10/9 . Another tough trip to the river

Chased esox yesterday in the river. Raised one 30ish fish on a firetiger poseidon. I generally throw natural colors (walleye and sucker patterns) but I haven't been having any luck with year with much of anything up there. Maybe I need to change up my thoughts on colors... In roughly 10 trips up to the river this year I have zero hooked fish. Not great. I will hopefully be able to get back in November or December if the river cooperates.

Side note: Very excited about a 3 day trip to Lake St. Claire at the end of the month. I need a slump buster.
-Greg

This stretch of river has never been remotely easy but the past few years has been much tougher than normal. It appears we are in a strange cycle of muskies. A decent population of fish over 45 and under 35 with low numbers of middleweights. With the new PA stocking philosophy, the 35-45" gap will (hopefully) even out over the next couple of years. Plus, factoring in the past few Springs of extended super high water, the spawn could have been negatively impacted. Just my 2 cents.

The last I heard, we will finally have one of the best slump busting lakes (Tamarack) filling with water and muskies in 2020. Let's hope there hasn't been a work stoppage and things are on schedule.

Good Luck on LSC! That place can be extremely difficult as well.

Its hard to understand why I am not seeing more fish of any size based on my proximity to stocking locations and the numbers put in. Hopefully, that pattern will change next season. Maybe I need to keep changing my tactics.

LSC is no sure thing, but I love the setting change and fishing the big water. Its a big, powerful lake and it doesn't always give up its treasure. It's been Jekyll and Hyde to me on my past two visits up there. Casting in true 2-3 footers is quite an experience. Albeit, nothing matches the experience of casting the Allegheny perfect summer evening imo

I'm down river in the Emlenton area, but have had a relatively good season so far. I don't get the time to fish so I don't have big numbers, but have seen great fish per hour numbers this year. I've caught about 13 river muskies this year. I haven't had luck finding fish in new locations, but my "honey holes" have been good this year. I even had a 5 fish day (very rare casting on the Allegheny) in June! All of those 5 fish came casting a jointed Wiley.

Yesterday and Saturday were decent. I got 1 small 35-36 on an all white Bulldog Saturday then lost 1 and raised 3 more on Sunday. All the fish on Sunday came on the magnum Shallow Invader. Man that thing looks awesome in the water!

This past weekend all of the fish were in slack water right at the current break and were feeding high in the water column. Hope this helps.

Jason