CHANNEL CATS & MONSTER BROWNS

[gman2153]

I am taking a break from NY till end of month for Oswego Browns.

In the meantime - the Wallenpaupack creek mouth where it empties into Lake Wallenpaupack at Ledgedale is producing BIG CHANNEL CATS & BIG BROWNS.

A guy stopped by a bar Saturday with two browns that were close to 30in and 10 lbs +..

oh yeah - I got the chicken livers curing in my mason jar, the big rapalas and I am ready to do some serious night fishing Weds night -- and some beer drinkin too...

The best part - NO CROWDS & NO SNAGGERS...

FISH ON/BEER COLD

[Anonymous]

Funny to see a post about some fishing that I am actually very familiar. Getting used to this fly fishing finally after about 12 times to the SR. My parents bought a little log cabin/house in Ledgedale about 3 years ago. My dad is a big cat fisherman. Last weekend he he went up to do some night fishing and caught a 17 pounder (catfish) in front of our cabin. I saw a kid this summer catch a 14 pound brown from the river. MY dad caught a 24 pound cat the weekend before July 4th. Biggest one either of us have ever caught anywhere in PA. He only uses chicken liver. Good luck to you. You can always trying fishing the river up farther below the new bridge in that deep pool. Not sure of the road name. It is next to a landscaping co. If you say the new bridge most people know where you are talking about. I actually caught some browns there this summer, nothing worth bragging about but I hear some big boys go up there in the fall. good luck to ya...let us know how you make out..if you have any questions about the area email me or dont wanna post how you do on the forum: amb96@cornell.edu

[gman2153]

Our little secret --- lol... This place is a hidden gem. Most guys fish the Wallenpaupack for Stripers and Walleyes...

I know all about the new bridge... After 09-01 it is C&R only... That upper part of Wallenpaupack is where the big boys head to for spawning. I have seen them jump 4 feet out of the water at that pool. Catching them is really tough, crayfish at night along the shallows - the Browns come to the edge of that pool to "hunt". No lights, no movements - or forget it... Military fishing at its best.. Bodees bar is a 2 min walk - need a break now & then...lol

I did not go yesterday. Fri Night and Saturday morn I am goung to hit it hard. I stay at a cabin right across the street from Ironwood...

Crayfish,Chicken Livers, and Rapalas that's how you get the big boys at Ledgedale.

Upstream from the Ledgedale bridge about 1/2 mile the Wallenpaupack & Butternut creeks intersect above an island. PRIME fly fishing area - you can hammer them as they hold to make their right/left turn decision..

I am taking my fly gear as well. Hopefully the water level will allow me to get out near that island..

This place is the Salmon River of PA.. But nobody around to fish it---OH YEAH

[Lil Salmon]

Man it is such a small world....My uncle used to have a house, lakeside, at Ledgedale. right in off the mouth of the river and the lake...go figure.

[fishless]

OK after reading about these posts. It just hit me, My Wifes parents have a house at Indian Rocks. I believe this place your talking about is real close? Let me know if I'm in the same ballpark..

PS I'm not fishless anymore. (but I'll keep the name) Just returned from the SR lastnight.. fished Ellis cove 12th thru 14th.. gman you were right.. snagfest 2003 was going on.. The one morning there were eight drift boats parked there... I think everyone in Pulaski was along Ellis cove... From the guys smoking pot in the woods to the litter and coffee cups floating down stream, I think it's time to cancel next years salmon trip and make is a Steelie trip.. Any advise for the best time for Steelies??

[Carpy]

Catfish, i love them!

I get all my catfish fishing done in the spring. I got 63 cats in a 3 week period this past spring. All on fresh sucker meat. I get suckers from the creeks as soon as they start running, fillet them and then cut the fillets into strips. I think fresher is better, at least that time of year. We get cats when the river is at flood stage and sometimes it snows. I can show you some decent catfishing this spring. I've gotten over a dozen cats in a 2 hour period before. My largest this spring was 9.5lbs, but i had a few break 10lb maxima ultra green. Thats heavier line than i use for steelhead.

[gman2153]

Carpman - I think you would enjoy doing battle with Channel Cats that get close to 20 lbs and some over.... I have seen rods yanked right off the rocks into the murky depths, never to be seen again.

Never tried fresh meat but I will guess those cats will eat just about anything... I grew up and learned the stinkier the better. My sun-cured chicken livers are so goozy that I use surgical gloves to bait my hook - you won't get the stink off your hands otherwise.

Years ago we used to get a road-kill deer, wrap it up in burlap with some boulders, then sink it in the susquehanna river. The next week that area would be a hotbed of p!ssed off, hungry cats....

oh yeah - cat fishing is great fun when they are hitting. It is nonstop action. They may not jump like a Salmon, but they can dredge the river bottom while your trying to hold on.

I hope to get into some tonite.