Harrisburg PA / Susquehanna River

[tfjrc2]

All:<br />Looking at a relocation to the subject line.<br />Anybody know if that river is both boatable and skiable. Any lake big enough nearby, as in a reasonable commute distance?<br />Trying to cut the deal with a new job this week, so any info is much appreciated.<br />It is a nice job, in my field and all, and it pays well....But if there is no boating...Well, I guess we are all a little crazy!<br />Thanx

 

[Sea Six]

Re: Harrisburg PA / Susquehanna River

I've done some bass fishing there. The river is very wide, but shallow and very rocky. Don't think I'd go too fast in it. I'm sure there are some good spots to go fast. My father-in-law used to run an air boat there because it was so shallow. He also used to run the Millersburg ferry boat crossing.

 

[tfjrc2]

Re: Harrisburg PA / Susquehanna River

Any and all info appreciated.<br />I found a marina and tried to send an email to them. Seems like their link is down. I'll call tomorrow.<br />Riverside Marina in Harisburg.<br />We shall see, I guess.

 

[PAkev]

Re: Harrisburg PA / Susquehanna River

The Susquehanna keeps lots of techs busy each boating season repairing lower units.<br /><br />The river can go from 30 ft to 2 ft in a shorter distance than it takes to stop many boats. Those who have learned the river (sometimes the hard way) know how the channels run and navigate it fairly well.<br /><br />On a more positive note, the Susquehanna is considered by many to offer some of the best smallmouth bass fishing on the east coast. Not sure if you trailer the boat but it is not terribly far to the Chesapeake Bay which is a reasonable day trip.

 

[John Greviskis]

Re: Harrisburg PA / Susquehanna River

H'burg, in my opinion, is a nice little city. Lived there for a while a few years back.<br /><br />River North of city, as these guys have said, is real rocky. I'd never take my boat there.<br /><br />I've never been on the Susq. south of the city.

 

[tfjrc2]

Re: Harrisburg PA / Susquehanna River

John:<br />I visited there for the interview and thought so also. Big enough to have everything, yet small enough that rush hour was not an insane waste of time. State Capital also, so there is some money around.<br />Saw lots of pontoons on the shore. They must use less draft than an i/o. I never got to call the marina today.

 

[Sea Six]

Re: Harrisburg PA / Susquehanna River

Just south of the city is the infamous 3 Mile Island - still home to one of the world's only contaminated nuclear reactors.

 

[Sponge Bob]

Re: Harrisburg PA / Susquehanna River

I boat in the Susquehanna, south of HBG. The river in the immediate HBG area is too shallow for most boats, except on the east side of City Island, but the channel is narrow. Most boats in this part of the river are pontoons and jet skis. However, to the south, near Goldsboro on the west shore, and Middletown on the East shore is where I boat. Three Mile Island is smack dab in the middle of the river. The depth varies from 5'-18' and is very wide. On the west shore to the north is a public launch that gets pretty busy. A little farther south on the west shore is Rick's Marina. It's private and gated. I believe he will allow you to launch from a trailer for about $150/year. Slips run about $300/year or more. On the east shore is Middletown marina. Mostly pontoon boats there because the river gets shallow. It's further up-river than the public launch on the west shore. I’m not sure what the fees are there. I live in Enola, just across the river to the west from HBG. I can get from my door and be in the river in about 35 minutes, hauling the boat. If I kept it moored down there, I’m sure I could get there faster. It’s a nice place to boat during the week, but gets busy on the weekends and holidays. HTH.

 

[Sea Six]

Re: Harrisburg PA / Susquehanna River

I've been to Enola! My Corvette club eats at an Italian restaurant there when we go to Corvettes at Carlisle. We stay at the Radisson Penn Harris a few blocks from the river.

