S. Berks County
There was heavy boat traffic at Blue Marsh Lake on Sunday after a rainout on Saturday.
A reminder to boaters to arrive early to avoid long lines at boat launches, especially with the upcoming holiday. Please reduce speed to slow no-wake where required, and check mandatory safety equipment prior to launching.
Boating Education Safety Certificates must be obtained to operate any personal watercraft, and for motorboats exceeding 25 horsepower if born on or after January 1, 1982. Boat operators must carry a certificate while on-board. All boaters should remember to be safe on the water during these last days of summer.
Crappie fishing has been very good at Blue Marsh Lake, with the majority of fish taken on live minnows and small jigs. Structure is the key to success, if you are not catching fish, move to another spot. Best fishing has been around sunset, but anglers are also catching fish during the during daylight hours. Crappie regulations at Blue Marsh Lake are a minimum of 9 inches, and a 20 fish per day limit.
Don’t forget, the second Mentored Youth Fishing Day is Labor Day Sept. 1, which includes Blue Marsh Lake (check our website for complete info).
N. Chester County
Marsh Creek Lake: Anglers are catching twelve to twenty-inch largemouth bass in the deeper water. Weeds beds are also an excellent place to find large bass. Best baits to use are the crank baits and spinner baits, with very large rubber worms and jigs working best in the weeds. Best colors are large black or purple rubber worms with a lot of action. The most successful bass anglers this season are those using night crawlers. Bluegills and Crappies are taking minnows, mealworms and wax worms. Jigs are also producing well. Marsh Creek Lake is in the Big Bass Program; your catch must be at least 15” to keep. Anglers have caught a number of Muskellunge; several close to shore on bass spinner baits.
The French Creek, Pickering Creek, East Brandywine Creek and West Valley Creek are in decent shape, although on the low and clear side. The best times to fish are early morning and late evening. Terrestrial patterns are a good bet for fish.
Schuylkill River: The Cromby Power Plant area down to the Black Rock Dam area has been slow for bass, but very good for Flathead Catfish with Bluegills and night crawlers working best. Liver and other baits are working well for Channel Catfish. Crank baits and live bait have been the best producers for bass.
Note – Stay clear of the fish ladder at the Black Rock Dam. You may not fish within the fishway/ fish ladder. It is unlawful for any person to fish within a radius of 100’ of the entrance, or exit points of the chute or fish ladder passageway, and you must stay 100’ below the boil below the dam when fishing there.
N. Montgomery County
Anglers on the Schuylkill River are landing nice catfish this time of year. With the temperatures cooling in the evenings, it is a great time of year to get out at night and enjoy some catfishing. Just downstream of the Black Rock Dam is a great place to fish from the shore. Montgomery County Parks maintain the Canal Park on the Mont Clare side of the river. This park offers parking, and it is open all evening to anglers. All Montgomery Park rules apply at this location. A signboard is in place listing all the local rules, which include no open fires on park property.
All unpowered boats (canoes, kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, rowboats, etc.) launching or retrieving at PFBC access areas and DCNR state parks or forests must have a current boat registration (issued by any state), or PFBC Use Permit, or DCNR Launch or Mooring Permit. For more information, visit http://fishandboat.com/registration.htm.