Northwest Pennsylvania Fishing Report - May 9th, 2013

Posted on Thu, 09 May 2013

Presque Isle Bay (Erie County)

An excellent bite was reported in late April, with perch, including a number of limits, and two burbot (freshwater cod) hitting off the North Pier. The South Pier also yielded some limits of perch between 9 and 15 inches, with minnows on perch rigs productive. Perch also were reported in 8 feet of water between the second and third parking lots on the peninsula and around the Yacht Club. Crappies were biting in Marina Lake and sections of the lagoons, including by the boat livery. One angler kept 23 nice crappies off the state park marina docks, fishing at night. (The docks closed to fishing at the end of April.) Northern pike were reported in the lagoons and Misery Bay. Bass fishing was picking up, with numbers of largemouth bass up to 4 pounds released on crankbaits. One angler caught a 14-pound northern on a fluke.

Erie tributaries

A few steelhead were still in the creeks, particularly in Elk and Walnut, but few anglers were targeting them. Smallmouth bass and a couple of big catfish also were reported in the lower part of Elk. Four Mile Creek on the east side was yielding trout up to 13 inches on minnows in low clear water in late April. Trout also were coming on crawlers floated off the bottom of Six Mile Creek, and on Seven Mile, were trout were reported up to 14 inches.

French Creek (Crawford County)

Anglers in late April released a few smallmouth bass, 10 to 13 inches, in high, dirty water, on soft plastic finesse baits.

Pymatuning Reservoir (Crawford County)

A hot north end crappie bite petered out in late April, with fish moving from pad stems to wood cover. Some crappies were still reported around the islands and the mouth of Stewart’s Bay. Perch up to 13 inches were reported, mostly on crawlers and some on minnows, near the rocks at the spillway, Bridge 20, and Wilson, Padanaram and the causeway, all on the north end. Some anglers were turning to post-spawn walleyes, although the bite was sporadic. Orchard access area was yielding walleyes in the evenings, with crankbaits the ticket, although bucktail jigs and minnows also were productive. Shore anglers did well at Snodgrass and Birch’s landing. One walleye measured almost 26 inches in a local tournament. Walleye anglers were inadvertently landing smallmouth bass up to 19-plus inches. Shore anglers targeting walleyes and crappies reported a couple of muskies up to 48 inches.

Conneaut Lake (Crawford County)

Anglers fishing the east side on a windy day released about a dozen small largemouth bass, 20 small northern pike on jerkbaits and a 36-inch muskie.

Oil Creek (Crawford County)

The outflow of Canadohta Lake was yielding trout, including browns up to 6 pounds, in recent weeks.

Piney Dam (Clarion County)

Yellow perch and crappies were reported on minnows and crawlers. Trout were hitting at the mouths of Mill Creek and Cathers Run.

Kahle Lake (Clarion County)

Bluegills and crappies were hitting on jigs tipped with maggots or minnows.

Allegheny River (Clarion County)

Northern pike were reported at the mouth of Redbank Creek on minnows, large spinners or spoons.

Allegheny River (Forest County)

Yellow perch were reported near the sand and gravel boat launch in Tionesta, and boaters were catching northern pike from boats in Tionesta.

Sandy Creek (Mercer County)

Trout up to 20-plus inches were reported in recent weeks.

Shenango River (Mercer County)

Crappies were hitting in the backwater around Big Bend. White bass were running up the Pymatuning Creek arm of the lake to Orangeville.

Lake Wilhelm (Mercer County)

Shore anglers were catching crappies off Sheakleyville Bridge, at Launch No. 3 and in the little bay at Launch No. 4, with ice jigs and ants tipped with maggots and wax worms productive.

Buhl Park Lake (Mercer County)

This newly-restored impoundment drew numbers of anglers targeting recently-stocked trout. The Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission will stock warm-water species this summer.

Allegheny River (Venango County) 

Anglers were landing smallmouth bass on shad rap crankbaits at the grass line in high water in late April. Flukes were less productive. Bass up to 3 to 4 pounds also were reported on creature baits in about 12 feet of water. 

