FISHING REPORT JULY 30, 2010

Chub Hornstein with Conneaut Lake bass

Lake ErieWhen conditions allowed, walleyes were hitting in 65 to 75 feet of water along most of the Pennsylvania shoreline, from the Ohio line to Northeast. Perch were spotty, with the better catches in 55 to 60 feet out of Walnut Creek and the point of the peninsula. The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission weighed a 1-pound 9-ounce perch this week. Dave Bittinger of Apollo caught a 38 ¾-inch, 25 ½-pound lake trout with 25 ½-inch girth fishing with charter captain Dick Torrelli in 102 feet.Pymatuning Reservoir (Crawford County)Crappies remained unusually active, with fish coming on small jigs off brushpiles in about 14 feet. Largemouth bass were hitting in the weedbeds. The walleye bite has slowed, with just an occasional fish reported by anglers trolling plugs or crawler harnesses. Channel catfish were hitting. Conneaut Lake (Crawford County)A good largemouth bass bite was reported in recent days on a variety of lures, from topwaters to drop-shot rigs. One bass angler released a bowfin. Chub Hornstein released 12 to 16 largemouths and two smallmouth bass over three hours by swimming a 4-inch soft plastic bait along weed lines. He caught some nice crappies on a 1-inch soft plastic minnow. FLW pro Dave Lefebre of Union City caught largemouth bass, including a couple of 4-plus-pounders by skipping under pontoon boats, and a 6-pounder on a mid-lake hump Sunday afternoon. Tamarack Lake (Crawford County)An evening crappie bite was reported, with small minnows the ticket. Woodcock Lake (Crawford County)Crappies were reported around habitat with a combination of rocks and weeds. Canadohta Lake (Crawford County)Some northern pike were reported on golden shiners, spinnerbaits and spoons with soft plastic trailers. Largemouth bass were hitting at night with anglers doing best on surface baits. French Creek (Crawford, Venango counties)A few anglers were catching smallmouth bass on soft-shell crayfish from the stream in the Crawford County portion, and bass and walleyes were reported downstream of the confluence with Big Sugar Creek in Venango County. Earlier this week, water was running high and dark. Allegheny River (Venango County)Anglers were catching smallmouth bass up to 18 ½ inches, depending on conditions. Water Monday was chocolate-colored. A 21-inch walleye was reported. Justus Lake (Venango County)Anglers were catching a few largemouth bass in recent days. Shenango Lake (Mercer County)Warm water temperatures sent crappies deeper. An excellent catfish bite was reported.
Lake Wilhelm (Mercer County)A few bass and walleyes and numbers of small panfish were reported. Lake Arthur (Butler County)A fair number of crappies in mixed sizes up to 1 pound were reported. Walleyes were hitting in the evening. A few hybrid stripers were reported. Channel catfish up to 24 inches and largemouth bass were hitting.Allegheny RiverPete Maltese boated a 29-inch walleye below lock 3 Tuesday in slightly high, off-color water. Winners of the Lock Three Bait and Tackle Shop annual multi-species fishing tournament were Mike Shook’s 29- inch carp, Tony Reamer’s 31 ¾-inch flathead catfish, Dean Kestner’s19 ¼-inch smallmouth, and Chuck Connor 19 ¾ inch walleye. The Venture Outdoors Downtown TriAnglers’ better catches off the North Shore Wednesday included a 21-inch channel catfish released by Tom Lippert of Spring Garden, and a 12 ½-inch freshwater drum released by Ella Lipick of Penn Hills. Ohio RiverLee Murray of Cheswick and Chuck Main of Ellwood City won last weekend’s X Series bass tournament sponsored by Ohio-based Vic’s Sporting Center with five smallmouths totaling 9-plus pounds.Monongahela RiverDylan Thomas of West Elizabeth released a 36-pound flathead catfish at 2:30 a.m. Wednesday. Numbers of smallmouth bass were reported. Yougiogheny RiverGood trout fishing was reported by anglers floating from Confluence to Ohiopyle. Numbers of bass were reported elsewhere on the river.Youghiogheny Reservoir (Fayette County)Walleyes were spotty but the bass bite was good in recent days. Deep Creek Lake (Maryland)Dave Jenco of Brownsville and Jim Gwynn of Bentleyville won the walleye division of the annual Fish for Life Tournament to benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society with five walleyes totaling 7 ½-plus pounds. Reuben Johnson of Natrona Heights and Mike Kalafut of Uniontown caught the 3 1/3-pound lunker walleye. The bass division was won by Larry Beckman and Ben Newman, both of Oakland, MD, with four bass totaling almost 13 pounds, including a 4 1/3-pound largemouth that was the tournament lunker. John Richter and Joe Argiro, both of Connellsville, won the miscellaneous division with a 2 ¼-pound chain pickerel.

