A River Junkie's Journal

The oily stench of thousands of Hickory and Gizzard Shad filled my nostrils.  The squeeky calls of a Bald Eagle in a sycamore tree top fifty yard upstream warned another bird of prey to stay off his side of the creek.

Last Tuesday I could do no wrong.  As soon as I pulled up on the first spot I nailed three chunker smallmouth on my first four casts.

While I can't take all of the blog readers to my favorite winter spot, I can provide you a preview of the DVD I recently produced.  The how-to video details presentation specifics on baits like paddle tail grubs, hair jigs, suspending jerkbaits, downsized tubes, slow rolled spinnerbaits and finesse jigs.  It also provides a step by step method to find the best winter habitat on your local flow.

Last Saturday was the kind of day that I have trouble finding fishing buddies willing to show up.  I watched a YouTube video that showed the Susquehanna River locked up in ice.  The forecast showed a high of 27 where I usually go, and 32 at the southernmost range of my day trips.  

Each early January, there seems to be a brief thaw.  The mercury may flirt with 60 degrees for a day or two, then reality sets back in with a harsh cold front and return to lows in the teens and ice on the river.

I met Jed years ago at one of the many winter outdoor shows I used to man a booth at.  I recall our discussing sweet spots on pools we had both found fishing independently.  Before long we were on the water together, dissecting new pools with jerkbaits, tubes and small swimbaits.

Muskies are supposed to be the fish of 10,000 casts.  Ten years ago, I decided to target them and planned a trip to where I knew a friend had caught several.  On my third cast I hooked and landed a 35 incher.  Beginners’ luck I suppose. 

A year ago, my buddy Juan and I were looking at a rough weekend forecast.  We discussed our potential fishing plans on the phone:  "You think the river's gonna lock up by Saturday?" I prodded my fellow river addict friend.  "I've saw the east shore getting slushy yesterday, but the west side was clean."