Northwest Region
Crawford County
Pymatuning Reservoir
Crappies are still biting in the Northern bays around Harris Island and near Wilson Launch. Also plenty of Yellow Perch and Channel Catfish are biting. This weekend should be a great time to hit the water and take advantage of Fish for Free Day on Sunday May 24th.
French Creek
Anglers are reporting Northern Pike, Walleye, and Smallmouth Bass being caught the lower stretches of French Creek. Small blade baits and fire tiger stick baits seem to get the most reaction strikes. A nice 8 mile paddle to kayak and fish would be the section from Cochranton to Utica.
Venango County
Oil Creek
Anglers are reporting catching numerous Rainbow and Brown Trout throughout the entire section of Oil Creek. Anglers seem to be having the best luck in the Fly-Fishing Only sections and near the Blood Farm area. To check if this stream will be stocked, please visit the following website for more information: http://fbweb.pa.gov/stocking/TroutStockingDetails_GIS.aspx
Northeast Region
Northern Pike and Southern Wayne Counties
The fishing is really starting to pick up here in the northeast. Lake Wallenpaupack is producing nice size perch and crappie, along with walleye and stripers. Lake Greeley has been good for pickerel and bluegills. Shohola Lake had a slow start but is now good for crappie, bass, and pickerel.
Boating season is now upon us. Remember to always be safe when out on the water. Registrations on boats need to be updated especially if they are displaying a 15, it expired on March 31st. Make sure you include all the required safety equipment on your boat before launching it for the first time.
W. Bradford & Sullivan County
Anglers have been doing well throughout the region. Fly anglers have been doing especially well on the Loyalsock Creek using march browns & slate drake imitations. These hatches have really been hot and have had the trout looking up and on the feed.
Northcentral Region
Tioga County
A cold front slowed fishing down through half of last week; but things really turned around these past few days. Crappie fishing picked up again on the Corps lakes with good numbers of both black and white crappies being caught from shore and by boat. Numerous 8-12 inch crappies are being caught; and a few as big as 15 inches were landed on all three lakes. Anglers are finding a mix of pre- and post- spawn crappies. Live minnows or small twister tails and tubes are working well. Some of the bigger ones are being caught on small crankbaits too.
Good numbers of bluegills and crappies are being caught on Hamilton, Beechwood and Hills Creek Lakes. Pieces of nightcrawler, mealworms, and waxworms are all working for bluegills. Most are in shallow water and easy to catch from shore. Live minnows are working best for crappies. Trout are still being caught on Beechwood and Hamilton as well. Dough baits, live minnow, and gold or silver spinners have been the favorite. Garlic- scented dough baits have produced particularly well in chartruese, rainbow, and yellow colors.
Bass fishing has been really good this week. Anglers have caught and released a number of really nice bass from Cowanesque, Hammond, and Tioga Lakes, including some over 5lbs.
With our first Fish-for-Free Day on Sunday, May 24, we thought it would be a good idea to remind everyone of AN ANGLER’S CODE OF ETHICS: Many local landowners extend anglers the courtesy of recreational fishing opportunities. Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission signage is routinely placed along stream sections open to public fishing. When in doubt, stay out. Ethical anglers DO NOT litter, camp, build fires, cut trees, block property, or operate any motorized vehicle or ATV on property of another without advanced permission of the landowner. These unlawful actions will, and do, get ground POSTED! For more information about Fish-for-Free Days, please visit our website: http://fishandboat.com/fishforfree.htm With May 16-May 22 recognized as National Safe Boating Week, we would also like to remind you about the REGISTRATION OF NON-POWERED WATERCRAFT REQUIREMENT AT PFBC LAKES/ACCESS AREAS:
With the 2015 boating season beginning, boaters are reminded that non-powered watercraft, which otherwise would not require registration, are required to display either current registration or a launch permit when launching or retrieving at all PFBC lakes and/or access areas. For a complete listing of regulations pertaining to PFBC properties, please refer to the following link: http://fishinpa.com/pfbcproperty.html. Boaters are encouraged to check all the required safety equipment on their boats such as wearable personal flotation devices, (required for each person onboard the boat and of the appropriate size including children 12 years of age or younger must wear on boats 20’ or less) type IV throw device (required on boats 16’ in length except canoes and kayaks), fire extinguisher (if required) and sound producing device. Boaters are also reminded to check that the motorboat (including boats propelled by an electric motor) have a current motorboat registration.
For more information about Boating Basics, please visit our website: http://fishandboat.com/boat_basics.htm
Have a Safe and Happy Memorial Day Weekend. And, remember to “Wear It, PA!”
Snyder/Union/Montour/W. Northumberland Counties
Cameron/Clinton Counties
The hatches have been slow. The fish haven’t been biting; but, as the waters warm up towards the Memorial Day weekend, it is expected that the fish will be biting pretty good! The Crappies have been biting, though, on Stevenson’s and Bush Dams in the more shallow water. They were noticed piled up and spawning.
Lycoming County
Pine Creek
Anglers are catching trout on charcoal caddis size #18. The March Brown mayfly hatch is slowing down; but the Sulfur mayfly hatch is picking up. Most anglers are catching trout on Sulphurs now. A few trout are being caught on nymphs as well. Water temperatures over the weekend were at 55F.
Southeastern Region
Philadelphia County
Try blood worms, clams and bunker for Striped Bass in the Delaware River. If you are fishing on the New Jersey side of the river, or launch your boat on the Jersey side of the river, please be advised that there is still a closed season for Striped Bass in New Jersey until June 1 downstream of Calhoun St. Bridge. Please read the New Jersey regulations for the Delaware River here for more information: http://www.eregulations.com/newjersey/fishing/freshwater/delaware-river/ Please remember that River Herring are not legal to use for bait in the Delaware River.
Important information for anglers fishing around the Fairmount Dam on the Schuylkill River from last week’s report about American Shad, Hickory Shad and River Herring. American Shad regulations on the Schuylkill River are as follows – American Shad is catch and release in the Schuylkill River from I-95 upstream including all tributaries. See regulations here: www.fishinpa.com
Eastern Schuylkill County
The Little Schuylkill has been excellent for trout fishing despite low water levels. The section upstream of Tamaqua was stocked on May 18 and has seen very little pressure. Those anglers fishing it have done well with mealworms and butterworms. Spinners and small jerkbaits have also done well throughout the river. Water levels are very low making the upper section nearly impossible to kayak. The Delayed Harvest Artificial Lures Only Area of the Little Schuylkill River was also stocked with trout on May 18 and has seen only a few fishermen throughout the days. Anglers have been catching fish on small jigs as well as wooly buggers.
Tuscarora Lake has been good for panfish recently, especially bluegills. Many anglers are reporting catching bass, and some can be seen on their beds. Anglers should be reminded these fish on their redds/beds should not be targeted during the closed bass season, and if caught then released immediately.
Locust Lake continues to hold a significant amount of trout, but they seem to have moved out into deeper water. Green Sunfish and Bluegills have appeared near the shoreline and are the most likely fish to be caught if fishing from land. Trolling with small flatfish or spinners through the deeper sections of the lake has been successful for trout.