Why is the Monongahela (Mon) River So Bad?

[goosejetski]

I have lived in Morgantown, West Virginia for the last 9 years and have fished locally the whole time. The Mon is a large, slow moving river that runs through a portion of West Virginia and Pennsylvannia into the Ohio in Pittsburgh. I have fished the Mon on boat for about 4 years now. It is by far the worst place I have ever fished, and this is depressing because it loos like t should be good and is very close to where I live. I have caught one bass, a smallmouth over 14 inches in the four years I have fished it. Most days you will not even get a single bite. The only fish that I catch out of the river are six inch spotted bass.  I have also spent many days trying to catch carp and catfish with little to no luck. You can not even catch a fish floating a worm. I am writing to ask if anyone else has had the same experience I have had and if anyone has any ideas a to why the river is the way it is.

Thanks!

[Deleted account]

Heavy metals, endocrine disruptors, and other "niceties" in the water.

 

[goosejetski]

Yes, I would assume something like this could cause problems.

[galyonj]

Might be some of the stench of failure from PNC Park washing downriver, too.

[TnRiver46]

Check out some old reports on here from @everythingthatswims. I feel like he slayed fish not so long ago there of all species. Big ones too, but he’s got mad skills 

[goosejetski]

29 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Check out some old reports on here from @everythingthatswims. I feel like he slayed fish not so long ago there of all species. Big ones too, but he’s got mad skills 

Thank you

[WVU-SCPA]

I would hit up the warm water by the poop plant under the star city bridge and chase carp with the fly rod all winter.

 

I'm sure other species stack up there but I was more into chasing trout with the fly rod at the time.

[Bird]

What about Cheat lake or Tygart?

[goosejetski]

On 5/20/2021 at 4:01 PM, Bird said:

What about Cheat lake or Tygart?

Bad

 

[Beam1080]

I have caught 31 walleye and 54 smallmouth bass this year from the Mon. It’s been nonstop action all Spring. The fish are there. Maybe you need to adjust your technique. Average Walleye is 2.7 pounds. And bass is 2.2. So lots of good sized fish too.  

[TnRiver46]

20 hours ago, Beam1080 said:

I have caught 31 walleye and 54 smallmouth bass this year from the Mon. It’s been nonstop action all Spring. The fish are there. Maybe you need to adjust your technique. Average Walleye is 2.7 pounds. And bass is 2.2. So lots of good sized fish too.  

[cyclops2]

W here is Knoxville, Tenn. located in West Virginia ?

[TnRiver46]

2 hours ago, cyclops2 said:

W here is Knoxville, Tenn. located in West Virginia ?

I was quoting another post, I’ve never been there 

[goosejetski]

On 5/3/2022 at 1:39 AM, Beam1080 said:

I have caught 31 walleye and 54 smallmouth bass this year from the Mon. It’s been nonstop action all Spring. The fish are there. Maybe you need to adjust your technique. Average Walleye is 2.7 pounds. And bass is 2.2. So lots of good sized fish too.  

Where at do you fish it? I have luck at the locks around Morgantown with live shiners for walleye (check my profile picture) And also this past summer I caught some pretty good smallmouth all aound two pounds. However the Morgantown pool I fish is well below average, I think it is getting better. Also if you check the stocking lists for WV and PA the river hasn't been stocked with anything since around 2009.

[the_g_baugh]

On 5/3/2022 at 1:39 AM, Beam1080 said:

I have caught 31 walleye and 54 smallmouth bass this year from the Mon. It’s been nonstop action all Spring. The fish are there. Maybe you need to adjust your technique. Average Walleye is 2.7 pounds. And bass is 2.2. So lots of good sized fish too.  

Do you have the weights of all of the smallmouth???? ❤️