I hit the youghiogheny for smallmouth on the kayak for probably the last time this year unless we get another warm spell. I floated cedar creek to west Newton, water was the lowest and clearest I’ve seen it all year, temp was 70 by mid afternoon which is warm for this time of year I think.

Didn’t get any fish all morning but I got into them after noon when I found deeper water. Didn’t get much on artificial baits either; most everything came on shiners. Caught about a dozen in the 12”-16” range which is a pretty average size for what I get there.

I still need to figure out a better way to fish shiners in those deep rocky holes. I was throwing them on a drop shot rig today and I got hung up a lot. Every live bait rig I’ve tried gets hung up a lot.

That river is filled with snags.  I waded on Saturday for a little.  A power fish outing, had 3 hours to burn,  My wife told me to go to Arthur, but pretty much enough time to get there, launch, then pull the boat and drive home...  I figured I'd drive out to Smithton (1/2 hour each way) and rush through a few holes that usually hold fish.  I landed one...  Had one other spit me out.  2 other bites total.  I did all Senko/Dingers.  Those things even hang up a good bit, even in the chest deep holes that I am not going after them in waders.  The leaves were starting to be an issue, which will be a real issue the next few weeks.  Amazing the difference from Arthur to Smithton in the foliage right now.
 
Not sure if you are using split shots while drop shotting?  If not, they are a good way to adjust size/weight and will often be able to pull the rest of our rig free if the weight gets stuck.  For live shiners, I'd personally go with a three way swivel over a drop shot, which allows your shiner to dart to the sides a bit more and somewhat avoids line twist and tangles.  Can't say that I have used them much in current like that though, but I think they use in places like Niagra River which is far more current.
 
I usually keep some 1/64, 1/32, 1/16 & 1/8 jig heads with me.  More for panfish, but you should be able to experiment with them on what seems to get you far enough down, but not hung up?
 
Having 5-6 different size split shots would probably be the easiest way to dial in weight, then go from there.

Porktown
That river is filled with snags. 

The snaggy parts of that river are where all the fish are.

With artificial baits I’ve found that if i throw stuff directly into or against the current I get hung up less. When I start throwing perpendicular to the current that’s when I get hung up more. Those little bitsy bug jigs are pretty good at crawling over rocks and stuff without getting hung up all the time. Switching to heavier braid helped a lot too.

With shiners I like a drop shot rig because it keeps the bait off the bottom. I’ve thought about a three way swivel with super light line for the sinker, maybe I’ll give that a try. Can you cast that rig though? Seems like it would get all twisted up. I usually use the little pencil style drop shot weights, they seem to get hung up less. I might try drifting under a float too.

One of the spots I’ve been concentrating is that outside bend about a mile or two up from the west Newton bridge, just below some light rapids. I’ll bet you know it. There is some kind of discharge from a water treatment plant on the other side. The bank drops off sharply into some pretty deep water, and there’s some current with tons of boulders and craggy rocks so there are lots of current breaks. It’s not the easiest spot to fish but I know it holds a ton of fish.

I do think that 3 way rig is more of a boat rig, drop it over the side or light cast. You can shorten the leads too, but ends up basically a drop shot at that point.

I bet a slip bobber rig would do well. Hard to gauge how deep each pool is. But not hard to adjust. I have tried bobbers and jigs, but no takers.

Where are you getting bait, Shad Lure?

Haven't had time to get up Arthur, but I have been able to take an hour or two to wade the Allegheny at sunset for eyes. Caught a 5 eyes, 14-16"  last night also a few smaller bass. Got em on jigs and a few on rapalas. I couldn't locate the bigger fish, maybe once the water temp cools a little bit, it will get better. 

Porktown
I do think that 3 way rig is more of a boat rig, drop it over the side or light cast. You can shorten the leads too, but ends up basically a drop shot at that point.

I bet a slip bobber rig would do well. Hard to gauge how deep each pool is. But not hard to adjust. I have tried bobbers and jigs, but no takers.

Where are you getting bait, Shad Lure?

Yea, If I’m going in the afternoon or later in the morning I’ll hit shadlure. If I’m going out super early I’ll drive out to lock 3 the day before and keep them on an aerator overnight. I don’t usually take shiners until later in the year though. It seems like I can get plenty of action on artificial stuff until late August/September, and then I need the live bait. Same thing happened last year too. Although yesterday I did get a couple on swimbaits and flukes so maybe I just need to switch to a minnow imitation in the fall?

That swivel rig might still work, even if I can only cast a few yards. Those bass go crazy for shiners. When I’m on that rocky ledge they practically come right up into my kayak after them.

TheBlueLagoon
maybe once the water temp cools a little bit, it will get better. 

From my time fishing Lock 3, Lock 2 and the Mon and Ohio, spring and fall were much more productive than summer.  It has been a while though.  Same thing with Arthur on the spring and fall, most likely the water temp playing a factor.
 
I like the Yough during the summer, much like MyWar noted about them chasing artificials then.  They will hit anything during their spawn.  Kind of hard to fish that river prior to then with how much rain we usually get in the spring.  I tend to go to Arthur then anyway.

Pool 4 on the Allegheny today. 4 eyeballs in the box, 16 to 18". All on harnesses tipped with fatheads or gulp minnows. All going downstream, only one bump goin' up. Pool 7 at Mosgrove tomorrow AM early.

Sounds like a good fish fry in your future, or yesterday.

Went out Friday on the Yough. Caught a few bass most small and a couple around maybe 2lbs.
If anyone finds a Cabelas XML-Ti rod and reel below the I-70 bridge it’s mine!!!!

. Figures the time I take a decent rod and forgot to tether it to the kayak it goes over board. Not sure how it came out of the rod holder. If it was during the day I may have had a chance to find it as it was just upstream of a shallow area and I could not see very far down with the lack of sunlight. May try to look for it next weekend dependent on the weather.