Susquehanna River fishing

Susquehanna River fishing. Fish. The Susquehanna River is regarded as one of the best fishing grounds along the East Coast. The three most sought after freshwater fish in the Susquehanna River are the Smallmouth bass, the Largemouth bass, and the Channel catfish. Smallmouth bass, which are found in the rocky upper sections of the river, can be caught on lures or bait. Largemouth bass prefer the lower tidal section of the river. Channel catfish are found throughout the river especially in the deeper areas. The “catwalk” at the Conowingo dam is a very popular area to fish for catfish., In addition to these freshwater fish, other species such as the American shad, Alewife, Blueback herring, and Striped bass frequent the Susquebanna River below the Conowingo Dam. These species are known as anadromous fish -fish that live most of their lives in saltier ocean waters, but return each spring to spawn (reproduce) in fresh water., [captions] , Smallmouth bass [,] Channel catfish , Largemouth bass , Historically, the Susquehanna was famous for its shad run. In colonial times the river provided a major shad spawning and nursery area, with springtime runs providing food and livelihood for settlers and native Americans., [captions] , American shad , Alewife , Blueback herring , Striped bass , Conowingo Dam lift structure , Fishing in the spring below the Conowingo Dam. , Photograph by Josephine Thoms. , As the region was settled and industrialized, the river was overfished and dams were built that reduced the distance the shad could migrate upstream. As a result, shad populations were reduced to dangerously low levels. While the population has a chance to recover, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources sets the fishing regulations on the tidal waters.