# Conowingo Dam reconnaissance



## Blue Heron (Jun 12, 2003)

Curious about whether the shad run had arrived at the Conowingo Dam, I took ride up there Friday afternoon . It's located where Rt. 1 crosses the Susquehanna River, a few miles up river from Havre DeGrace (upper bay). It's about 50 minutes north of the Balto. Beltway.

The current hours of Fisherman's Park (located at the base of the south side of the dam) are 6:30am to 5pm. According to the guard, as the season progresses, the time will increase to a max of 7:30pm. Due to 9/11, there is still no fishing from the dam's catwalk.

You can no longer drive your car all the way up to the dam because the parking lot is now fenced off at a point, maybe 100 yards below the dam. But the guard posted there will open the gate for you to walk in and it's a 30 second walk to the river. I didn't ask to be let in, but it looked like there is still maybe 40-50 yards of the "flat shore" still available to fish. (Maybe more but I'm bad on yardages.) You can still fish anywhere down river from the guard gate, but that's where the rock embankment leading down to the shore gets pretty steep. At 1:30 there was only one fisherman in the whole place who had been fishing for 1/2 hour, with no luck yet. The shad are not running yet. 

The guard and his friends fish there spring thru fall. He said the shad arrive (before the rock fish) toward the end of March or early April. When the shad appear the anglers are packed 6' apart on the weekends. (Don't you hate that?) But he said if you fish intently you can often catch 12-14, 20" to 25" shad in 4 or 5 hours. Also it's much less crowded during the week.

Does anyone know if the shad really arrive that late? 

There's two bait shops near the park. One is the Conowingo Fishing Center located on Shuresville Landing Road, the steep road that leads into the park. The other is Stimples (or Stemples) Bait, located on Rt. 1, about 1 mile north of the dam in a white building on the right. The guard prefers Stimples. 

Besides the shad run, the Conogwingo Dam is also known to be good for white perch, catfish, rock and walleye. If you're interested in some recent discussions (within the last 6 months)we've had about the Conowingo Dam try doing a search on the board. 

Back in the fall some of you expressed an interest in hitting the shad run. Are you still up for it? And if anyone hears rumblings of the beginning of the shad run in the Susquehanna, would you please post it? 

Blue Heron


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## catman (May 28, 2001)

The shad start running when the dogwood (shad bush) is in bloom.

Catman.


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## oldsalt (May 6, 2003)

You got it Catman ! No need to look for them yet..


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## GreaseTea (Jul 16, 2003)

*Shad run*

Last year I started catching Hickory Shad the last Saturday in March below Deer Creek. The fishing was very consistent as I remember. Shad dart and a flutter spoon combo is pretty tough to beat. I also a 30 inch rock on my little flutter spoon. This year I want to try fly fishing for the poor man's tarpon. Anyone with experience doing so please share your expertise. Suggestions on the particular line to use and fly is greatly appreciated.

Those fishing for shad please list your favorite lures for catching them. Mine is the green/chartruese shad dart with a gold or silver spoon. Chartruese 2 inch mister twisters has proven to be deadly as well.


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## Smoothbore54 (Jun 8, 2003)

*This info was taken from the Pa. Fish Commission website.* 

Fish Passage
Conowingo East lift began alternate day operation on April 15 and passed its first shad on April 25. Over the next 3 weeks about 107,000 shad had passed with a peak day count of 13,749 fish on May 4. Operations continued daily through June 2 and the season total is 125,135 American shad. This was the third best year ever at Conowingo. 

*The Shad passage totals were off quite a bit last year, due to the high water and heavy runoff.* 

They lifted over 200,000 in 2002.

When the lift at Conowingo starts to opperate. They post the daily counts, at least once a week.

You can tell from them, when the fish really start to run.

But for planning purposes, the first of May, is about right.