 

[phatmanmike]

Re: Harrisburg PA / Susquehanna River

if you go even further south, down past york, down to a lil town called delta, pa, there is a peach bottom atomic power plant.they have a FREE boat launch with a large parking area. from the maryland end of the river, at the connowingo damn, all the way north , about 15- 20 miles, there is a nother damn, forgot the name. anyways...<br /><br />between these two damns, you have a river about 15-20 miles long and about 1-2 miles wide and very deep,around 40 feet in the middle to about 2 at the edges. but its almost 2 miles wide. cause they flooded the area to make the damns, so all the rock hazards are 99% gone.<br /><br />my family has a cabin along this river, the sesquahanaahahaha, however you spell it. <br /><br />its more like a giant lake at this point, cause you cant go past either of the 2 damns. <br />BUT, its less than an hour south from where youll be moving. if you go all the way to the peach bottom atomic power plant, they have a large multi ramp facility that is free and has ample parking.<br /><br />at this point, the river is the boundry between york county and lancaster county. you have many launches on either side of the river.<br /><br />here is a pic of the area i mentioned. between the 2 arrows is about 20 miles of good clean fun. south of this is the bay, and north of these is very rocky.

 

[Sea Six]

Re: Harrisburg PA / Susquehanna River

Who moved the Conowingo Dam south of I95!

 

[rwidman]

Re: Harrisburg PA / Susquehanna River

From:<br /> http://www.harfordbirdclub.org/conowingo.html <br /><br />

 

[Sea Six]

Re: Harrisburg PA / Susquehanna River

That's better!

 

[John_S]

Re: Harrisburg PA / Susquehanna River

I have visited that little city a few times and have liked it. But then, as far as cities go for me, the littler the better. It is famous for small mouth fishing and a number of big muskies have come out of there. I have never boated that area, but from the description given by others, sounds very similiar to the NY part of the river I know, only wider and deeper. Every flood, you need to learn what changed. <br /><br />I am not sure of the water quality down that way, but up here, it is generally muddy and will leave a film on your boat. While there are a number of jet skis, there are few that water ski or swim in the river here. I primarily fish it, and it leaves film on the line as well. Winter time, it does get fairly clear.

 

[phatmanmike]

Re: Harrisburg PA / Susquehanna River

whoops<br /><br />ok<br /><br />so my maps aint EXACT. you get the idea.<br /><br />we pull tubes and ski in the water quite a bit, so does every body else near us. <br /><br />and as for swimming, no problem there, either. i swim in it daily when we stay at the cabin, no worrys.

 

[tomatolord]

Re: Harrisburg PA / Susquehanna River

conowingo is great - water nice and warm and there are large sand bars to park the boat on and camp.<br /><br />You are in the heart of pa, 81 north, 76 east and west<br />Chesapeake a good weekend trip away.<br /><br />There are lots of pond/lake all over some are nor more than fishing lakes some are big enough for a good of boating.<br /><br />Susqy has always been a rocky river so you just have to be careful in the river.<br /><br />hbg is an ok town a little run down in my opinion but you could say that of most of PA (dont live there any more)

 

[speedycoche1]

Re: Harrisburg PA / Susquehanna River

There is another dam above Holtwood Dam. This dam seperates the river into two 'lakes': Lake Clarke and Lake Aldred. Lake Clarke is to the north of the third dam, and Lake aldred is to the south. Most of the area between this third dam and Holtwood Dam (Lake Aldred) is navigable. This section of river is pretty deep with a few trenches reaching over 100 ft deep. There are several camp grounds along this stretch as well... (Pequea on the East side amd Gamler's and Otter Creek on the West side are the ones I am familiar with)... I currently camp in Gamler's and I camped at Otter Creek for several years before moving to Gamler's. Above this dam lies morre navigable waters as well... not quite all the way up to Rt. 465. This section of river is wider and shallower than on the south side of the dam, but depths typically range from 12-20 ft during summer months. Both of these 'lakes' are required to maintain safe boating water levels during the peak season. I have a friend who has a cabin on an island on the north side of the dam as well, and have been boating there most of my life. There is good fishing on either lake if you take the time to learn the river... there is alot of space, so it may take a while to find the good spots... I am just going to be starting to fish the area of the river north of harrisburg this year.<br /><br />Hope this all helps...