Susquehanna River - July 2017
Down the River II
9 years had passed since Down the River I hit the TinBoat pages. That's far too long between float trips, so we packed the boats and set sail down the mighty Susquehanna in search of memories, stories, and maybe even some smallmouth bass.
The crew for this trip was Jordan, Campbell, Wes, Chad, and newcomer Matt Conley. A few days prior to the trip Matt was tested on a local Marsh Creek outing to see if he was TinBoat material. That trip was a complete debacle resulting in Jordan having to purchase a new boat. Not one single complaint left Matt's mouth. Heck, he even fished through the problems and cracked some jokes. Yeah, he's TinBoat material all right. No doubt about it. Welcome aboard, Matt.
As usual, the pictures speak for themselves. The bass were hungry and plentiful. No, that doesn't do it justice. The bass were ridiculously aggressive and ferociously hungry. Yeah, that's more accurate.
The serene backdrop of mountains, islands, and grass beds sets the Susky apart from all other fisheries. The scenery is incredible. Just plug your ears because the highway and train tracks are ever present. On this trip however, it was the sound of screaming reels that filled the air.
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Getting there was an adventure ...The plan was to drive to Montgomery Ferry boat launch on Thursday night and camp along the river. Sounds great, right? Well, upon our 11PM arrival, facing impending thunderstorms and the possibility of late night visits from local law enforcement, we decided to get a room at the local motel. The room was awful. So bad that Mike claimed it smelled of smoke and rape. It was that bad. Still, we survived the night with our dignity intact. Next time ..... stardust.
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The Fishing was Ridiculously Good
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Matt was skeptical when Jordan passed out Brown Trout Rooster Tails, but after dozens upon dozens of fish bit the brown candy, he became a believer. Those little spinners caught a ton of fish, but tubes, plastic craws, topwater, and whatever the heck else Wes was throwing all seemed to work fine too. It didn't matter where you fished. Bass were spread out all through the river feasting on crawfish and bugs. Even a few big channel cats came out to play. Oh, and Campbell caught a walleye.
This is a bold statement, and others may argue, but I put this trip in the top five of my best fishing trips ever. Maybe even the top three. In the end, a combination of factors clinched it. Impressive numbers of fish, a good average size with some tanks mixed in, multiple species, excellent fishing weather, and a beautiful secluded camping island. Combine all that with excellent company ... honestly, how could it have been better? 
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An Island Paradise
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I suppose anything would seem like paradise compared to the Red Carpet Inn, but our island camping spot was excellent regardless. It took Mike and I some searching, but we eventually found the site and got squared away for the evening. Burgers were cooked, snacks were shared, and memories were made. We even had a campfire. Huge props to Wes for bringing his gigantic tent.
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