It was sunny and crystal clear, I was sort of surprised to have the action that I had. Extremely surprised by the trout. It wasn’t exactly swift water where I got it.

I fish Smithton a bit, since I am comfortable wading that section alone and takes me 25 minutes to get there and easy to do small window of time fishing trips. There really isn’t anything special about the area, beyond it being mostly easy to wade and usually able to get a few.

We floated Cedar Creek to West Newton last time out. Went with my wife and kids, them in tubes and me in kayak. Not all that much wadable water the whole stretch. Parts that were, I’m not sure how to get to them from a car. Even floating from Hazelbakers is limited. Granted, you can wade any of the river, but those slow moving deep areas aren’t very easy to wade and aren’t very productive for me, the swift semi deep stuff after rapids are great from the yak, but often hard to get to without a kayak. A buddy of mine and I hit near Perryopolis one time and pretty much got stuck on one side of the river. Had to cross in some pretty sketchy rapids. We were debating to swim across another section…. Would not want to be doing that alone.

I have heard there are some cold water springs through out the river that keeps them alive. But was only talk from anglers.

When I did hazelbaker last, I did really well from the yak. Dragged a ZMan jerkbait or fluke jerkbait and would give it a pretty constant pop, pop, pop, rest and repeat. Got a few with the TRD that way too. Last year in the Kiski, did the same with tube jigs and did well.

I struggle with the senkos while drifting. Seems like they seem to work better while anchored or wading. I did get a few with them, but action was so much better for me with the dragging approach. I’m sure it changes daily though.

I’ve had my kayak for about 20 years. Used it a good bit for 2-3 years, bought a boat and it sat unused for about 10 years. The past year I think that I used it 5 times, which is by far the most that I have used since the first few years. I will try to use it a bit more next year. I’ll have to explore more areas that I can paddle up and drift down. Do you know if there is a public launch point at Layton/Hazelbaker area?

Porktown
I have heard there are some cold water springs through out the river that keeps them alive. But was only talk from anglers.

When I did hazelbaker last, I did really well from the yak. Dragged a ZMan jerkbait or fluke jerkbait and would give it a pretty constant pop, pop, pop, rest and repeat. Got a few with the TRD that way too. Last year in the Kiski, did the same with tube jigs and did well.

I struggle with the senkos while drifting. Seems like they seem to work better while anchored or wading. I did get a few with them, but action was so much better for me with the dragging approach. I’m sure it changes daily though.

I’ve had my kayak for about 20 years. Used it a good bit for 2-3 years, bought a boat and it sat unused for about 10 years. The past year I think that I used it 5 times, which is by far the most that I have used since the first few years. I will try to use it a bit more next year. I’ll have to explore more areas that I can paddle up and drift down. Do you know if there is a public launch point at Layton/Hazelbaker area?

I think hazelbakers is open to the public for a launch fee? I’m not 100% sure. Perryopolis launch is a couple miles down from there I think. And then there is another launch about 2 miles below that. With kayaks you can almost drop in anywhere tho.

I’ve also had some success on river floats just dragging different baits like paddle tails or ned rigs. Weightless senkos seem to be more effective while falling through the water column rather than being dragged. I usually keep three or four rods rigged up on the kayak and switch between them a lot, so depending on the current or river bottom or whatever I like to switch it up a lot.

This summer I’ve been using paddle tails with an underspin more often, especially around dusk. I don’t use a lot of reaction baits so I’m trying to work more flashy stuff into my repertoire, for low light conditions or muddy water or whatever. I have some jerkbaits and squarebills and stuff like that but I don’t have much confidence in them, so if I don’t get bit in the first 5 or 6 casts I switch back to soft plastics.

Had another solid day on the Allegheny today up around Parker. Started out a little slow until all the holiday weekend traffic cooled down but the last couple hours were nicely productive. Ended up with two 18s and a bunch of smaller ones between 12-15. They were some fat and healthy 18 inchers tho. I follow that keystone connection guide service on Facebook and they had posted something earlier this summer about the smallmouth on the Allegheny being noticeably thick and chunky this year and I’d have to concur.

