Conowingo Pool

zelmo · January 13, 2008, 01:06:58 PM

Does anyone know the regulations concerning licenses when fishing the Conowingo Pool?

If you are going to fish the entire length do you need both PA and MD licenses?

Creel Limit Zero · January 13, 2008, 01:14:13 PM

If on a boat, you can fish with either license regardless of which state you launch from. If you are fishing from shore, you need the license of the state you are in...

zelmo · January 13, 2008, 01:50:11 PM

Thanks. That answer surprises me a bit. I would have thought that each state would want to get into your pocket.

I will be launching a 19' glass boat. Is Dorsey Park the best facility in PA?

Brandon Piscitelli · January 13, 2008, 02:30:38 PM

i usually launch from broad creek. but when the waters low its almost impossible to do so. glen cove marina is not too bad. dorsey park at peachbottom can be a bit tricky as the ramp is very steep, need to be careful

zelmo · January 14, 2008, 09:26:54 PM

Brandon, if you know the area I can use some help. I have never been there, but I thought that Dorsey Park was the main launch. I guess I was wrong. Can you give me a run down on launch sites that are at the Pool? I will be launching a 19'6" fiberglass boat.

Creel Limit Zero · January 15, 2008, 08:24:13 AM

Here is a tab for Broad Creek.

http://mddnr.chesapeakebay.net/fish/rampquery.cfm?Facility=HA004

Here is a real time water levels for Conowingo. The only problems I've encountered at Glen Cove is there always seems to be a lot of debris near the ramp after periods of real bad storms.

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/md/nwis/uv?01578310

zelmo · January 15, 2008, 10:57:34 AM

Thanks Mike. I will be driving down from Harrisburg. Is it worth driving past Dorsey Park to launch at Broad Creek? I have launched from a very steep ramp at Raystown and didn't think it was a problem if you know what you are doing. What are Muddy Creek and Cold Cabin like? Is there a launch on the east side of the pool that I should consider?

WEEDWALKER · January 15, 2008, 11:10:38 AM

It all depends where you are going to fish? Warm water at peach bottom, the islands around the pumping stations, along the deep parts of the lower pool near conowingo dam.
I work for a company that goes out on the susky for work and I could tell you what would be the best!
Also depends on what the weather is doing also.

Creel Limit Zero · January 15, 2008, 12:12:22 PM

I would agree, if you are going to fish around Peach Bottom and the grass flats, or the upper end, might as well go Dorsey Park. If you are staying down towards the dam, in Broad Creek, or the like, hit up one of those ramps... No need to make long runs if you don't need to. Conowingo always seems to have a lot of floating debris - logs, and the such in it...

WEEDWALKER · January 15, 2008, 02:31:39 PM

Even muddy run boat launch if you are fishing the islands only!

zelmo · January 15, 2008, 02:53:36 PM

Thanks guys. Your suggestions make sense, except since I have never fished there, I don't know where I will be fishing. Now if someone can give me some tips......

greg hall · January 15, 2008, 02:54:05 PM

I WOULD LAUNCH AT PEACH BOTTOM HOT WATER IS RIGHT THERE.

WEEDWALKER · January 16, 2008, 10:48:11 AM

this time of year, mostly the warm water at peach bottom. Striper, bass, catfish, and walleye all there this time of year. Crankbaits would be my choice.

Midnitebasser · January 17, 2008, 08:18:38 AM

zelmo, if you are going to fish Conowingo Reservoir using a PA fishing license the last time I checked you were not allowed to fish up in the creeks, you had to stay on the main lake, I don't think it has changed but maybe somebody else knows or has the regulations book and can check for you. As Creel Limit Zero said there is a lot of debris floating in the lake so be careful because some times the trees are water logged and you won't see much of it above water. As for the fishing, I'd just fish the warm water discharge. Hope this helps.

zelmo · January 17, 2008, 03:54:41 PM

Thanks for all of the info. I probably should have clarified this by saying that my boat is in storage and I won't be getting down there until April. I will have both PA and MD licenses by then, but I was concerned about anyone I might bring along.

Last year was my first with the boat and I spent a lot of time at Lake Clarke. I don't think I was able to do any kind of speed until about June because of all of the debris, so I can appreciate that Conowingo won't be any different. This year I want to be more productive fishing and heard the pool was one of the better spots to take a boat with a prop fishing in this area. I did go up to Raystown a couple of times last year, but this would be a good bit closer for me.

If anyone is interested in going out this spring let me know.

paxpress · January 17, 2008, 07:44:20 PM

Let me know, I will go with ya.

zelmo · January 17, 2008, 08:56:32 PM

Great! I'll let you know when I get it out of storage. When do they put in courtesy docks there?

Midnitebasser · January 18, 2008, 08:33:57 AM

I think they put the docks in in April. I don't fish Conowingo nearly as much as I use to but April was always a good month for me, once the water temp hit 48/50 degrees the fish really turn on or at least they use to. I like to night fish there in May and June then things slowed down and I would start fishing other places.

Creel Limit Zero · January 18, 2008, 08:44:30 AM

I would be interested in meeting up in Spring there as well.

zelmo · January 18, 2008, 10:19:29 AM

Quote from: Creel Limit Zero on January 18, 2008, 08:44:30 AM
I would be interested in meeting up in Spring there as well.

You're on!

imp81318 · January 18, 2008, 10:32:29 AM

Lake Clarke seems to be pretty off-and-on from year to year... a few years ago it was real good smallie fishing, but the last year or 2 it hasn't seemed nearly as good...

zelmo · January 18, 2008, 10:40:56 AM

Quote from: Midnitebasser on January 18, 2008, 08:33:57 AM
I think they put the docks in in April.

Not so funny story:

I got my boat at the end of March last year. The next weekend (would have been the first one in April) I took it down to Lake Clarke to try it out. Had my wife and son with me. When we got there we found that none of the docks were in. I wasn't about to ground my new boat on a concrete ramp so we turned around and went home.

I gave it two weeks and went back. If you know that area they had the metal dock in that is in the middle of the ramp. We didn't have any problem launching, but coming back in was another story. The flow was 115,000 cfs and the downstream side was tied up. My son hadn't been around boats before so he didn't really know how to help and I wound up scratching up the side of the boat on the metal point of the dock. The spot that took the brunt of it actually went through to the fiberglass.

A rather expensive maiden voyage, but at least better than the group that went over the dam last year.

Brandon Piscitelli · January 18, 2008, 02:33:15 PM

forgot i posted in here, been busy at work. If you need any more info on this water, just send me a PM.