Fishing Log

first year probably in 40 years I did not launch boat at Eshback all season the water level been running high to launch there. So today I did. What a sh#t show that launch has turned into. All washed out, and the rocky launch was covered with non-english speaking people such that I could not even drive on it. I backed boat straight in down the narrow path but then all the parking for trailer was taken up by HIKERS for the McDaid trail. I had to parky way up in the field. THIS IS WRONG on both counts. Tried a few of my historic prime spots but impossible to fish with the debris and rock snot. Lost two shad hookups. Put two catfish lines in above a 10' hole and battled a big one for a while. Got it up to boat, looked about 10-12# and I did forget the net and hook pulled but would have released her anyway. I think I am done for the seaon. Not a banner run IMHO but had a lot of good relaxation time and had several good sessions but mainly wading and only one good boat trip all season N of gap.

Slow day at Smithfield. Stuck with it and scratched out a dozen. Between quick strikes and releases, lost another 8. Orang and black worked best. Got out just before the storm came in.

36 today. Best outing of the year. Most were Nice roe and looked to be fresh fish. Dart color really didn’t matter they were bangin everything.

12 today most all nice Roe.

Well, my season is about done. The Schuylkill is at about 67F and the shad are either into spawning or about to be. I don't care to get involved in that. I've had a fairly good season and now it's time to turn my attention toward the salt water. Good luck, all!

Anthony, if the water temps soar into the upper sixties the spawning will really kick I on especially from the gap south.you should fish the upper river from narrowsburg up for the best fishing.the water is much colder so the fish hit better and spawn a little later.i have caught them up at stiles eddy as late as July 4th.good luck.

Does anybody have an opinion about how this weekends extreme heat will effect the shad?

I took a ride up to Easton yesterday morning and fished the confluence from 10:00 to 1:00. Mediocre results. The guy fishing near me caught at least 10 to my 4. He was using a candy corn jig with a yellow little curly tail on it. Just cast it out and reeled it in. The fish thought it was just right. My double darts were not. I didn't get sunburned!

Best morning from shore this season going 26/27 all on double pink or double candy corn darts, my buddy did about the same. Mostly roe. Landed a double and had one double of big roe bust me off otherwise would have landed all hookups. Boats below us not catching a darn thing.

Anthony, not yet. 611 still closed, recent news story said it should open by early summer.

Fished Bushkill on the 12th. and only picked up 13. Fished from 6am to 6pm. Very slow. Fished N of Dingmans on the 13th. all day did not even get a bump. The river must be getting a cold, a lot of snot coming down. Tight Lines

13 on the 13th. wading this morning 5:30-8:15. Had 6 before 6am thought would be epic. But I cooled down and scratched out 7 more. My buddy started slow and ended with 22! Neither of us lost any hookups and half were nice fresh healthy roe with several over 5 lbs. 1/16 ounce candy corn darts were beat. Only got one on spoon. My buddy got all his on that dart as well.

GENE Those are wood toads. They come down from the hillsides to breed. It happens every spring when the shad are here. There are usually 2 or 3 separate "runs" in April and May. The large ones are the females. They leave gelatinous strings filled with black eggs. The eggs develop into tiny black "toadpoles". Some times so thick in the water next to shore it is a chore not to step on them. The male mating trills are often annoying to some people.

Fished north of dingmans from 2pm to 7pm Boated 3 lost 3. Water temp 63, clarity good, some river snot. No wind. Not much action tonight

First try, I fished for an hour at lunch time from shore below Lambertville. In this order I caught 1 Hickory, 1 Herring, 1 Striper, and 1 Smallmouth. All on the same double dart rig. No American. On the way home I went through Philly and tried low tide on the Schuylkill. There were lots of rocks showing and the current was running fast. It was a Hickory circus. I caught about 5 Hickories to each American and ended up with 6 American. And 1 catfish. I lost 5 or 6 rigs as the fish wrapped my line around sharp rocks in the fast current. 10# braid...poof! It was an excellent 1.5 hours of fishing and I left them biting.

Fish north of dingmans from 3pm to 730. No action until 530. After 530 the river woke up. Boated 21 in last two hours. After catching over 200 shad this year, I kill my first fish. Gut hooked buck. Water temp 58, windy till 5pm, water clarity good.

Fished Zane Grey from shore tonight 3 - 5:30 caught 1 had another hit still a little windy water temp. 63 deg. Been tough fishing up where the night time temps keep dipping into the lower 30's.

Fished Zane Grey tonight 4 - 5:30 caught 0 not even a bump. Water temp. was 56 deg. 4 fishing only saw 1 shad caught. Wind was bad too.

Fished Zane Gery tonight 3:30 - 6 from shore hooked 8 landed 7 wind was nasty tonight had to wait for lows to cast, Fished double dart rig 1/8 and 1/16 oz. darts slow retrieve.

Been a super slow start to the season. Been lucky to get 1 a day. Water temps finally increased last night to 56. Picked up 5 on the east side of river and 7 at the top below the rapids.Guys on bank and boats tight to shore also doin well. Think the main run will soon arrive.

Fished Lambertville bridge for a couple of hours this morning. Hooked 2, boated 1. About 5 other boats caught 4-5. Water low, slow and clear. Where are the shad? Main run past Lambertville?

Fished N. of Dingmans yesterday 4/5 from 7 to 4. Landed more than 40 and 1 9lb channel cat. Water temp 52 and clear and clean. Most fish were Roes and very healthy looking. All fish were released in the net to live a happy life. Most were barely hooked. Great day out with my best buddy Joe Lutz. TIGHT LINES!

I got by the Fairmount Dam yesterday afternoon just in time for the top of the tide. It was a 1st cast Hickory and then pretty good fishing for the next couple hours. I ended up with around 15 Hickories, 3 American, 1 Herring, and 3 catfish (!) I lost another half dozen good fish, probably American. I don't know why the catfish were so bitey. I've caught one on occasion, but never three, and all on darts. The Americans were feisty and the Hickories all as crazy as usual.

Tried River for an hour or so, 5 till 6, from shore but able to reach main channel at a thin part of the river, pink n green darts, river temp 53ish ,caught nothing! Tackle shop guy said he thinks main body of fish is still south of Pike, for what its worth. Thanks everyone for the updates, its encouraging