dairy farms.

On 12/1/2021 at 9:47 PM, newapti5 said:

To make things worse, with every heavy flood in the Spring and Summer, city of Harrisburg is dumping tons of raw sewage water directly into Susquehanna river, because the city lacks the funds to give the outdated sewage system an overhaul. It's been going on for over 6 years, and sadly there's no saying how long it will keep going like that.  While dead fish and human feces floating downstream, mother nature has nothing to do with this. 

 

https://www.fox43.com/article/news/investigations/fox43-reveals/sewage-dumped-susquehanna-river-fox43-reveals/521-7efedb86-d954-4992-86a6-1643215d86ab

 

Rivers have been flooding for thousands of years but we've altered the landscape more in the last 100 than what happened naturally in the last 10,000. Yes nature has ebbs and flows but my first instinct in most cases is how did we manage to **** things up this time.

11 hours ago, NavyToad said:

The Monocacy? I just had to reply to someone from Frederick. I grew up there and still visit once in a while. If I’d graduated I’d have been FHS class of ‘77. Frederick is unrecognizable to me nowadays and is turning into another Montgomery County. I used to play in the fields where (the now closed) Fredericktowne Mall is before it was built. At least I have the memories of when Frederick was mostly corn fields and dairy farms.

We are the same age and the same graduating class. We are not antiques but vintage. Share the same memories and have not one regret as to how I grew up. And I didn’t have a real lot growing up.