Fished Tarentum yesterday morning, caught one 15" sauger, and I got to see a bunch of nice bass boats. Hopefully it will be better in October.  

Moraine still slow. Water temp 74.

I’m trying to get out on the river a little bit over the next week or so. River temps are dropping fast. I’m trying to see if I can stay on the smallies into the fall. This is about the time of year I start to have trouble locating them, but I got some different strategies this year.

I saw your post about Buffalo Creek and I grew up in BOggsville where Sarver Rd crosses and my family has a dairy farm so Wilson Rd is named after them and several hundred acres that stretch from boggsville to Winfield. I've been targeting smallmouth and having a buffalo creek renniasance. As a kid I spent entire summers in it, sometimes without a fish but there's great wading, smallmouth, (caught a big drum out of 2 feet of water over the weekend) and a few largemouth scattered about. I've been river fishing too but mostly targeting typical nightfishing fare.  Catfish and carp, got bored. My buddy hurt himself getting out of the boat but I'd be down to hit some amazing river spots for big smallmouth or show you around the farm and make some introductions if you wanna hit any holes where u might need permission. Close friend has the camp at the Winfield bridge.
I bought a lot of gear for smallmouth. Still instinctively have a problem with the size of the hooks I should be using but I can fill a trap with shiners and keep a cooler of nightcrawlers. Idk how I can give u my contact info. My name is Ethan Boyd I'm on the book of faces in Sarver, PA.

Porktown
That moving water cools much faster.  Yough is 70-80 miles south of Arthur and was 74 a month ago.  Is already 64.  It is below wet wading for me.  I refuse to wear waders in there.  Did it a few times, but not worth the risk.  I have seen way too many people slip and fall wet wading.  I have come very close, pulling muscles to stay upright.  I could probably convince myself to kayak, but likely making the transition to lake fishing.  I'm guessing fish are in that transition mode on the lakes.  Probably be a month or more until they are in full fall patterns.  

Exactly my thoughts. I hit it again 2 days ago. I checked a lot of areas on the sonar and it was weird not marking many fish. You could see the Crappie coming up after bugs and minnows in the creek channel. Transition mode.
 

Got out for a couple hours after work and hit the youghiogheny on the kayak. Got a 19 and a 17 and some smaller ones. Gonna be hard to keep doing the “after work” trips with the sun setting earlier and earlier.

Probably doing the boat from here on out. Maybe hit the Allegheny next weekend.

That looks like a great fishing machine for your section of Arthur.

Yea next week looks great for getting out on the river. I’m gonna try to get out Sunday and then maybe burn a vacation day one day next week if I can time it right. If this warm weather holds out until Thursday I think that will be the day.

Should be a good opportunity to get the boat running the Allegheny. Not quite as soggy as a kayak, but nice enough to either wet wade, or wade in my cheap pair of hip waders. I have a feeling the grass coming loose is going to be pretty difficult to contend with though.

Calling for good waves all weekend into Monday. Might havta point her North again. jus say'IN

I asked my son if he wanted to go fishing. Says no. I give him a little crap and says he will go. We took the boat onto Arthur and told him we’d be more exploring using the electronics and trying to find some spots. On our way to find a sunken bridge, we marked a ton of fish. So, decided to vertical jig and nothing. Went and found the bridge. Seemed to have fish next to it, but no takers. Strapped some harnesses on and trolled. Got one nice hit, but nothing. Within 2 hours of being on the water, he is asking to leave…. Good to hang out with him, but is about 3 hour round trip including the boat launching and storage. Should have changed things up and eliminated the boat. Oh well, got to explore a little and let him drive the boat around.

Water was 68-69. Sure it was close to 70 by end of day. Likely all week. Floor falls out next week to get the fall temps where they need to be.

Hit Moraine yesterday. Couple good strikes on frogs in the pads. No fish landed. There were a ton of minnows.