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## catman (May 28, 2001)

Those numbers really look great. Perhaps in another year or two the ban will be lifted and that great fishery will be our's again. I still dream about those days back in the late '60's and early '70's catching hugh american (white) shad. Just about everyone was pouring their own shad darts. My favorite rig was tandem 1/4 oz red & white darts with a white tail. It would get so crowded that I'd get there (right below the dam) well before daylight to get a good spot along the gravel section of shore line. That was some awesome fishing.  

Hey Blue, when you did your look/see are we able to use the wooden steps down to the river or do we have to use the old blacktop/cement path that goes down? Have they closed the vending machine pavillion? Can you still use the bathrooms? Thanks man.

Catman.


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## Blue Heron (Jun 12, 2003)

Thanks Smoothbore54 and Grease Tea for your answers regarding when the shad run starts.

Grease Tea, I have fished a little above and below where Deer Creek meets the Susquehanna. I have also fished slightly above the boat launch at the entrance to Susquehanna State Park, where it was snags galore! Are there any good places to park and fish (a landmark) between these two areas? I not asking you to give the location of any honey holes. 

Catfish and oldsalt, thanks for the dogwood (shad bush) tip. 

Catfish,

Today I called a tel # for the Conowingo Hydroelectric Plant to get definitive answers to your questions. I suppose since it's Sunday there was only a taped message. I'll call again tomorrow during business hours and post what I find out. 

But here's what I think is correct as of now:

1) are we able to use the wooden steps down to the river or do we have to use the old blacktop/cement path that goes down? 

-- I didn't go into the locked gate area. I didn't see any wooden steps or blacktop path along the river in the parking lot, as I approached the guard post near the dam. But while standing right at the locked gate looking inside toward the gravel beach, I did see a blacktop path and some wooden steps leading to the water. They were partially obscured because the bank went around a little bend. Therefore I would say that both are still available. 

2) Have they closed the vending machine pavillion? Can you still use the bathrooms? 
-- Once you're inside the gate, there's still a lot of parking lot leading up to the pavillion. It looked like there was nothing to prohibit you from using these facilities. Also, there were spot-o-pots placed strategically along the parking lot leading to the gaurd post. 

Blue Heron


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## catman (May 28, 2001)

Thanks Blue, nice to have someone on board who can keep us posted on what's going on up there. BTW there's also some good fishing at Rock Run Landing and plenty of parking. I like to fish the boat launch area at night for white perch. There's a rock jetty that protects the launch area from the swift water. The bottom is pretty clear there, just sand and gravel. Just use a hi/low rig with night crawlers and less than 1 oz. of weight. As it starts to get daylight you've got to quit because of the boaters launching.

Catman.


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## catman (May 28, 2001)

GreaseTea...Here's some info on fly fishing for shad. I found it in an old DNR report. Hope it helps.

* Fly fishermen have been using white shad flies (1/0 hook, chartreuse body with a red head) or red and #8 yellow streamer flies. When fishing for shad in the river a sinking line (200 or 250) on a 6 or 7 weight rod is recommended* 

Good luck.

Catman.


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## Smoothbore54 (Jun 8, 2003)

*I always heard the bright yellow, Forsythia, refered to as "Shad Bush."* 

For what it's worth.


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## catman (May 28, 2001)

Can't beleive I've been calling the Dogwood a Shadbush all these years. Looks like we are both wrong. Check this outShadbush . That's why I love this forum, learn something new every day.

Catman.


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## catman (May 28, 2001)

*SHADBUSH* ...OK, now we're getting somewhere. I knew there was a higher purpose.Shadbush Berry Wine . 

Catman.


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## GreaseTea (Jul 16, 2003)

Thanks for the flyfishing tip Catman....I can't wait to lock a shad on a long rod. Perhaps I might even tie on a 6 inch fly for a huge striped shad ..haha I didn't realize that you fished for perch at night, during the day is awesome when the run begins.

Blue Heron....I normally fish for Hickories about one mile after Deer Creek dumps into the Susky. Look for parking on the left hand side before you go under a narrow bridge. The whole ways along the bank is good in the early season. Once May starts you wanna be at the dam. It gets crowded but well worth it besides I've met some nice people that way. I have no trouble sharing honey holes with anyone...besides, it's big enough for all of us.


