looks like Triadelphia re-opens Spring 2020

gshappell · March 25, 2020, 03:15:17 PM

Quote from: edwonbass on March 25, 2020, 07:33:35 AM
Good luck with the trailer and I hope you get out on the water soon!

Thanks!

Reservoir Runner · April 10, 2020, 08:22:18 PM

Got a message from WSSC today- Anyone who purchased a season permit for this year prior to the shutdown will receive a free 2021 season permit, to be mailed out in January 2021. I asked if they were conceding the reservoir will not reopen in 2020, they said it was dependant upon if the Governor lifts the restrictions due to Coronavirus.

gshappell · April 10, 2020, 10:00:39 PM

Thanks Reservoir Runner. Good to hear they will carry over the permit. Hope I still get a chance to get out there before it closes this year. Curious, are there striper in Triadelphia like Rocky Gorge?

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Reservoir Runner · April 11, 2020, 10:50:05 AM

I think they are. I have seen some pretty good size ones come out of Triadelphia and on occasion I would catch a small one. I know at one time back in the 70's when they first stocked the lakes with stripers from Santee-Cooper Reservoir and they had a striper hatchery facility they operated, it was up by the dam. That ended when they had a major failure of the machinery there and now I believe they get stockings from the State hatcheries at least once or twice a year. In Triadelphia, I have caught white perch, yellow perch, and stripers. There are supposed to be walleye in both reservoirs, but I never caught one. You can also catch Northern Pike and Tiger Musky at Triadelphia. They did stock walleye at one time, but I don't think they reproduced like they thought they would, ay least that was the impression I got from the DNR. They usually electrofish both reservoirs every two years I think it is, they can tell you what exactly they shock up.

gshappell · April 13, 2020, 08:27:44 AM

Thats awesome, thanks RR. I caught my first Tiger Musky on the other side of the dam at Triadelphia several years ago, fishing with a topwater frog. At that time, had no idea they were there. Was a pleasant surprise.

gshappell · May 11, 2020, 08:07:28 AM

Anyone been out to Triadelphia since they opened? Or swung by close enough to see the water levels? I think I may try this week and want to try and launch at the Pig Tail Recreation Area as i've never been over there.

hocoterp · May 11, 2020, 09:11:17 AM

I live next to Triadelphia in Howard County and walked down there weekly or more during the past 3 years when it was closed. The water levels were down 25-30 feet at its peak draw down last Thanksgiving. It is now just 5-7 feet below max fill. It is crazy how fast the reservoir filled back up in just the past two months. The Howard County ramps and Triadelphia Rd ramp have been reconstructed and are now underwater. As I said in an earlier post, there are literally thousands, maybe tens of thousands of small trees/saplings (3-7 feet tall) that were once growing on the shoreline, but are now underwater. I'm not sure what the pattern will be right now, but I see the fish being spread out because of an overabundance of cover.

gshappell · May 11, 2020, 09:18:57 AM

Quote from: hocoterp on May 11, 2020, 09:11:17 AM
I live next to Triadelphia in Howard County and walked down there weekly or more during the past 3 years when it was closed. The water levels were down 25-30 feet at its peak draw down last Thanksgiving. It is now just 5-7 feet below max fill. It is crazy how fast the reservoir filled back up in just the past two months. The Howard County ramps and Triadelphia Rd ramp have been reconstructed and are now underwater. As I said in an earlier post, there are literally thousands, maybe tens of thousands of small trees/saplings (3-7 feet tall) that were once growing on the shoreline, but are now underwater. I'm not sure what the pattern will be right now, but I see the fish being spread out because of an overabundance of cover.

Thanks for the update on the levels... I bet it will be tough(at least for me having never launched there) but would like to get some on the water time. May check out blackwater instead for snakeheads lol.

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gshappell · June 10, 2020, 11:53:00 AM

Ive been out 3 times this year so far to Triadelphia. Been a weird year water temp wise, literally went up 10 degrees plus in a matter of 2 weeks i think. My first outing was pretty good, got a 4.6 on topwater and some other smaller but decent fish. Every outing since has gone down hill. My sonar was out last trip for the most part so I have no idea if they are already moving out deep or what but I had a hard time finding them except for one 14", a 17" and lost a better one who shook my swimbait. Going to switch it up to Rocky Gorge I think even though i hear traffic is awful due to the 'open permit'.

Reservoir Runner · June 11, 2020, 10:53:47 AM

Traditionally, by Memorial day the spawn has been completed and they are returning to their summer hangouts. When I fished both reservoirs, the 2 weeks after Memorial Day was always tough. It should pick up in about another week or so, where the will be shallow early and as soon as the sun its the water, they go deep for the rest of the day til sundown. I would concentrate on points that drop into deep water that may have some rockpiles or other structure close by. Good luck and let us know how you do.

gshappell · June 11, 2020, 11:35:08 AM

Quote from: Reservoir Runner on June 11, 2020, 10:53:47 AM
Traditionally, by Memorial day the spawn has been completed and they are returning to their summer hangouts. When I fished both reservoirs, the 2 weeks after Memorial Day was always tough. It should pick up in about another week or so, where the will be shallow early and as soon as the sun its the water, they go deep for the rest of the day til sundown. I would concentrate on points that drop into deep water that may have some rockpiles or other structure close by. Good luck and let us know how you do.

