YOUGHIOGHENY RIVER- A Smallmouth Bass Wader's Delight by Darl Black photos by the author T 38 he Youghiogheny River was the one remaining Pennsylvania Smallmouth Bass water on my bucket list until last summer when Smallmouth Bass aficionado Pete Cartwright invited us to come for a day on the river. Marilyn and I grabbed our rods and headed south. As we fished our way across a knee-deep flat towards a slight channel depression, Cartwright provided commentary on the " Yough. " " As a youngster, I fished the tributaries to this river Pennsylvania Angler & Boater for trout. But, when I caught my first Smallmouth Bass at the mouth of one of those tributaries, I immediately forgot about trout, " said Cartwright. For 34 years, Cartwright chased Smallmouth Bass year-round on the Youghiogheny River, eventually establishing Smallies on The Yough Guide Service, licensed by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission's Charter Boat Fishing Guide program. The shallowness of this north-flowing river during the summer is not suitable for prop-driven outboards. Even jet boaters find it difficult to navigate the Youghiogheny River due to many skinny-water riffles that extend shore to shore with no defined channel. This river is suitable for canoes and kayaks; however, only the most experienced paddlers should attempt fishandboat.comhttp://www.fishandboat.com