Autumn smallmouth and trout settle in as Susquehanna waters cool

What's biting

What's next

Water temperatures near 58°F are inside the range where smallmouth feed hard ahead of winter, so expect fish to stay shallow and aggressive through the afternoon warm-up. Cooler nights will keep pulling temperatures down, and each drop slows fish a little. Slow your retrieve and move toward slightly deeper edges when a cold snap hits.

The New Moon this weekend gives dark nights and little moonlight. Fish tend to feed through daylight under these conditions, so the late-morning to mid-afternoon window is the one to plan around. First and last light are still worth a few casts with a topwater.

Flows on the smaller streams are low, so approach quietly and keep casts long. The larger stream at 3,040 cfs carries more current and will hold fish along seams and slower edges rather than in open runs. Per MidCurrent's recent Tying Tuesday features, beaded nymphs and low-light patterns suit overcast days, and streamers that bounce the bottom fit tight, technical water. Both carry over to trout water here.

Check the PA Fish & Boat Commission biologist reports and current regulations before you go, since seasons and creel limits vary by water.

Context

Mid October is on schedule for the fall transition across the Susquehanna and Allegheny drainages. Water has dropped out of summer range and weed beds are thinning, so baitfish and the fish that feed on them start relocating toward harder structure and deeper edges. Fishing the Midwest makes the same point about the fall shift. Trout in coldwater streams are usually more active now than in late summer, and low autumn flows make fish more cautious, so light tackle and a stealthy approach matter more than at any other time of year.