Juanita River/Raystown Branch

[97Aero]

Hey all. Anyone have any experience fishing the Juanita river at the south end where it flows into Raystown? Thinking about trying that out this year from the Late to south of Saxton. Is this River fishable with an Outboard jet boat? Would like to explore some new areas this year and any info about ramps and river conditions appreciated.

 

[duckfish]

I have fished it, but not very much since I was a little kid. Right after the lake was built.

I plan to spend more time at Raystown this spring, instead of fishing the Susquehanna Flats, since the striper fishing there has seemed to go drastically downhill the past couple years. Hope to make my first trip to Raystown in the next 2 weeks. I'll be sure to post if I find anything worth reporting.

I've had people tell me that there is a spring run of stripers up the river towards Saxton, but it sounded like mostly a bank fishing deal. I've floated the stretch you're asking about in a canoe, but that was roughly 40 years ago so I don't remember much to say about access for a bigger boat. Hope to find out soon.

 

[Mountain Man]

I'm in the same boat as the above poster, I used to go there on vacations when I was 10-14 and had a blast. Really nice area to shore camp and tinboat fish for a week. I miss the east coast sometimes....

 

[duckfish]

I'm in the same boat as the above poster, I used to go there on vacations when I was 10-14 and had a blast. Really nice area to shore camp and tinboat fish for a week. I miss the east coast sometimes....

I'd trade you the east coast for N Idaho in a second. Was out near McCall hunting back in Sept. My second time hunting there. The more time I spend out there, the higher it gets on my short list of places top retire to.

 

[duckfish]

I got home a little while ago from 3 straight days of fishing Raystown. We run & gun fished many spots from mile marker 28 (south/Juniata River end) to MM 9 around 7 Points. According to my gps, we put over 50 miles on the boat. I never did make it all the way to the dam since the closer you got to the N end of the lake the water temps were significantly lower.

Take for the 3 days was just a few yellow perch, some white crappy, some catfish and one nice lake trout. We did not catch any striper. Tough lake to fish was my first impression but I'll keep trying and see if I can't learn more. Regardless it was a fun 3 days, my buddy's 12 yo son seemed to have a good time, which was what it was all about.