Darl Black photo

Bigger Cats to Prowl PA Lakes

US Fish and Wildlife Service photo

The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is revising its channel catfish stocking program at 56 lakes. For more, click here: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10206/1075178-358.stm

FISHING REPORT JULY 23, 2010

Lake ErieWhen conditions allowed this week, anglers were finding a better perch bite than in previous weeks, with bigger fish coming in 50 to 60 feet between Elk Creek and Trout Run, and between the lighthouse and the point of the peninsula. Walleyes were a little east of Walnut Creek in 70 to 80 feet, and from the lighthouse to just past the point in 80 to 110 feet. Some walleyes were in 35 to 45 feet, but sizes were smaller and freshwater drum were in the mix. Allegheny River, Allegheny Reservoir (Warren County)An excellent trout bite was reported with big browns coming on crankbaits from the tailwaters of the Kinzua Dam to Glade Bridge. The river also was yielding a few muskies, including a 50-incher, and some keeper walleyes in deeper water near Starbrick. The walleye bite in the reservoir slowed, but northern pike were hitting in Roper Hollow. Smallmouth bass were reported in the reservoir and the Conewango River.
Chautauqua Lake (New York)Good bites were reported this week on largemouth bass and walleyes. Pymatuning Lake (Crawford County)Hot weather spurred muskie action, with John Bresman of Jamestown catching four muskies in three trips to the lake. One of the better crappie bites in recent years continued, with catches coming in 7 to 8 feet on the deep edge of weed beds. The better numbers and sizes were on drop-offs in 14 to 18 feet, with small jigs taking most fish. Walleye fishing was slow with a few keepers coming on plugs. Channel cats continued hitting. Tamarack Lake (Crawford County)Nice yields of crappies, perch and bluegills were reported by evening anglers. Hand-tied ants tipped with maggots and suspended below bobbers were the ticket.Woodcock Lake (Crawford County)Walleyes were hitting on leeches and large minnows in 31 to 35 feet near the dam.Canadohta Lake (Crawford County)This natural lake was yielding northern pike on spinner baits and walleyes on live bait rigs around the deep edge of weed lines.French Creek (Venango County)Walleyes up to 23 inches and several smallmouth bass were reported near Franklin in recent days. Water was low from lack of rainfall.Allegheny River (Venango County)Chuck Sari and his son Kevin released two muskies, 44 and 32 inches, near Franklin last Sunday morning, with Kevin catching the bigger fish. They also caught three nice-size smallmouth bass. Night-time fishing for flathead catfish also has been productive. Oil Creek (Venango County)Smallmouth bass were hitting, with some anglers using hellgrammites from the stream for bait. Allegheny River (Armstrong County)Ryan Shepard caught a 52-inch 35-pound muskie in recent weeks. Lake Arthur (Butler County)Bob Sarnese of Prospect caught a 2 ½ pound crappie and Bruce Finke of Prospect a 2-pound 3-ounce crappie Saturday. They were the largest of half a dozen nice-size crappies the men caught. Jeramy Genaway of Cranberry caught a 5-pound 5-ounce largemouth bass last Friday.Allegheny RiverFishing was generally slow in low, warm conditions. A few anglers were out in the early morning and evening hours. Monongahela River Kevin McClain of Fairmont WVA and Steve Richards of Rock Creek, WVA won last Saturday’s Keystone Bass Buddy Circuit tournament out of Ten Mile Park, with a 6-fish limit totaling 10 ½ pounds. Richards also caught the tournament lunker, a 5-pound largemouth bass. In all, 90 two-person teams caught 326 fish weighing 389 ½ pounds. They included 202 smallmouths, 112 largemouths, 12 spotted bass. A total of 27 limits were taken. Ohio RiverBill Williams of Toronto, Ohio won last Saturday’s Chester-Newell Catfish Tournament with a flathead measuring 37 ½ inches. The next tournament is July 31. For more, call 304-387-3892. Youghiogheny Reservoir (Fayette County)A group of anglers caught 12 bluegills averaging 8 inches, four crappies about 12 inches, six perch about 11 inches, and a 20-inch channel catfish.

Gun Sales Net Windfall for Game Commission

photo courtesy of PA Game Commission

Fish Commission Seeks Angler Access

Deborah Weisberg photo of Little Juniata River

The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is eager to buy fishing access on rivers and streams in Blair and Huntingdon counties. It is specifically seeking easement agreements with private landowners on the Little Juniata River, Juniata River, and Frankstown Branch of the Juniata River to protect the public’s right to access those waterways to fish. The fish and boat commission was one of three state agencies that successfully sued Donny Beaver and the Spring Ridge Club over their efforts to prevent anglers from fishing the Little Juniata. For more on the easement program, landowners should call the commission’s Jackie Kramer at 717-705-7845 or visit http://www.fishandboat.com/

Trophy Muskie Boated on Allegheny

Ryan Shepard holds the 52-inch, 35-pound muskie he recently boated on the Allegheny River.

