S8, Ep 59: Pennsylvania Smallmouth Report: Captain Brian Shumaker's Late Summer Strategies
Episode Overview
On this Pennsylvania Smallmouth Report from The Articulate Fly fly fishing podcast, host Marvin Cash checks in with Captain Brian Shumaker of Susquehanna River Guides for a mid-August conditions update on the Susquehanna River system in Central Pennsylvania. After a heavy rain event pushed the river up, Shumaker reports flows are now falling and clarity is returning, with roughly two feet of visibility on the edges and more color still out in the main current. That in-between water dictates a two-tier approach: anglers can still pound the banks with poppers where visibility holds, but need to switch to bigger, darker streamers with more flash as they move off the bank into stained water. Shumaker breaks down how he is fishing Half and Half and Clouser Minnow patterns in size two and one, in chartreuse-yellow with gold flash, black-and-olive and olive-and-orange combinations, all still fished on an intermediate line. He also covers how the return of some color has let him tighten up casting distances compared to the ultra-clear, low-water conditions from before the rain, when 40-foot+ casts were often required to avoid spooking fish. Looking ahead, Shumaker outlines open guide dates in late September and October before he heads to Texas for redfish in November.
Key Takeaways
- How falling, stained water after heavy rain changes streamer color and profile choices for Susquehanna smallmouth
- Why topwater poppers still produce along the bank edges even when the main current carries reduced visibility
- When to size up to bigger, darker streamers with added flash as anglers move off the bank into off-color water
- How stained, elevated water allows for shorter, more comfortable casts compared to low, clear pre-rain conditions
- When to book a fall smallmouth trip with Susquehanna River Guides as the guide calendar opens up in September and October
Techniques & Gear Covered
Shumaker splits his approach along a visibility gradient: poppers worked tight to the bank where a foot and a half or so of clarity remains, and streamers as anglers move out into the murkier main current. His streamer program centers on Half and Half and Clouser Minnow patterns in size two and one, favoring darker, flashier color combinations in stained water, including chartreuse-yellow with gold flash, black-and-olive and olive-and-orange. All of these are fished on an intermediate line rather than a heavier sinking option, even as fly size and color shift with conditions. On the presentation side, he notes that reduced water clarity has shortened the casting distance needed to reach productive water, a contrast to the 40-foot+ casts required during the low, gin-clear conditions before the rain.
Locations & Species
This report covers the Susquehanna River system in Central Pennsylvania, where Captain Brian Shumaker guides for smallmouth bass out of Susquehanna River Guides. Conditions are transitional: the river is dropping and clearing after a heavy rain event, moving from a bony, low-water late-summer pattern toward a fresh bump with a couple of feet of edge visibility.
FAQ / Key Questions Answered
How does falling, stained water after heavy rain change smallmouth fly selection on the Susquehanna?
Brian Shumaker sizes up to bigger, darker streamers with more flash as visibility drops moving off the bank, favoring Half and Half and Clouser Minnow patterns in size two and one. Color choices lean toward chartreuse and chartreuse-yellow with gold flash, or black-and-olive and olive-and-orange combinations that show up well in off-color water.
When should anglers fish topwater poppers versus switch to streamers in low-visibility conditions?
Poppers still work tight along the bank, where roughly a foot and a half of visibility typically remains even in stained water. As anglers move out five feet or more from the bank and lose that visibility, Shumaker shifts to streamers, then moves back to a full topwater program once the river fully clears.
How does water clarity affect casting distance for Susquehanna smallmouth?
During the low, gin-clear conditions before the recent rain, Shumaker often needed anglers to make consistent 40-foot+ casts to reach fish without spooking them. With some color back in the water, he can now position anglers closer to productive water, making the cast easier without sacrificing effectiveness.
What fly line does Brian Shumaker use for streamer fishing in these conditions?
Shumaker fishes his streamer program on an intermediate line rather than a more aggressive sinking option, keeping the same line even as he adjusts fly size and color for changing water clarity.
When is Brian Shumaker's guide calendar open for fall smallmouth trips?
Shumaker has open dates in late September and more availability through October before heading to Texas in November to chase redfish. Anglers can reach him by phone or text or through the Susquehanna River Guides website to book a fall trip.
Allen Rupp's East Tennessee Tying Classes
On August 21st and 22nd, Allen is teaching three schools at Tailwaters Fly Company in Bluff City, Tennessee.
Friday, August 21, 5:30-7:30 PM: Dave's NearNuff Sculpin School
Saturday, August 22, 9:00-11:00 AM: Dave's NearNuff Crayfish School
Saturday, August 22, 3:00-5:00 PM: Whitlock's Bass Bug School
Don't forget to use ARTICULATEFLY at check out!
Related Content
S8, Ep 56 - Topwater Tactics: Captain Brian Shumaker's Pennsylvania Smallmouth Report
S8, Ep 52 - Hot Days and Night Bites: Brian Shumaker's Guide to Pennsylvania Smallmouth Fishing
S8, Ep 44 - The Legacy of Classic Flies: Allen Rupp's Insights on Timeless Patterns
S8, Ep 43 - Smallmouth Strategies and Seasonal Shifts: Captain Brian Shumaker's Pennsylvania Report
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Hey, folks, it's Marvin Cash, the host of The Articulate Fly. We're back with another Pennsylvania Smallmouth Report with the man himself, Captain Brian Shumaker. Brian, how are you?
Brian ShumakerI'm doing well, Marvin. How about yourself?
Marvin CashAh, just trying to stay out of trouble. We're. We were talking before we started recording, getting ready to get the youngest and the.The last son out and off to college for his freshman year at App State here in a couple days. So packing gear and doing all kinds.
