Northwest Region
Crawford County
Pymatuning Lake
Anglers are reporting Largemouth Bass being active in the early morning and evening hours. Top water lures such as buzz baits or frogs are getting a lot of action lately. Anglers are picking up Walleyes drifting or trolling in the deeper sections of the lake. Bluegills and other panfish have been caught using a bobber and jig tipped with a worm or grub.
Conneaut Lake
Boating activity seems to be in full swing on the lake. Just a reminder Boating Safety Education Certificates are required to operate a personal watercraft and for persons born on or after January 1, 1982, to operate boats powered by motors greater than 25 horsepower.
Western Erie County
Lake Erie and Presque Isle Bay
Boat anglers are doing well on Yellow Perch and Walleye off Walnut Creek and in Presque Isle Bay. Shore anglers are having sporadic success with Yellow Perch in the Erie Channel and around Presque Isle State Park.
Mercer County
Lake Wilhelm
Anglers are reporting Largemouth Bass hitting around the stumps above I79 Bridge. Top water lures seem to be the choice among bass anglers. Walleye and Musky anglers continue to do well in certain areas of the lake. Near the dam anglers are targeting Channel Catfish from shore.
Northeast Region
Western Bradford and Sullivan County
Despite high water on the Susquehanna River, anglers are catching bass using a variety of crankbaits. With more rain in the forecast make sure to be careful and respect the power of the water.
Current water flows for the river and many other streams can be found here: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/pa/nwis/rt
Monroe County
Many local private community lakes have seen bass action heating up over the past week. Anglers fishing from small and stealthy watercrafts, like kayaks, have been doing the best. The bass are hitting everything from top water lures to real worms.
Carbon County
Although most approved trout waters in the district are receiving little to no fishing pressure, anglers are still reporting seeing and catching a good number of trout. The Pohopoco Creek, downstream of Beltzville Lake, was recently stocked with trout by a local sportsmen club. The Lehigh River has been producing good trout and smallmouth bass fishing opportunities from Jim Thorpe downriver to the Lehigh Gap area of the river.
Anglers fishing Mauch Chunk Lake have been reporting good success catching crappie, perch, pickerel and bass. However, most bass are under the sub legal size of 15”. Mauch Chunk Lake is governed under the Big Bass Program requiring bass must be a minimum of 15”.
Anglers fishing Beltzville Lake during the evenings have reported good success catching Striped Bass using chicken livers in the upper reaches of the Pohopoco Bay area of the lake. Bass action has also been good near the power line area of the lake including the upper reaches of the Pohopoco Bay area of the lake.
Boat activity on Beltzville Lake has been increasing on the weekends. Boaters are reminded that non powered watercrafts (canoes, kayaks, stand –up paddle boards, row boats) in addition to all of the necessary boating safety equipment are required to have and display a valid PA Fish & Boat Commission launch permit or PA State Park launch permit or mooring permit to access PA Fish & Boat Commission lakes, State Park Lakes or access areas. Launch permits from other states are not recognized as a valid permit. An unpowered boat may have a registration or launch permit, but is not required to have both.
Anglers, boaters and persons visiting both Mauch Chunk Lake and Beltzville State Park are reminded that alcoholic beverages are not permitted on both the shore and water. The regulations pertaining to the possession, consumption of alcoholic beverages are strictly enforced.
N. Susquehanna/E. Bradford Counties
Bass season kicked off pretty slow as far as the amount of anglers. The wild weather has kept most anglers off the water but those that have braved the elements have been doing very well. Bass have been hitting on jerk baits and soft plastics.
Northcentral Region
Centre County
Spring Creek
Anglers are catching trout with green weenies. And, even with the recent heavy rains, Fisherman’s Paradise is looking clear and anglers have been successful catching trout in early morning and early evening.
Fishing Creek
Tioga County
The bite has been tougher with variable weather moving through the area all week, but a number of really nice bass are being caught.
Cowanesque
Anglers are finding fish in the weeds and standing timber. A variety of presentations are working including drop shot presentations with a green pumpkin or watermelon minnow imitation, crankbaits in shad and baitfish colors, and various texas rigged plastics. Fish are being caught in many areas from 1-20 feet of water. A few striped bass are being caught as well on crankbaits around the dam.
Hills Creek
growing weed beds and lily pads are holding lots of bass and the frog bite is on! Various topwater frog and mouse imitations are working. wacky or texas rigged worms in green pumpkin, motoroil, and pumpkinseed worked well in open patches in the weeds.
Pine Creek
Good numbers of trout are still being caught in upper Pine. Rains this week helped bring water levels up some. The smallmouth bite is picking up too. Live minnows, crayfish imitations, and spinners are all working.
Hamilton
Panfish are being caught in good numbers using nightcrawlers, redworms, and waxworms. Fly fishermen are having fun using terrestrial imitations and small poppers. Areas around the dam are fishing well. A few trout are still being caught on dough baits fished off the bait or with gold and silver spinners. Boaters caught them using small stickbaits and spinners as well
Southeastern Region
Lancaster County
Chiques Creek Watershed Expo
This event will occur Wednesday, June 24 from 6-9PM at the Lancaster Leiderkrantz (off Route 283, Mount Joy). This annual event has become one of the area must-attend watershed events of the year. This year’s expo promises to be bigger and better than ever with over 30 displays, giveaways, free ice cream, and neat learning experiences. This family friendly event is FREE and boasts live stream critters, a model rain garden, making a fish-print T-shirt, hearing great music, learning about your local watersheds, and having a great all around time. For more information, go to the Lancaster County Watersheds website. PFBC District Officer Schmidt will staff an informational exhibit to underscore the “Resource First” motto, various PFBC publications will be available along with the Officer’s reptilian patrol partners; an Eastern Ratsnake and an Eastern Milk Snake.