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## mike horst (Feb 23, 2004)

I have fly fished for hickory shad in deer creek for quite a few years. Many different flies work; the key is to get them on the bottom of the creek. I generally use a floating line with a long leader and put splitshot on the leader to sink the fly. The amount of shot needed will vary, based on the depth of the water and the amount of water flowing in the creek. A fly that has seemed to always produce for me is a tinsel body, yellow maribou with a smaller strip of red marabou on top of the yellow. With practice, you can tie them in about a minute and a half. I use the same body with all red for after dark. Those work in size 10 or 12 2x streamer hooks...tie a lot of them as you will snag often and break many off. My experience is that the best fishing is very early and again late in the evening. 

I generally do not fish the Susky with fly rod due to the limited casting, with all the trees and the like. Hickories are a blast on a light outfit; my favorite is a 3 weight. Forget any false casting...this is chuck and duck fishing at it's best! Try the stafford road bridge and the pump station that is above it. I will begin looking for them in a few weeks; the herring will generally come in first and be followed by the hickories. 

I hope this helps some.

Mike


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## bunyan (Feb 23, 2004)

*Shad on the fly*

Greased Tea and Mike Horst-
Never been flyfishin' for shad. Been planning on trying it since july! Thanks for the tips Mike! If either of you wanna hook up for a day chasing those babies this spring give me a holler!


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## mike horst (Feb 23, 2004)

Bunyan, I would enjoy that. As soon as they start to arrive, I will drop you a pm or post here. Another good source of shad fishing info is Fisherman's Edge in Catonsville. Joe Bruce knows his stuff when it comes to catching shad.

Mike


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## bunyan (Feb 23, 2004)

I've heard or read about Joe Bruce quite a bit. He seems to be the flyfishing guru for the bay area ( minus perhaps Lefty Kreh!) I'm gonna have to drop by his shop sometime when I have some cash to throw down! Deffinitely give me a holler as the time grows closer. DO you do any other flyfishing?


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## GreaseTea (Jul 16, 2003)

Thanks for the info Mike. Hickories in Deer Creek school pretty thick depending on the creek's structure. I normally purchase a tidal license which means that Deer Creek is off limits to me. I've seen guys wade out on the Susky when the water flow is not full force. I bet those hickories put that 3 wt of yours to the test!!!


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## clarego (Jul 23, 2001)

do you need a md liscence to fish coniwingo dam ?????????


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## mike horst (Feb 23, 2004)

You will need a license to fish there, and everywhere in the Chesapeake drainage. Here is a link to the map denoting tidal vs non-tidal demarcation lines.

http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/regulations/tidal_nontidal/central/Centralregion.html

It would appear from the map that a tidal license will suffice; but I would check dnr's home page to be sure.


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## sand flea (Oct 24, 1999)

I've seen a ton of them at Liberty Reservoir in March/April. Maybe I'll take my ultralight trout rod out there this spring and target them...


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## shaggy2dope (Jan 24, 2004)

shad fishing in the savannah river just about in full swing now. i caught 7 bucks this weekend. i catch them on sabiki rigs. i dont know anything else besides that and bright grubs


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## shaggy2dope (Jan 24, 2004)

shad fishing in the savannah river just about in full swing now. i caught 7 bucks this weekend. i catch them on sabiki rigs. i dont know anything else besides that and bright grubs


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## Bassomatic76 (Feb 26, 2004)

*Potomac Shad*

Last year we started catching shad in the potomac on the last weekend of March. It was snowing that day, but the shad spawn had just begun. I went down there (Fletchers) yesterday and did not notice any fish breaking the surface or swimming close to shore, so I guess they are not spawning yet. I seem to remember most all colors of shad darts working well there, green/yellow/chartruce. Sometimes I would catch perch on the pink ones. My friend caught a largmouth bass on a green dart. The kastmaster spoon was very effective too. Small spinners worked too. I like to tie up two lures on the line; either 2 shad darts, or a dart and a spoon or spinner. Sucks when you snag though.


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