Smallmouth bass a mainstay of Clarion River
Over its 110-mile course, the Clarion River takes on many faces, which is well illustrated by the stretch from Cooksburg down to the headwaters of Piney Dam. Along this reach the river transitions from an easy-to-access, popular canoeing trail, to one that flows through a remote valley far from any roads.
The Clarion River is formed by the merger of the West Branch and East Branch in Johnsonburg, eventually draining into the Allegheny River near Parker. Elk, Jefferson, Forest and Clarion counties are all touched by the river.
Smallmouth bass are the mainstay throughout its course. Trout, many of substantial proportions, are found primarily in the upper portion of the main stem, fueled primarily by fingerling stockings by the Fish and Boat Commission. Migrants from the many stocked trout streams also add to the Clarion’s trout population.
From Cooksburg (located along the edge of Cook Forest State Park) down to the headwaters of Piney Dam, trout occasionally show up, though this is mostly smallie water. Walleyes are also present. Piney Dam backs the river up for about 12 miles. Below Piney Dam the river is again quite remote, though water quality issues, mostly from Acid Mine Drainage-impacted tributaries, limit the lower Clarion’s fish population.
S.R. 2002 parallels the north bank of the Clarion as it links Cooksburg with Clarington. Riverside access is convenient. This stretch is popular with canoeists as canoe liveries are found near Cook Forest State Park. A canoe launch is located within the state park off S.R. 2002. Cold water feeders, including Coleman Run and Maple Creek, join the Clarion. Any trout present will likely be near these influences.
Route 36 crosses the Clarion just downriver of Cooksburg. Riverfront Drive/River Road loop along about a mile of the Clarion below the bridge; both ends tie in with Route 36. This area is privately owned with riverside residences, so use common sense if attempting to access the river here, and heed any posted signs.
Gravel Lick Bridge crosses the Clarion a few miles below Cooksburg, the only bridge crossing between Route 36 and the pooled water of Piney Dam. Cathers Run joins the river a short distance upriver of Gravel Lick Bridge. It’s a delightful mountain trout stream containing both stocked fish and native brookies (with its headwaters). Nearly all Cathers Run’s feeder streams also support natives.
Gravel Lick Road parallels about a mile of the Clarion before turning away from the river. A PFBC canoe launch is found here. Good smallmouth bass habitat is found along this stretch, accessible from Gravel Lick Road and the bridge crossing.
Below the canoe launch, the river quickly flows into a remote section bordered by state forest land. Cold water influences such as Maxwell Run and Blyson Run join the Clarion along this stretch, the latter being a Wilderness Trout Stream.
Due to its remote character, the most practical means of fishing this section is by floating it. To keep from having to walk a canoe or kayak through the numerous shallow riffles found along the way, it’s wise to have a flow of at least 350 cubic feet per second at the USGS gage in Cooksburg. It’s about 10 miles from the Gravel Lick canoe launch to the Mill Creek boat ramp. The final two miles of the float are within the impounded water of Piney Dam, though the reservoir is currently in a drawdown of about six feet due to maintenance work on the dam’s gates. The Mill Creek boat ramp can be reached from Mill Creek Road, from Strattanville.
As was mentioned earlier, smallmouth bass are well represented throughout this portion of the Clarion River. I’ve found these fish to be eager to respond to a variety of presentations. Soft stickbaits and soft jerkbaits fare well, as do smaller suspending hard jerkbaits. A three to four-inch twister tail grub on an eighth-ounce jighead is another good option. It can be worked along the bottom like a jig, or fished up off the bottom as a swimbait.
Soft stickbaits of the Senko/Dinger design are especially effective when fished from a drifting canoe or kayak. Often one of the best ways of presenting the worm-like bait is to fish it unweighted, allowing it to drift along at the same speed as the boat. The bait doesn’t need constant attention from the angler, in fact is often more productive when given less “touch.” Just reel in occasionally to bring in excess slack. A biting bass will typically tighten up the line for you, betraying its presence and indicating the time to set the hook.
Both soft and hard jerkbaits, which require a bit more input from the angler, excel when fished from a wading position. Thus, it makes sense to park the craft after you’ve floated over some prime water, and then wade back and fish it more thoroughly. Wet wading can be a welcome relief on a hot summer day, and the bass will still bite even after being floated over. Also, it’s common to catch walleyes using these same Clarion River tactics.
Jeff Knapp is an outdoors columnist for the Butler Eagle
