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West Branch Susquehanna River Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Sep 4, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

A river brought back from acid: the West Branch Susquehanna now runs smallmouth through Pennsylvania coal country.

4/5
Good. Solid day ahead.Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.
Flow
29,500 cfs
Air / High
82 / 83 F
Wind
NW 9 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 01553500, Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Friday
4
September 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

4/5Good. Solid day ahead.Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.

West Branch Susquehanna River sits in the sweet spot of the season: active fish and workable weather. The river is running 29,500 cfs, on the rise. Today brings cloud cover, wind NW around 9 mph, rising pressure near 1012 hPa and a high of 83. Water sits around 73 F for the season (estimated). With the last quarter, the solunar majors run 5:39 AM-7:39 AM and 5:39 PM-7:39 PM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

Smallmouth bassExcellent

Peak season. Tubes, jerkbaits and swimbaits around gravel points, boulders and current seams.

WalleyeExcellent

Jig and minnow on rock reefs and points; the evening bite on wind-blown shores is the one to plan around.

MuskellungeExcellent

Bucktails and rubber over cabbage and rock bars; moon majors matter here more than anywhere.

Catfish (blue, channel)Excellent

Drift cut bait across flats near the river channel, or anchor on ledges at dusk.

Tomorrow: Cooler at 77 F. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Sep 5, 6:30 AMHow this report is made →

Water and weather

Live readings from West Branch Susquehanna at Lewisburg.

Flow, last 30 days

USGS gauge 01553500.

10,00722,29534,58329,500 cfs08/0508/1508/2509/04

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp82 F
High / Low83 / 71 F
WindNW 9-17 mph
Pressure1012.1 hPa, rising
Sky / Rain100% cloud, 36%
Sunrise / Sunset06:37 / 19:35
MoonLast Quarter, 50%
Water temp (seasonal)~73 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunsetPRIMEPRIME

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 4 · Rain, 83/71 F, wind 9 mph, rain 36%

Fair or better. A 9 mph breeze puts a working chop on the banks it hits: fish the wind-blown side.

Species guide

The species that matter on West Branch Susquehanna River: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Smallmouth bass illustration

Smallmouth bass

Best: May-Oct

Current and rock. Finds gravel flats, boulders and drop-offs, and fights far above its weight. Peak season. Tubes, jerkbaits and swimbaits around gravel points, boulders and current seams.

Walleye illustration

Walleye

Best: May-Jun, Oct

The glass-eyed prize of northern lakes. Low light, wind-blown structure and live bait. Jig and minnow on rock reefs and points; the evening bite on wind-blown shores is the one to plan around.

Muskellunge illustration

Muskellunge

Best: Sep-Nov

The fish of ten thousand casts. Weed edges, rock bars and big-water structure. Bucktails and rubber over cabbage and rock bars; moon majors matter here more than anywhere.

Catfish (blue, channel) illustration

Catfish (blue, channel)

Good year-round

The most reliable bite on most southern waters. Blues run big; channels fill the cooler. Drift cut bait across flats near the river channel, or anchor on ledges at dusk.

When to come: the West Branch Susquehanna River calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Smallmouth bass
Walleye
Muskellunge
Catfish (blue, channel)
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 73 F (estimated, not a reading).

4050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~73 F now

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks West Branch Susquehanna River today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 3

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Smallmouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 87 F, wind to 8 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Smallmouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 78 F, wind to 13 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Smallmouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 91 F, wind to 8 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
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Before you go

License

Pennsylvania requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

Pennsylvania license plus trout permit for tributaries. Smallmouth seasonal rules apply on big rivers: check current PFBC regulations.

Access

Road crossings, state land and the West Branch Susquehanna River Water Trail from Lock Haven to Lewisburg.

About this water

A 240-mile river through central Pennsylvania joining the North Branch at Northumberland.

Fishing West Branch Susquehanna River: the full guide

A recovery story

The West Branch Susquehanna flows about 240 miles through central Pennsylvania to join the North Branch at Northumberland. For a century, acid mine drainage from coal country left much of it lifeless. Decades of treatment and remediation have brought it back: smallmouth bass now hold through the middle and lower river, with muskellunge, walleye, catfish and, in the cold tributaries, trout.

Smallmouth and muskie

The river below Lock Haven and toward Lewisburg holds smallmouth on the ledges, riffles and current breaks, fished by wading, floating and from boats. Muskellunge hold the deeper pools, targeted with large baits. Both fisheries have improved measurably as water quality recovered, and pressure remains modest by Susquehanna standards.

Trout in the tributaries

The cold mountain tributaries feeding the West Branch, including Kettle Creek, Pine Creek and Young Womans Creek, hold wild and stocked trout in genuinely good numbers: some of Pennsylvania’s better freestone water. Combining a day on the main river with an evening on a tributary is the standard approach.

Central Pennsylvania logistics

Access is via road crossings, state land and the West Branch Susquehanna River Water Trail, with Lock Haven, Williamsport and Lewisburg along its course. Flows respond to rain across a large mountain watershed. Remediation continues, and water quality varies by reach: the lower river is furthest along.

Common questions

What happened to the river?

Acid mine drainage left much of it lifeless for a century: decades of treatment have restored a genuine fishery.

Where are the trout?

The cold mountain tributaries, including Kettle Creek and Pine Creek: some of Pennsylvania’s better freestone water.

Is the recovery complete?

Ongoing: water quality varies by reach, with the lower river furthest along.

Is fishing good at West Branch Susquehanna River right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.

Nearby waters

Penns Creek25 miJuniata River37 miSpring Creek48 miPine Creek49 miYellow Breeches Creek52 miBlue Marsh Lake59 mi
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