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Northwest Pennsylvania Weekly Fishing Report 01/30/12
Northwest Pennsylvania Weekly Fishing Report
Reporting date: January 30, 2012
Sponsored by:
PA Great Lakes Region & GAMMA Fishing Line
The informaion in the NW PA Fishing Report is based on the observaions and opinions of individuals at the reporing tackle shops and expert area anglers. The informaion is reliable however it is not independently verified.
If you have current fishing informaion or a picture of your catch from one of the waters in the counies of Crawford, Erie, Mercer or Venango that you would like to share, please send it to Darl Black at darlblack@windstream.net. In providing a picture, you are agreeing to it being posted in the Fishing Report.
The Landing Net
“The winter that wasn’t” or an “Up and Down Winter” or “The No Ice Winter.” It’s the last day of January, and no lake in NW PA has safe ice – which means at least 4 inches of solid blue ice. Temperatures have been up and down — not cold enough long enough to make safe ice that can withstand rain and wind. On Sunday aternoon, January 29, more than half of Tamarack Lake was open water shore-toshore and there was open water between the shoreline and the small ice pack on the south end. Not a
situaion I would go out on, although I saw about six groups of anglers on the island of ice.
However, the silver lining to this strange winter weather is very good steelhead fishing in the Erie tributary streams. Check the reports from Erie County tackle shops on the numbers of fresh steelhead moving into the streams. Advice for the week ahead – get thee to the steelhead streams!
The successful steelhead angler picture here is Adam Kope of New Jersey. Adam and his friend make the trip to Erie several imes each fall through spring to fish for steelhead. — Darl Black
French Creek -- Meandering though Erie, Crawford, Mercer and Venango counies
Darl Black: “The ‘creek crew’ had been catching a few walleye from French Creek on hair jigs and live creek minnows prior to the big rain. However, the rain this past Thursday made fishing on the main flow of French Creek impracical. Fresh snow on Sunday, followed warmer temps and more rain this week will keep the flow high. But the high water opens up other possibiliies in both flooded sloughs and the mouths of tributary streams. When the water gets unreasonably high in the main flow, check out the quiet pocket of eddy water that backs up in tributary streams and sloughs. Crappies, northern pike and big walleyes are possibiliies in these areas on French Creek.” (Filed 1-30-12)
MERCER COUNTY
Shenango Lake
Ken Smith (Sharon), a regular contributor, reports no fishing acion this week on Shenango. “No one is ice fishing – the ice is not safe. I won’t go out on less than 4 inches of ice.” (File 1-28-12)
Marilyn Black (Cochranton): “On my way to Hermitage on Sunday, I stopped by Shenango Lake at Clark to see how things look. The lake was a combinaion of open water and thin ice. I observed one individual making the best of the drawdown and no snow by using a metal detector along the shoreline. He was uncovering coins and fishing lures; certainly more producive than waiing for ice right now.” (Filed 1-29-12)
Neshannock Creek
Bob Shuey (Neshannock Creek Fly Shop): “Neshannock is high and muddy. No fishing for a while. But I wanted to let everyone know about upcoming events. We have Fly Tying Class going on each Tuesday evening; call 724-533-3212 for details. The Annual Pre-Season Trout Stocking is on Saturday, March 3. We will be open every Sunday beginning on March 4. Our Lunker Stocking and Rod Rale is Saturday, March 10; winner need not be present and gets their choice of ANY Orvis Access fly rod. Out Female Anglers Fly Fishing School is on May 5 & 6. Also, I am seeking volunteers age 18 and up to help us floatstock on both March 3 and March 10. (Filed 1-28-12)
VENANGO COUNTY
Allegheny River
Steve Udick (Oil City): “I’ve been out a few imes on the river since the last report. I fished the upper Oil City eddy last week on the warmer days. On Tuesday, I caught a 25-inch northern pike on a silver/black Rapala Husky Jerk and an 18-inch walleye on the new “Helsinki Shad” Shad Rap SR7. I fished again on Thursday, catching another pike and walleye on the same bait. Fish were not big enough to take a photo. I released them all. With the water temp down around 32 degrees, bass have quit hitting my lure presentaion. I have not caught a smallmouth since January 2. Right now the river is high and wild, over 10 feet, as result of Thursday’s rain. No shoreline to fish.” (Filed 1-28-12)
Kahle Lake
Steve Hughes (Clarion): “Buddies and I fished Kahle Lake last weekend. We did real well on crappie and bluegill. But I think we have lost the ice with the warmer weather that moved in.” (Filed 1-27-12)
CRAWFORD COUNTY
Pymatuning
Dave Richter (Richter’s General Store): “They were staring to ice fish last weekend on the Pymatuning, but the warm spell, rain and wind this past week has destroyed the ice. There is more open water than ice right now; I’m actually planning to launch my boat at one of the ramps this evening and fish open water for walleye. A few guys are catching small bluegills in holes drilled from the docks at the Jamestown Marina. Plus a handful of anglers had been catching walleye in the Shenango River immediately below the dam, but the ouflow area is blown out right now with gates open to accommodate the rainfall; there is likely too much current for anyone to fish effecively.” (Filed 1-30-12)
Canadohta Lake
Jerry VanTassel (Timberland Bait): “A week ago on Saturday and Sunday, we were swamped at the tackle store with anglers going ice fishing. They were catching panfish at Canadohta and elsewhere. But then the warmer temps and rain have ruined the ice. We’ve had to postpone our Feb 4 Conneaut Lake Ice Fishing Tournament unil February 25th. Although our Feb 11 Canadohta Ice Fishing Tournament is sill on course, that date may change depending on the ice cover. Remember the shop is only open on weekends and by appointment only during the week. This has been an Up and Down winter!” (Filed 1-30-12)
Tamarack Lake
Chuck Papinchak (Cochranton) “A few of us are sill fishing Tamarack Lake. There’s not quite four inches of ice on the Cochranton end of the lake right near the dam. The panfish bite has not kicked in yet. But we did score a 28” and 24” walleyes on ip-ups, plus a bonus 17” largemouth bass. I heard that someone actually caught a few small walleye in the Tamarack ouflow this week too.”
