Kayakfishing & Camping,
The North Branch of the Susquehanna river


When you were a kid and read the stories of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn, did you imagine yourself floating down a river, fishing and camping along the way?

Well we might not have the mighty Miss here in the Northeast, but we do have the Susquehanna River which starts at Lake Ostego in New York and traverses 444 miles across New York, Pennsylvania and Maryland culminating its journey at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. The Susquehanna is an ancient river that can provide the kayak angler with breathtaking vistas and urban environs all rolled into one, affording the angler a multitude of kayak fishing and camping adventure possibilities.

The kayak fishing and kayak camping really allow the angler to be at a different level with the river and the wildlife that it sustains, including bald eagles, osprey, hawks, great blue herons and countless other species and the kayak is the most effective and efficient platform to fish and camp this river. The angler can with little effort plan and execute a great kayak fishing expedition on the Susquehanna river or their own river at home following some of the brief guidelines and tips that will be laid out in this article.

The kayak is by no means a raft, so considerations need to be taken in regards to its limitations when packing and preparing for such an adventure. This is where the kayak angler will separate himself from Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer, not in the imaginative sense, but in the equipment and provisions needed.

The North branch of the Susquehanna River is a major drainage basin for the region of Northeastern Pennsylvania, consequently throughout the length of this river there are large islands that have been created and these islands have large hardwoods many years old as well as softwoods and weed growth. These islands can provide the kayak camper with many prime areas to set up camp at the end of a long day of fishing.

Kayak camping on a river like the Susquehanna really adds that element of adventure to a weekend of fishing and with some preplanning and the right gear it will make for a comfortable weekend on any river. The basic elements of water, food and shelter come into play, the equipment that is needed is readily available at most outdoor gear retail stores and there is no need to break the bank to get the right equipment for your river adventure.

Water is probably the most important and the heaviest item you will take with you. An angler should have at least one gallon of water a day for drinking and the meals average about eight to ten cups of water each for two anglers. Basically a gallon should provide enough water for two meals. There are many backpacker water filtering systems on the market and they can allow you to filter the river water, but this would only be recommended for cooking water and it should be boiled after its filtered.

The campsite and cooking gear is basic, a lightweight two or three man tent that weighs less then six pounds is perfect and there are many on the market that are very affordable. A forty degree sleeping bag is more then enough to sleep comfortably and again is not an expensive item. Cooking pots come in nested sets of two pots and one frying pan and single burner backpacking stoves with sealed self-contained fuel cells are the way to go in order to avoid any fuel leaks in the kayak.

The menu for an overnight kayak fishing and camping trip could have many variables, but perishable foods are not recommended. Summer heat and various conditions can lead to spoilage and an ice chest would just add unneeded weight to the kayak. A favorite riverside lunch is chicken wraps, basic ingredients like pre-cooked rice packs, fresh onion, fresh green or red pepper and one can of chicken heated in a pot and then wrapped in tortillas is perfectly simple and easy. Fresh fish lunch can be prepared with dry breading mix and oil in a pan as well. Prepackaged foods offer a great variety for menu options and little, but need water to prepare. Food and menus are very subjective so that will be left to the individual kayak angler.

For all the Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer fans, a trip like this is fun and easy to do with good preplanning and preparation. We hope that this article will help you in your quest for a kayak fishing and camping adventure and we will not even ask you to paint our fence for the information. Tight lines and safe paddling.

Capt. Dan Hubbard