Licensed To Reel

Friday, April 29, 2011

By Deborah Weisberg

Presque Isle Bay (Erie County): Crappie and perch were hitting in the head of the bay. Perch were spotty off the north and south piers. Crappies also were reported in Misery Bay and Long Pond in the lagoons, with emerald shiners the ticket. The bass bite started to pick up, with a couple of anglers releasing smallmouths and largemouths up to 5 pounds. Suckers and smallmouth bass were in the west side tributaries.

Allegheny River (Warren County): High flow kept anglers off the river again this week.

Jackson Run (Warren County): Anglers were catching golden rainbow trout on this small tributary of Conewango Creek.

Chapman Dam (Warren County): Numbers of trout were reported in this popular impoundment.

Pymatuning Reservoir (Crawford County): Crappies, perch and bluegills were reported in Stewart's Bay. Nice catches of walleyes, including limits, were reported before dusk last weekend, with jigs and minnows or 3- to 4-inch stickbaits productive. Walleye anglers caught some muskies from shore. Chris Kusta of Arona caught a 41-inch, 26-pound 12-ounce muskie on a Sonar while walleye fishing. The winning size in a local walleye tournament was 28 ?? inches.

Conneaut Lake (Crawford County): Crappies and bluegills were reported, along with northern pike on shiners along weed edges in Mammoth Bay.

Tamarack Lake (Crawford County): A decent crappie bite was reported.

Woodcock Creek (Crawford County): Nice catches of stocked trout on butter worms were reported.

Allegheny River (Venango County): High, muddy water shut down fishing this week.

Justus Lake (Venango County): Good trout fishing was reported last weekend. Ryan Williams of Franklin caught a 19 ??-inch smallmouth bass on a white spinnerbait.

Shenango Lake (Mercer County): High, muddy water kept anglers off the water this week.

Lake Wilhelm (Mercer County): A good bluegill and crappie bite continued near Sheakleyville Bridge and Launch No. 3, with Twister tails or split tails tipped with maggots or wax worms the ticket.

Lake Arthur (Butler County): As water warmed to the mid 50-degree mark, crappies were biting in the shallows. Largemouth bass up to 20 inches and hybrid striped bass around 22 inches were reported. A 49-inch muskie was released Saturday. The northern pike bite slowed.

North Fork of Little Beaver Creek (Beaver County): As conditions allowed, anglers were catching trout on pastebaits and red worms.

Bessemer Lake, Cascade Quarry (Lawrence County): Good trout-fishing was reported at both, offering an alternative to high muddy streams.

Allegheny River (Allegheny County): High conditions kept anglers off the river again this week.

Northmoreland Lake (Westmoreland County): Stocked trout and sunfish were reported in recent days.

Cowanshannock Creek (Armstrong County): Numbers of trout were reported, with one angler releasing dozens on a spinner.

Crooked Creek Lake (Armstrong County): The outflow was yielding crappies on minnows. Numbers were good, but most were less than 8 inches.

Glendale Lake (Cambria County): A decent crappie bite was reported.

Wilmore Dam. Hinckston Run Reservoir (Cambria County): Panfish action was on the slow side.

Hinckston Dam (Cambria County): Yields of perch were reported.

High Point Lake (Somerset County): Crappies 9 to 15 inches were hitting minnows. Bass up to 18 inches were released near shore.

Spring Creek (Centre County): High, muddy conditions were reported mid-week, but streamer and crawler patterns were catching trout. Water was in the low 40s.

Report your catch to fishing[email protected] . trim here if necessary, please leave bylineInclude angler's name, age (for children), place of residence, species, size, body of water, date of catch and phone number (not for publication).

First published on April 29, 2011 at 1:04 am