Sugar Lake
Chuck Papinchak reports one of his acquaintances caught several chain pickerel, a 31” northern pike and five largemouth bass in the 17” range through the ice at Sugar – although the ice is barely over 3”.
Woodcock Creek Lake
Chuck Papinchak verified that anglers were catching small walleye in the spillway secion of Woodcock Creek below Woodcock Dam.
ERIE COUNTY
Presque Isle Bay
Al Nacopoulos (B.A.C. Bait - Erie): “We had a little bit of ice in Marina Lake for a few days before the warm-up and rain. A few of my customers were catching some very nice bluegill in the back corner of Marina Lake. But now edges have melted and it is no longer safe. There is no safe ice anywhere on the Bay right now. Some customers headed out to the North Pier in the channel to fish for burbot this past weekend, but I did not hear if they were successful or not.”
Erie Tributary Streams
Mike Tome (B.A.C. Bait – Fairview): “The tributary streams are the place to be this winter! Elk and Crooked are filled with steelhead! But the fishing pressure is light; I don’t think anglers realize what bonus this mild winter weather is. Come on up! We cannot remember a winter like this: mild weather to keep the water flowing and fresh steelhead moving in weekly. My one buddy was out on Sunday, and he caught 20 steelheads on minnows and skein. Personally, I think that bait – minnows and eggs – are better right now than flies. But the fly fishing crowd has been catching them on our special P-Flash fly. However, with so many fresh fish moving in with the open streams during the winter, I’m wondering what the spring run will be like? Guess we’ll find out. And don’t forget the winter trout stocking at the Gravel Pit on February 2 and Lake Pleasant on February 3.” (Filed 1-30-12)
Jeff Staaf (Poor Richards): “Anglers are catching fish lie crazy in lower end of Walnut and Elk; fresh ones sill moving in. Fish are being taken on minnows, single eggs and skein for the spin-fishermen and Wooly Buggers, Sucker Spawn and Blood Dots for the fly fishermen. It’s been mild for days, then cold this morning with snow…but warming on Tuesday with no rain. Not enough snow pack to worry about run-off making this too muddy, so things could really be hopping this week for several days as long as any rain isn’t too heavy.” (Filed 1-30-12)
Ernie Pate (Butler): “I went steelhead fishing last week on upper Elk Creek. I’m no the most knowledgeable steelheader so I relied on my buddy Rob Singer—and he came through for us. We caught 6 steelhead that day, mostly on live minnows. Here are pictures of two I caught..”
GAMMA REPORT
From across the state, Susquehanna River guide, tackle shop owner and outdoor writer Ken Maurer says “Gamma Line rocks. Here are two clients with muskies caught on 17-pound Gamma. Gamma line is my favorite line and it has become our top seller in the shop. We go through a lot of bulk spools on the line winder simply because guys ask me what I use. Once they try it, they are hooked. I use the 6-pound copolymer for all finesse fishing, 12-pound for crankbaits, and 17-pound for spinnerbaits. We carry the clear copolymer in 4-pound through 20-pound in bulk and reel filler spools. The 6-pound stuff is unbelievable for handling and brute strength. We love Gamma!”
Bulletin Board
Monthly Free Fly-tying Classes; 2nd Tuesday; 6 PM to 7:30 PM; 814-590-1366 at
Farrell’s Hook, Line & Sitch (At the Bank Mall) , Meadville
Weekly Free Lure-Making & Fly Tying Classes; Every Saturday; 6 PM to 8 PM;
Jigger Wholesale on Georgetown Road; info at cltackle@hotmail.com
Weekly Fly Tying Class; Tuesday evening; 724-533-3212;
Neshannock Creek Fly Shop, Volant
Feb 11 Canadohta Lake Ice Fishing Tournament; 814-694-3474
Feb 25 Conneaut Lake Ice Fishing Tournament; 814-694-3474
Crawford County Convenion & Visitors Bureau at www.visitcrawford.org
Oil Region Alliance at www.oilregion.org
VisitErie at www.visiterie.com
VisitMercerCountyPA at www.visitmercercountypa.com