As always thanks for the personal experience/expertise sharing... Will let you know how it goes. Here is my best from this year at Triadelphia.

Reservoir Runner · June 13, 2020, 01:24:21 PM

Not shabby. You need to tie into some of the smallmouth that inhabit the reservoir.

gshappell · June 13, 2020, 04:51:28 PM

Yes I do

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hocoterp · June 15, 2020, 09:31:51 AM

Not asking for specifics, but how is everyone doing this year at Triadelphia? I've been out 4 times on boats, and once from shore and I've done awful. I went out with my dad on his small jon boat in the early spring before they closed down again due to Covid and we had a few hookups on topwater in the back of coves in the floating masses of dead grass/vegetation, but we didn't land any. I went out with him again in Mid-May and we got skunked. No bites or anything. I was out on my friends nice boat on Saturday and he caught one 8" smallie and I caught one really nice walleye. That was it. No other bites or anything. He has top of the line electronics and the lake looked dead. We couldn't find any fish offshore with electronics. We tried laydowns near the shoreline, flooded trees, weed lines, points near shore and offshore, etc. etc. etc. We used swimbaits, soft plastics, crankbaits, senko's, drop shot, chatterbaits, spinnerbaits, etc. etc. and fished those lures every way imaginable. For everyone I've talked to on the water this spring I only met one guy who seemed knowledgeable and he said he caught caught 9 on the previous Thursday, 5 on a Friday and 1 on the Saturday we talked to him in May.

I know it could be me, but I grew up fishing Triadelphia. I grew up 3 miles from it and now I live 500 yards from it. The spots/technique that produced 3+ years ago aren't working for me this spring.

How are you guys doing?

gshappell · June 15, 2020, 09:48:07 AM

I did decent mid-May (maybe 6 or 7 and a couple good size LM). Every outing is worse since then 5 outings). Numbers and sizes are going down for me. I am still learning my electronics, but I agree - it looked very dead to my untrained eyes the last couple of outings. Found a couple dinks in the shallows but that's it. I resorted to looking for the schools of striper to see if i could get one to bite a deep diving crank bait, but i couldnt even find them. I was skunked Friday evening. Then went to Rocky on Saturday and only hooked 2/landed one.

edwonbass · June 17, 2020, 09:08:51 PM

I got this little guy on a squarebill this morning at Triadelphia.

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gshappell · June 18, 2020, 08:16:14 AM

Awesome fish! I tried to find the schools one day but no luck

Reservoir Runner · June 18, 2020, 09:54:53 PM

Nice Striper! I'm gonna guess he went about 15 lbs? In the years I fished Triadelphia, caught maybe 3 stripers, no real size to them.

Reservoir Runner · September 13, 2020, 07:06:02 AM

Anyone been fishing the reservoirs this summer? Haven't seen a post since early June. Maybe it has become a madhouse since they suspended the permit requirements for this year and people just said the hell with it.

edwonbass · September 13, 2020, 07:27:44 AM

I haven't been in a few weeks. I don't do well out there when the water temperature gets over 80 degrees. The water level is down in both lakes. I might drive up to Triadelphia today to see how high the water is. It might have cooled down a degree or two.
There really wasn't as much fishing pressure as I thought there would be this summer but there was a lot of kayaking going on. I mean a lot!

Reservoir Runner · September 13, 2020, 03:47:48 PM

Both lakes are a favorite with kayakers. I hope to get up there either in the fall or next spring with my kayak, hopefully the Covid nonsense will eventually wane. It may also be because they suspended having to get a permit this year that the kayakers are out in force. Thanks for the reply,appreciate it.

gshappell · September 13, 2020, 04:37:27 PM

I haven't been since the late spring. Not enough time unfortunately and I discovered the Susquehanna recently after a kayak tournament up that way. Smallmouth are pretty fun to target needless to say. It's about twice the drive, but in 3 trips I haven't been skunked which I can't say about either RG or Triadelphia - haha. Will definitely be back soon to see if I can figure when exactly the fall bite happens on these deep reservoirs.

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edwonbass · September 13, 2020, 04:56:02 PM

Quote from: Reservoir Runner on September 13, 2020, 03:47:48 PM
Both lakes are a favorite with kayakers. I hope to get up there either in the fall or next spring with my kayak, hopefully the Covid nonsense will eventually wane. It may also be because they suspended having to get a permit this year that the kayakers are out in force. Thanks for the reply,appreciate it.

When you finally make your way up here let me know. Maybe we can meet up and do some fishing.

gshappell · September 14, 2020, 07:20:57 AM

Quote from: edwonbass on September 13, 2020, 04:56:02 PM
When you finally make your way up here let me know. Maybe we can meet up and do some fishing.

If you guys are up for a third, let me know.

Reservoir Runner · September 15, 2020, 06:58:29 PM

Edwonbass- Will do.