Brian ShumakerOf stuff, that's gotta be exciting.
Marvin CashYeah. I tell you, I'm just looking forward to the fact it's about 15 to 20 degrees cooler on the top of that mountain than it is down here in Charlotte.
Brian ShumakerI bet, yeah.
Marvin CashSo it's funny, we were talking, you got absolutely washed away with rain.And so you basically have got falling and improving conditions, but kind of rain in the forecast probably for the next, I don't know, two, three, four days and then you're supposed to kind of get dried out. What are you seeing on the water right now?
Brian ShumakerOur rivers are starting to clear. We got probably about 2 foot of visibility on the edges and it's dropping pretty good.So it's not now going to be as bony as what all this usually is. So we got a nice little bump of water that should last us for hopefully another week or two before it really starts dropping down.And they're also clearing up. So it looks, it's looking pretty good here towards the end of August. Middle August. End of August, Yeah.
Marvin CashAnd so if you are in a situation where you've got that kind of, you know, low visibility, does that kind of tilt you to kind of the streamer game and fishing, bigger, darker streamers, or can you still kind of really lean in hard on the top water?
Brian ShumakerWell, you can lean hard and hard on the top water by fishing the edges off the bank because like I said, coming out about maybe about five feet, then that's where you really start to lose the visibility. So you have. I'm not. It's not clear water, but you got, you know, a foot and a half or so of visibility on the banks.So you can still pound the banks with poppers.And then as you move out, you're definitely want to go with streamers, get something that's a little bit darker, get a little bit more flash, especially if you got a real nice sunny day. So that's sort of the game plan we got going right now. But as the rivers keep on clearing, then it's going to be back on the top Water game.
Marvin CashYeah.And on the casting front, you know, with the dirtier water, are you able to kind of pull in closer, to kind of help people out with their casting so they can kind of consistently hit that edge? Or do you still have to kind of stay off the bank?So you still really need kind of a old school pre muddy water game to, to get in and fish that zone.
Brian ShumakerNow you can, you can get them in a little bit closer. It's not like what we were having before we got all this rain where we had real clear water and it was.Was getting low, where you had to be, you had to be able to make some, you know, 40ft cast more consistently to, to be productive because we were seeing the fish in that low, clear water and, you know, you know, the folks are trying to get, get their bug to them and you can just see the fish just look a little bit and just keep on going. So it got a little frustrating there for a little bit.But now, like I said, with a little bit of color in the water, you can, you can get a little bit closer. So it's a. Makes it a little bit easier on the casting.
Marvin CashYeah. And so when you like to upsize or when you.Not when you like to, but when you have to upsize streamers and kind of go bigger and darker, you know, what flies do you like to fish and do you change? Are you fishing a. A more aggressive sinking line? Are you still probably hitting those on like an intermediate line?
Brian ShumakerWe're still hitting them on an intermediate line. And I like to throw, of course, I like to throw the classics, you know, half and halfs, Clouser minnows, size twos and even ones.Color combinations like chartreuse, chartreuse yellow with gold flash. Or you could do, you could do a black and an olive or, you know, an olive and orange color.You know, something that's a little bit brighter and it's got also a little bit darker shade to it. That's, that's what I've been fishing here of late with this dirty water, so. And we're also, like I said, use an intermediate line as well.
Marvin CashGot it. And so, you know, we're kind of coming into the home stretch.What's your guide calendar look like as we kind of get into, you know, we can actually see the back end of the dog days of summer heading into, hopefully a cooler early fall. Right?
Brian ShumakerYeah, I do have some open dates there towards the end of September, and I've got a little bit more right now in October. And then after the end of October, then I'm heading to Texas and play around with those redfish.
Marvin CashBecause you just, you love the heat, right?
Brian ShumakerWell, you know, actually when we're down there in November, we'll get 80 degree days down there. But you don't have the humidity, the Texas humidity in November. Really?
Marvin CashYeah, Yeah. I used to live in Dallas and it was, it was, it was hot.
Brian ShumakerYeah.
Marvin CashSo.
Brian ShumakerBut yeah, that's what I got open. So if you like to get on the water for the fall bite, get in contact with me and we can try to get you set up.
Marvin CashYeah. You want to give people the phone number and the website and all that kind of good stuff?
Brian ShumakerSure. Best way to get me, you can call or text me 717-574-5338. You can go to the website is www.susqriverguides.com.
Marvin CashWell, there you go. And you know, you mentioned you love classic patterns earlier. I do want to give a shout out real quick.Our, our common buddy Allen Rupp is teaching a class in East Tennessee. Not this weekend, but next weekend on August 21st and 22nd at one of my favorite fly shops in the world, Tailwaters Fly Company in Bluff City.And he's going to be folks, he's going to be teaching Dave's NearNuff Sculpin and Crayfish and he's also going to be teaching two of Dave's bass bug patterns. And there are three classes. I think there's one on 21st and two on the 22nd. I'll drop links to that in the show notes.And if you don't know this, Allen is Dave Whitlock's legacy tier. So if you want to learn from the man that spent time with the man, it's a great time. And you can sign up for those classes.And if you use the coupon code, ARTICULATEFLY all one word, Allen will bring you a goodie bag. And then also two, if you get two classes, you'll get a $25 gift card so you can load up on tying stuff at Tailwaters.And if you sign up for all three, you get a $75 gift card. So good way to get loaded up for tine season for sure. And folks, like I always say, yo, it's yourself to get out there and catch a few.Tight lines, everybody. Tight lines, Brian.
Brian ShumakerTight lines. Marvin.