FISHING REPORT

Lake Erie The walleye bite was good this week, with numbers of 8- to 10-pound fish reported. Brian Ruland of Erie did well in 77 feet off the point of the peninsula, while 65 to 70 feet was a productive depth for most anglers. The first trench also provided good yields for boaters out of Walnut. The perch bite was slower this week, with some fish coming in 55 to 60 feet. Alexander Barwin caught a 9-pound 1-ounce, 24 ½-inch brown trout last weekend.Allegheny River/Allegheny Reservoir (Warren County)Walleyes and bass were hitting in the lake and river this week. The river was yielding brown and rainbow trout, 16 to 24 inches. Northern pike, perch, and white bass were reported in the lake, and a few muskies were released in the river. Pymatuning Lake (Crawford County)
Crappies continued hitting off brush piles, stump fields and other deep structure during the day and moved shallower at dusk. Anglers were catching them on minnows under bobbers along the Epsyville/Andover Causeway. The walleye bite continued in mixed sizes and numbers. Anglers were drifting jigs tipped with crawlers or trolling crawler harnesses depending on how much wind there was. Crawford County angler Chelsey Gault caught a 48-inch muskie on live bait, and another local angler Johnny Bressman caught a 45-inch muskie on a Grandma lure. Perch and channel catfish also were reported.Conneaut Lake (Crawford County)
Anglers caught nice numbers of bluegills and crappies on the outside edge of weed beds and in deeper water. Tamarack Lake (Crawford County) Evening panfish action was reported but the muskie bite was slow in recent days. Woodcock Creek Lake (Crawford County)
A few walleyes were reported on leeches in deeper water. Some nice smallmouth bass were caught in recent days. Taylor Zarewicz, 15, caught a 36-inch muskie on a watermelon tube. He and his father Tom Zarewicz caught 8 smallmouth bass, including a 4-pounder. Canadohta Lake (Crawford County) Walleyes were hitting after dark along deep weed lines, with anglers casting perch-colored crankbaits over weed beds. A few northern pike and muskies were reported. A dead 51-inch muskie was found floating in the water with a deep gash on its side from a boat propeller. French Creek (Crawford, Venango counties) Small-size smallmouth bass were reported, along with spotty evening walleye action in the Venango County section of the creek. Canoe and kayak traffic has been heavy. Allegheny River (Venango County)Anglers reported smallmouth bass in mixed sizes up to 19 inches on Jitterbugs near riffles. Kahle Lake (Venango County)A draw-down for dam repairs makes boat-launching from a trailer almost impossible.
Oil Creek (Venango County)The trout bite is over in high water temperatures, but anglers were catching bass on crankbaits and spinners.Lake Wilhelm (Mercer County)Chester and Brian Harsh of Sheakleyville caught four nice walleyes up to 24 inches this week. Other anglers also reported walleyes over 20 inches on Hot n Tots in 8 to 12 feet. Numbers of largemouth bass were hitting. Panfishing was productive, but sizes were running small. Lake Arthur (Butler County)Bob Jesteadt of Prospect caught 8 crappies over 1-pound each near the 528 bridge Sunday. His largest was 2 pounds 7 ounces, 17-inches. Night-time hybrid striper action appeared to peak with this week’s hot temperatures. One angler caught a 14-pounder. Evening walleye action was decent with fish up to 24 inches reported.Allegheny RiverCatfish were hitting, with Gary Cahill of Tarentum earning a junior citation for a 16-pound 8-ounce flathead he landed on a sucker at Highland Park, Saturday. Smallmouth bass were hitting. Ohio RiverThe few anglers fishing in the heat reported average-size smallmouth bass, saugers, and walleyes.
Youghiogheny RiverGood trout fishing was reported in recent days, following last week’s stocking.Youghiogheny Lake (Fayette County)Anglers were catching nice smallnouths. Highpoint Lake (Somerset County)Logan Creighton of Farmington reported smallmouth bass up to 3 pounds. Other anglers reported bass and northern pike.Deep Creek Lake (Maryland)Jumbo perch, slab bluegills and average-size walleyes were reported.

Anti-Poaching Bill Passes with Disclaimers

Governor Ed Rendell signed a new bill into law aimed at curbing wildlife poachers, effective Sept. 7. It took state lawmakers three years to pass the measure, which was amended at the last minute to protect gun rights. So when is a felon not a felon? For the story, visit http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10192/1071819-358.stm

Mercury Rising in Erie Walleyes

Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission photo

Despite great catches like these, Lake Erie walleyes are showing increasing concentrations of mercury. For the story, visit http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10185/1070323-358.stm

Mon River in Major Danger

Dave Myers of Carmichaels with a Mon River muskie.