North Central Pennsylvania Fishing Report - May 9thth, 2013

Posted on Thu, 09 May 2013

Fishing Creek (Clinton County)

Normal spring flows were reported by TCO Fly Shop April 26. Water had a greenish tint and was in the 40s to 50s. Grannoms (14-16), Hendricksons (14) and midges (black, cream, 24) were providing some dry fly action. Early Brown Stoneflies also were hatching. Nymphing with small caddis patterns was productive; Blue-Winged Olives (18-24) and midges were the best bets.

Spring Creek (Centre County)

Clear, good spring conditions were reported by Fly Fisherman’s Paradise April 24. Blue-Winged Olive hatches were over and Caddis, Craneflies and Sulphurs hadn’t begun in any real measure. Nymphing was the best bet, with olive scuds and sowbugs in larger patterns (12-16) the top producers. Walt’s Worms and dark sulphur nymphs also were productive.

Penns Creek (Mifflin County)

Good conditions were reported April. Grannoms were hatching, although Fly Fisherman’s Paradise said trout feeding on top were generally small. Streamers, beadhead nymphs and other subsurface flies were taking trout. Recommended surface flies were light Hendricksons (12-14), and Mottled Brown Caddis. The best subsurface producers were dark Sulphur nymphs (12-14), Peacock and Partridge (14), Leadwing Coachman (14), Perla Stone Nymph (6-10), ad Beadhead Walt’s Worms (12-16).

Northeast Pennsylvania Fishing Report - May 9th, 2013

Posted on Thu, 09 May 2013

Mauch Chunk, Nesquehoning creeks (Carbon County)

Decent fishing pressure was reported throughout April, with trout hitting on minnows, mealworms, and green paste bait.

Mauch Chunk, Beltzville lakes (Carbon County) — Beltzville was yielding releases of striped bass in the upper reaches of the Pohopoco Creek bay area. On Mauch Chunk, the best time to fish off the fishing pier was early morning and evening, with bluegills, perch and releases of bass reported on crawlers and minnows. The cove by the dam was yielding releases of bass and pickerel on minnows and leeches, while the second boat ramp was producing catfish and perch.

Maple Lake (Lackawanna County)

Some panfish action was reported at the end of April.

Hidden, Loch Lomond lakes (Pike, Monroe counties)

Trout were hitting paste bait fished off the bottom in recent weeks.

Lackawaxen River (Pike County)

American shad were reported as conditions allowed.

Shohola Lake (Pike County)

Nice releases of pickerel and bass were reported at the end of April.

Fairview Lake (Pike County)

Trout and walleye were reported.

Susquehanna River (Wyoming County)

Channel catfish were hitting standard baits, including cut bait from suckers.

Southwest Pennsylvania Fishing Report - May 9th, 2013

Posted on Thu, 09 May 2013

Yellow Creek Lake (Indiana County)

Boat docks have been installed, bringing numbers of boaters to the lake in recent weeks. Crappies and northern pike were reported.

Keystone Lake (Indiana County)

Crappies and some smaller muskies were reported in recent weeks.

Dunlap Creek Lake (Fayette County)

Nice-size crappies were reported in recent weeks.

Donegal Lake (Westmoreland County)

An angler caught an 8-pound rainbow trout trolling a crankbait in recent weeks.

Monongahela River

The Point Marion area was producing freshwater drum and channel catfish in recent weeks.

Whiteley Creek (Greene County)

Paste baits and small wax worms under bobbers were taking trout after the season opener.

Lake Wilma (Greene County)

Trout were hitting spinners and baits under bobbers in recent weeks, with fish holding in 5 to 6 feet near the shorelines. Black and white crappies and bluegills also were hitting along the shores, with live baits under bobbers productive.

Enlow Fork, Templeton Fork (Greene County)

Trout were hitting mealworms, wax worms, and paste bait at the start of the season.

