Heavy Rains and a Muddy Chemung

August 19, 2024

"Man, do we need some rain!" I said a hundred times two weeks ago. Not for our beautiful flowers or tomato plants, but because the Chemung water level was sinking like a rock. Yeah, my boat will go in some seriously "pucker up" water, but I have my limitations, and it's no fun trying to get a 2,000 pound boat unstuck from a gravel bar. My self-imposed "no go" level at the NOAA river gauge in Chemung, NY (CMGN6) is 3.25', and we were well below that. Well, on August 9 we got some rain in the form of tropical storm Deby, and it was a torrential downpour that unfortunately devastated some of our westerly friends communities, and raised the Chemung to near flood stage. On August 18, I booked a trip with two experienced bass fishers, Brandon and Derek, on a Chemung that had receded to perfect levels, but dam activity upstream at Tioga/Hammond and Cowanesque were keeping the water color pretty dirty. I knew it would be a grind, but we headed out regardless. We began the morning in one of my better 4-5' deep stretches just below a "big rocks" rapids that then flows swiftly into a deep, 10+', and narrow hole whose bank is lined with rip-rap. I started them off throwing bright 1/4 oz Northland Thumper jigs tipped with 3.5" Keitech Swing Impacts in white and black. I quickly went through all my rods that were pre-rigged and started switching colors and baits as well to no avail. Let me stop there and add another tip in that, regardless of water clarity, it is my personal policy to switch spots about every half hour if we've been working the baits adequately and aren't getting bites. After trying one more of my "top spot" stretches below another section of rapids and having limited, but some, success with dark square bill cranks, I made the move that would dictate the rest of the morning's fishing. We settled in on a slow stretch of the river with very steep and tall (40' high) banks and a deep water - up to 12' deep. We found the smallies scattered along the shoreline, and I mean RIGHT NEXT TO the bank. I had the guys throwing a combo of the dark square bill crank and a fire-tiger jointed deep diving Rapala. Casting accuracy was paramount, and fish were striking it literally as it hit the water at times. I'm not sure if the fish were there because of the recent floods, but my theory, as is the case with almost any of my fishing theories, is that this is where the food was. I believe if i had started in these areas we could have had a great day and I'm guessing I would have eventually found some size as well. In summary, I would say that our morning was below average for size and numbers, but finding those fish associated with the shoreline in slack water was definitely what salvaged it from being a horrible morning, and the next time this situation is at hand, this is exactly how I'm starting the trip. Tight lines all!!

• Mike