Smallmouth bite holds as ponds turn over after the nor'easter

What's biting

What's next

Over the next two to three days, the main story is recession. As flooding drops and the water settles, expect anglers to return quickly, and the first trips after the storm will be the real test of the post-storm bite. Smallmouth should stay the most reliable target, since both the Delaware report and the Wallenpaupack report point that way. Crappie showed up in fewer reports, so treat it as a bonus until shops post more catches.

What should turn on next is the fall bite that Hands Too Bait and Tackle described as starting before the storm. If the weather stays settled, expect fish to become more active on structure and in shallow cover as ponds finish turning over. The moon is at last quarter, and the first stable weekend after the storm looks like the most likely window for the bite to firm up. Check river level before you launch, since storm high water may take a few days to clear.

Context

Early October is when freshwater in this region typically moves into its fall pattern. Lakes and ponds turn over as surface temperatures fall, mixing the water column, and fish that had been holding deep often spread out and feed more actively. That matches what the shops describe, with the local pond and cedar-water bites starting to change right on schedule. Smallmouth bass and crappie generally respond well to that turnover, so the timing looks typical rather than early or late. Early fall is also when the bite often becomes more predictable, because fish concentrate as the water cools, so a few days of stable weather can make a visible difference. The Delaware is a different case: storm flow and high water can scatter fish and shift where they hold for a few days until levels settle.