I recall tales of river sturgeon up to 7' long in the Allegheny, but they were few and far between and may have been eradicated by the poor water quality that existed several decades ago.
They water certainly HAS improved over the last 30 years, I can remember when the Monongahela ran orange with pollution: it produced quite a color contrast when it merged with the Allegheny at the Point.
A buddy of mine claims that some people are actually catching trout out of the Ohio, down below the Emsworth Dam. It was near the mouths of some of the feeder creeks, but in the Ohio river proper, nonetheless. Needless to say, I'm still somewhat skeptical over that fish tale. Trout don't like water pollution AT ALL, no-siree-bub!
Getting back to the Susquehanna, I'm not sure where these catfish are coming from, but I hope they don't interfere with the return of the shad. Migratory shad had been somewhat controversial in that watershed because their return upstream had been blocked by a hydroelectric dam. I believe that confict was resolved by building a fish "elevator" to help the shad get back upstream. I'm sure there are still extremists on both sides of the issue who are still malcontent with the compromise. But as an engineer who likes both fishing and hydropower, it seems like a good solution to me!
It IS hard to believe but apparently true. In fact there are stories of trout above the Emsworth dam, even in the channel between Brunot's Island and the South Shore!
The thing I find impossible to believe and yet every summer I hear more about it is gamefish in Chartiers Creek (sewer). I live about a half mile away near the old Crafton Golf course - The Tabletop - and walk a trail alongside the creek several times a year. It still stinks like a sewer but I often find ducks, geese, swans and cranes in the water. And minnows are there although not in the numbers as when I grew up in the 50's and 60's.
I guess if all that is there, gamefish are probably around too.
There was a Maggie May's Creek House under the Thornburg bridge for several years (still there but different name and owner). They were right alongside CHartiers creek and had a sign advertising "Cartch O' the Day". I don't think ANYONE EVER took 'em up on it, hehehehe!
prisoner6
Sulfur.
The next day we gathered at the site of the original escapade and proceeded to bury the remaining evidence on a promontory just overlooking the rivers and took careful calculations of its important geological features so that in a few weeks or so when the "heat" was off we might go back and replace the contraband in the recess of the shack where we found it.
Alas, our reckoning proved ever faulty and, try as we might, not a single one of us could ever find the remaining 18 sticks of dynamite which has long since deteriorated to a rather rudimentary form of nitroglycerin.
I fully expect to read someday of a massive rockslide; such is the folly of youth.
Sturgeon in Michigan are huge. Heard about a family's poodle being gobbled up by one when playing the lake. Kinda like fresh water sharks.