Requesting information for Conowingo Reservoir on the Susquehanna River in PA-MD: Going to fish at the Conowingo Reservoir on the Susquehanna River that runs from PA. into MD. and will...

DVTracker Loc: Harrisburg, PA.

Going to fish at the Conowingo Reservoir on the Susquehanna River that runs from PA. into MD. and will probably use the Dorsey Park Boat Launch for river access. Anyone know if that is a good launch or can you recommend another. What is the water depth out from the launch? If I go south to the dam are there any known hazards? Is either the east or west side of the river deeper than the other or all about the same? I will be targeting mostly catfish, but has anyone heard of stripers being caught in the reservoir? Any advice would be much appreciated and thank you in advance.

Flytier Loc: Wilmington Delaware

Can't help you too much since all fishing has been below the dam. One thing to watch is the state line is about half way to the dam from your launch point. Make sure you have the proper licensing.

DVTracker Loc: Harrisburg, PA.

Flytier wrote:

Can't help you too much since all fishing has been below the dam. One thing to watch is the state line is about half way to the dam from your launch point. Make sure you have the proper licensing.

Ok and thank you for the heads up on licensing.

Archie Loc: Abingdon Maryland

I checked the license requirements for there and if you’re on a boat, either a Pennsylvania or Maryland license is ok, because the state border is hard to determine. Fishing from shore requires a license for the state you’re fishing in.

Flytier Loc: Wilmington Delaware

Archie wrote:

I checked the license requirements for there and if you’re on a boat, either a Pennsylvania or Maryland license is ok, because the state border is hard to determine. Fishing from shore requires a license for the state you’re fishing in.

OK but just be careful because the state line runs across the river not down the middle

DVTracker Loc: Harrisburg, PA.

Archie wrote:

I checked the license requirements for there and if you’re on a boat, either a Pennsylvania or Maryland license is ok, because the state border is hard to determine. Fishing from shore requires a license for the state you’re fishing in.

Archie, found the same info about a license from either state, while fishing in a boat, is valid for both. Thank you for the info.

DVTracker Loc: Harrisburg, PA.

Flytier wrote:

OK but just be careful because the state line runs across the river not down the middle

Fiytier, that was good info you mentioned about license requirements because of the reservoir being in two states. Thank you.

Hoyb1 Loc: laurel md

You can fish the reservoir proper with either license but you have to have the license for the state the cove is in to fish the cove

Major H Loc: Cambridge, MD

DVTracker wrote:

Going to fish at the Conowingo Reservoir on the Su... (show quote)

Looks like a nice ramp that gets plenty of use (at least according to google earth). Regarding depths / underwater structure, I always use the navionics website (https://webapp.navionics.com/?lang=en#boating@12&key=qcvqF%7CnkpM). Giving it a look, I'd definitely target that island right across from the ramp and the power line station just to the north.

Next, I'd give the west side (along the power plant) and the little bridge on the east a shot.

From there on down into MD there's a bunch of creeks coming in from either side but take a look at the navionics and I'm sure you'll find plenty of options. Good luck and can't wait to hear how it goes!

DVTracker Loc: Harrisburg, PA.

Hoyb1 wrote:

You can fish the reservoir proper with either license but you have to have the license for the state the cove is in to fish the cove

Hoyb1, good information about the license and coves. Thank you.

DVTracker Loc: Harrisburg, PA.

Major H wrote:

Looks like a nice ramp that gets plenty of use (at... (show quote)

Major H, good information. Looks like the river has good depth in that area and southward. Looked at the Navionics Website you sent, besides the good locations you mentioned to fish I found a few more. I have been looking for river depths and the site you sent is nice, may purchase the boat app. to get topographic/contour lines and depth increments per couple feet, but first need to see what my Garmin fish finder/sonar/GPS shows. When I am on a lake, I do receive the topo/contour and depth per one foot increments. Thank you for the information and will hopefully have fish pics to post.

audigger53 Loc: Severn, MD

Don't know about Penn regs, but Maryland is open for Stripes as of 1 Aug. 19-28 inches. The big cats are below the dam where the water releases are. They lay there and let the water carry the food to them. LOL

DVTracker Loc: Harrisburg, PA.

audigger53 wrote:

Don't know about Penn regs, but Maryland is open for Stripes as of 1 Aug. 19-28 inches. The big cats are below the dam where the water releases are. They lay there and let the water carry the food to them. LOL

Good information. I have caught many cats below the dam with the largest being a 28” Blue, saw larger cats caught. Fish, etc., going through the turbines is a good/easy way for cats to get food. Thank you for the information.

woodie56 Loc: pa

DVTracker wrote:

Going to fish at the Conowingo Reservoir on the Su... (show quote)

Dorsey Park is a very nice ramp,heading south from there is pretty much open water,deeper on the west side.going north stay towards the east side.good water close to the east all the way to muddy run power plant.there is a large island just north of dorsey park on the east side which has a 2 mile sand bar downriver.pa license is all you need

woodie56 Loc: pa

there are stripers,we catch them in the winter at the warm water discharge from the atomic plant,they scatter in the summer.just beware of the sandbar south of johnson island.water can be a foot or less at spots.