Northern Pennsylvania Fishing Report | December 4, 2014

Butler County

Harbor Acres Lake (State Game Land # 95) – Steady catches of Brown Trout are being reported. Minnows have been the bait of choice. Limit is three trout with the proper license and trout/salmon permit. This waterway falls under the Open to Year Round Fishing regulations.  Please refer to your Fishing Summary handbook for details.

Lake Oneida (Butler Water supply reservoir) – Catfish will be a favorite catch until the lake freezes over. A large live chub fished off the bottom has worked well. Please note that there is no ice fishing permitted at Lake Oneida or Thorn Run Reservoir.

Lake Arthur – With winter approaching, now is a good time to try for Musky. Try a slow boat troll along ice edges (if/when present) using a stick bait. Pike will also be active at this time as well. Early in the ice fishing season, Northern Pike will cruise just beneath the ice looking for small fish that have died due to water temperature variations. Catching pike this way tends to occur mainly within a week or two of first ice. Try a couple of tip ups with a large minnow just below the ice surface to entice Mr. Toothy.  Ice fishing is at your own risk. Ice thickness is not monitored. Good luck and be safe!

Clarion County

Piney Dam – Anglers are reporting catches of some Walleyes and a few perch. Walleyes are being taken by slow trolling the shoreline areas and drifting with night crawlers and shiners. Perch are being taken by drifting with minnows and night crawlers.

Kahle Lake – Anglers are still reporting catching good numbers of nice sized panfish and an occasional bass. Small jigs tipped with maggots or minnows seem to be the best baits.

Allegheny River – Anglers are reporting catches of some nice Walleyes and a few Muskies and Northern Pike at the mouths of the Clarion River and Redbank Creek. Walleyes are being taken on minnows. Muskie’s and Northern Pike are being taken on large shiners and lures.

Crawford County

Fishing has been slow. Winter drawdowns of both Woodcock Lake and Canadohta Lake appear to have been completed.

Reminder: All boats moored at PFBC access areas must be removed by Dec. 1st.

Mercer County

Shenango Reservoir – The water level is still higher than usual for this time of year. The way the weather has been so far, it is almost certain that ice fishing is right around the corner. For those of you still boating, remember the water temperature is almost freezing.

A small slip or fall into almost freezing water could be lethal. Please wear your life jacket when on, in, or around water.

Shenango River – Water levels on the river are up because of release of water preparing the reservoir for winter pool. Make use of the new boat launch in the Village of Hamburg. The Shenango River Watchers have done an outstanding job providing access to the river at this location. There are still plenty of stocked fish below the Shenango Reservoir outflow. This area is designated as a year round trout fishery. A current trout/salmon stamp is required to fish the area from the outflow to the Walnut Street Bridge regardless of the species of fish you are targeting or harvesting. The fall creel limit is three fish. The mandatory cold weather life jacket wear law came into effect November 1st. Life jackets must be worn on all canoes and kayaks, as well as all boats under 16 feet in length.

Note: 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.

McKean County

Allegheny River – Anglers are catching Walleye and a few Musky.

Centre County

Foster Joseph Sayers Lake – Water levels are almost at winter pool. Currently, they are approximately 5 feet below summer pool level.

Anglers are catching Yellow Perch near Lower Greens access and the fishing pier at Summer/Winter Launch. Minnows and jigs are the bait of choice.

Spring Creek– Anglers are catching trout using egg and worm fly patterns. A few anglers are catching trout using olive colored streamers.

REMINDER: Hunters, boaters, and anglers are reminded that as of November 1, 2014, you MUST wear your life jacket while onboard boats under 16 feet, including canoes and kayaks.

REMINDER: Hunting is permitted on PA Fish and Boat Commission property (unless otherwise posted); however, hunters need to make sure they do not encroach upon the safety zones extending from neighboring properties.

Northeast Region

Now is a great time to prepare all your ice fishing gear and make sure your augers are sharp and reload your reels with new line, as it can lose its strength as it gets old. Preparing now will make sure that you are ready to get out as the ice gets thick enough to support anglers.
Lakes and ponds, previously covered by thin ice, now have large openings and have once again made fishing from the shore possible. The fish are putting on their feed bags right now to prepare for the coming winter and cold weather. Make sure to get out a wet a line from the shore as it could provide some of the best fishing for large fish that live in our local waterways.

Area streams are still running low, due to lack of rain, and the cold weather has put ice on some portions of them. With the water being low and clear, make sure to use stealth when approaching and using light line is a must. With the warmer weather in the forecast and rain predicted as well, this could push the streams up and provide a warm up, which combined should provide some excellent trout fishing.

Those interested in targeting large trout, now is a great time of year to try your hand at some night fishing. The largest trout will be doing their feeding at night and large lures fished low and slow will do the trick. With water being low, go to your favorite fishing spots during the day and use polarized sunglasses to observe the trout. This takes some practice to pick out fish that aren’t moving, but it will make picking out the best spots to try to night fish easier. It is much easier to stay out late and fish when you know a fish of a lifetime is the hole you are fishing. Good luck and tight lines!