American Rivers recently named the Monongahela River one of the 10 most endangered waterways in the US because of impacts from Marcellus shale natural gas drilling. Read the story at http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10157/1063526-358.stm

FISHING REPORT

Lake ErieHot weather slowed the walleye and perch bites, making limits spotty. The best bet for perch was 55 to 60 feet out of Walnut Creek. The best numbers and sizes on walleyes were in 65 to 70 feet in the first trench, although anglers were catching smaller ones in 26 to 34 feet. Some anglers were running clear down to the Ohio line in shallower water, but it’s a long haul. Allegheny River (Warren County)Anglers were catching walleyes. Terry Schrader of Warren caught a 5-pound 3-ouncer in the tailrace Monday night. Trout up to 20 inches were hitting, although recently planted rainbow fingerlings were winding up on hooks, too. Allegheny Reservoir (Warren County)Gary Wert of Warren and friends caught two 18-inch walleyes and six northern pike, including two 25-inchers, jigging golden shiners in 20 to 25 feet in Willow Bay. An angler caught a 7 ½-pound walleye trolling a crawler harness Sunday morning. A Disabled Veterans Association open walleye tournament is scheduled for this weekend. For more, call 814-726-7475. Pymatuning Reservoir (Crawford County)Walleyes were hitting on Hot-n-Tots, and crappies were reported in 10 to 18 feet around cover. Walleye anglers were also catching channel catfish. A 44-inch muskie was released last weekend. Conneaut Lake (Crawford County) Gail Peterson of Meadville and Larry McNulty caught a few smallmouth bass on topwaters at first light, and then picked up about 20 largemouth bass outside the deep weed edge on a 4-inch Zoom Centipede on this glacial lake last weekend. Canadohta Lake (Crawford County)This smaller natural lake was yielding panfish, especially bluegills, in recent days. French Creek (Crawford County)A very slow smallmouth bass bite was reported last weekend.
Woodcock Lake (Crawford County) Bluegills were one of the best bets last weekend, with small fatheads, maggots and crawlers working.Pennsylvania State Gamelands Pond No. 69 (Crawford County)Nice catches of bluegills were reported on this pond near Black Ash last weekend. Oil Creek (Crawford County) Bill Logan of Titusville caught five nice rainbow trout on flies north of Titusville last week, before hot weather kicked in. Hatches included Blue-winged olive, tricos and midges.
While smaller streams with canopies such as Little Sugar, Upper Two Mile, Pithole and East Branch of Caldwell may fish better in summer, anglers were advised trout are highly stressed in warm conditions and should not be targeted. Allegheny River (Venango County) A nice evening walleye bite was reported on crawler harnesses, and smallmouth bass were hitting Tiny Torpedoes. Erica Perry, 11, released a 42-inch muskie while fishing with her father Brian Perry. John Conroy of Canonsburg caught smallmouth bass on chubs, shiners drifted under bobbers, and tubes below Franklin. Other anglers reported a good smallmouth bite last weekend, despite high boating pressure. Justus Lake (Venango County) A 36-inch muskie was caught on a golden shiner last weekend. Numbers of largemouth bass---average-size at best---also were reported. Lake Wilhelm (Mercer County)An early morning bass bite was reported by the few anglers fishing in this week’s muggy heat. Allegheny RiverJoey Kieler caught two flathead catfish, 41 and 38 inches, last weekend. The Venture Outdoors’ Downtown TriAnglers reported a variety of releases from the North Shore, including Bob Miller of Moon Township’s 19 ½-inch channel catfish.Ohio RiverNumbers of carp and catfish were hitting along Emsworth lock wall. Anglers also were catching nice smallmouth bass along the riprap on Neville Island’s back channel.Monongahela RiverCatfish and smallmouths were reported, although hot weather kept angling pressure low. Amanda Floriolli leads the Shad Lure Bait and Tackle July catfish contest with a 5-pound flathead caught July 10. One angler limited out on walleyes at Maxwell lock and dam last weekend.Highpoint Lake (Somerset County)A few nice catches of bass were reported at this mountaintop impoundment.Youghiogheny Reservoir (Fayette County)Anglers reported smallmouth bass up to 18 inches, crappies up to 15 inches, and bluegills up to 9 inches with water temperatures cooler on the Pennsylvania side of the lake. Spring Creek (Centre County)Good fishing was reported in clear, close-to-normal flows on this limestoner yesterday along with tricos, caddisflies, terrestrials and midges.