Wheeling Creek Forks (Greene County)

Paste baits were the ticket for trout on opening day weekend at this Ryerson Station State Park fishery.

Browns Creek, Ten Mile Creek (Washington County)

High angler turnout was reported at the start of trout season, with paste baits the top producer and redworms the next-best choice.

Buffalo, Cowanshannock creeks (Armstrong County)

Trout were hitting minnows through the end of April.

Crooked Creek Lake (Armstrong County)

Crappies up to 10 inches were hitting at the outflow.

Allegheny River (Armstrong County)

Smallmouth bass were released at the locks through the end of April.

Brady’s Run, Raccoon lakes (Beaver County)

Trout were reported on paste baits and trout magnets tipped with maggots through the end of April.

North Fork of the Little Beaver Creek (Beaver County)

Anglers were catching trout by drifting minnows and inline spinners.

Beaver River (Beaver County)

Nice crappies up to 12 inches were reported, along with two muskies over 40 inches near Townsend Dam.

South Central Pennsylvania Fishing Report - May 9th, 2013

Posted on Thu, 09 May 2013

Octararo Lake (Lancaster County)

Excellent largemouth bass releases were reported at the end of April, with jig and pigs and Texas-rigged creature baits producing before 10 or 11 a.m., and chartreuse and white or plain white spinnerbaits with tandem blade or double willow-leaf blade after 11 a.m. Jim Neary, of Neary’s Bait and Tackle, reported a fantastic white perch bite, with fish hitting little chunks of crawlers or small crankbaits along the rocks. The crappies hadn’t turned on as of April 27. Some citation-size crappies were reported, but the numbers weren’t there. The covered bridge was yielding walleyes up to 24½ inches. The catfish bite was improving by the day, with channels up to 13 pounds, 5 ounces reported. Green crawlers were productive.

Susquehanna River (York County)

Muddy water and floating wood kept boaters off the water at the end of April, but some anglers were catching walleyes.

Southeast Pennsylvania Fishing Report - May 9th, 2013

Posted on Thu, 09 May 2013

Marsh Creek Lake (Chester County)

A good muskie bite was reported at the end of April, with bass anglers complaining that muskies were hitting the bass as they were reeling them into their boats. Bluegills were hitting mealworms and waxworms and minnows and small jigs in recent weeks. Crappies were reported at Little Conestoga Bridge on similar tackle, with large black, purple, dark green, and pumpkin-seed color soft plastic crawlers also productive.

Schuylkill River (Chester County)

Bass and catfish were released on minnows, crawlers and liver in recent weeks.

Struble Reservoir (Chester County)

Nice numbers and sizes of crappies were reported in recent weeks, with shore anglers doing well fishing 3 to 4 feet under pencil bobbers.

Lehigh River

Trout and smallmouth bass were released through the end of April. ­

Little Lehigh River (Lehigh County)

Weekly trout stockings kept the action going through the end of April, with anglers releasing rainbows up to 19 inches and browns up to 24 inches on minnows, crawlers, mealworms, red worms, butter worms and minnows.

Jordan Creek (Lehigh County)

Reports were mixed at the start of trout season, with spinners producing golden rainbows up to 22 inches and 6-plus pounds. The Upper Jordan yielded a 23-inch brown trout in recent weeks. Some anglers did well on crankbaits.

Ontelaunee Creek (Lehigh County)

Small baits and light tackle were taking trout in less-than-ideal conditions at the start of the season. Numbers of nice-size trout were reported on redworms, butterworms, paste baits, mealworms and other baits in recent weeks. Fly-anglers observed baetis hatches in the afternoons and midges throughout the day. There was some caddis activity. Attractor patterns such as San Juan worms were productive on the bottom.

Blue Marsh Lake (Berks County)

Bass were released in recent weeks, and crappies, 9 to 12 inches, were reported on small twister tails.

Delaware River (Delaware County)

Striped bass were starting to show up at the end of April.