The Susquehanna River is the longest river on the East Coast, stretching 444 miles from Otsego Lake in New York through Pennsylvania and into Maryland where it empties into the Chesapeake Bay. This ancient waterway, considered older than the Appalachian Mountains, supports a diverse and thriving fishery. With its rocky, shallow character (often described as a mile wide and a foot deep), the river features numerous islands, pools, and ledges that create ideal habitats for various fish species. After suffering a well-documented decline in smallmouth bass populations in 2005, the river has made a remarkable recovery, with many anglers claiming the fishing is now better than it's been in decades.