May 7, 2015

Octararo Lake (Lancaster County) —Jim Neary’s Bait & Tackle reported April 26 that wild fluctuations in water temperatures made for inconsistent bites on crappie and white perch. Bass releases were good to excellent on chatterbaits and white spinnerbaits along rip-rap near Route 472. If near shore, jigs and pigs in green pumpkin and black and

Mauch Chunk, Pohopoco creeks, Lehigh Canal (Carbon County) — Limits of trout were reported on minnows, salmon eggs, crawlers, and meal worms on opening day. Buckwa and Aquashicola creeks were less productive, according to some anglers.  Princess Run (Monroe County) — Nice catches of trout were reported on meal worms, crawlers, minnows and salmon eggs

Little Juniata River (Huntingdon County) — Water was high but dropping and also clearing and in the upper 40s April 26. TCO Fly Shop advised fishing the banks and watching for Grannoms (14-16) as conditions allowed. Nymphing and subsurface flies were productive, along with emerging Caddis patterns. Hatches also included tiny Blue-Winged Olives (20-22) and

Hills Creek, Hammond, Hamilton lakes (Tioga County) — Panfish action was heating up, with anglers catching crappies and perch on live minnows, redworms, and crawlers on all three lakes. Water temperatures were around 50 degrees on April 22. Bass and pickerel were also starting to hit, with bass weighing up to 3 pounds and some

High Point Lake (Somerset County) — The crappie bite had turned on by the end of April and northern pike and bass also were reported. Lake Somerset (Somerset County) — Crappies and yellow perch were reported through late April. Northmoreland, Donegal, Mam­moth, upper and lower Twin lakes (Westmoreland County) — Nice opening day catches of

Lake Erie — Some lingering ice as of April 20 put the kibosh on boating, although the marina at North East was ice free and yielding a few steelhead and brown trout. Lake trout fishing typically heats up when lake temperatures reach about 42 degrees.  Presque Isle Bay (Erie County) — Water was about 42