Northwest Region
Erie County
Presque Isle Bay
Ice fishing season lasted about two weeks and then it disappeared. Open water is present, it could skim back over but the odds would be slim that it ever would be thick enough to go back out and fish. Please don’t risk it. Shoreline fishing has been good with anglers hitting the Holland Dock and Dobbins Landing hard. Due to the open water, boaters have been back out on bay along with kayakers. Remember Cold Weather Wear is in effect until April 30th. Anybody on a boat less than 16 feet and all canoes and kayaks must wear their PFD.
Reminder: The PFBC does not monitor ice thickness. Ice thickness and conditions can vary greatly across the lake. Use caution as you head out onto the ice. A life jacket and a set of ice awls can be extremely important if you fall though the ice. Remember SAFETY FIRST: http://fishandboat.com/safety.htm
Northeast Region
Northern Pike and Southern Wayne Counties
Ice fishing in the area has been very slow, because of the warmer weather conditions. Thin and degrading ice has made for unsafe conditions on lakes and ponds throughout the region.
Anglers should use caution if they decide to venture out on the ice. Anglers should also take along a partner and wear some type of a PFD.
There was still open water on area streams, which has produced good fishing for those willing to tolerate the cold. Fishing on the Lackawaxen River has been great. Some anglers have caught nice 20 inch or larger trout in the swift water sections, where there are pools at the bottom of a riffle.
Reminder: The PFBC does not monitor ice thickness. Ice thickness and conditions can vary greatly across the lake. Use caution as you head out onto the ice. A life jacket and a set of ice awls can be extremely important if you fall though the ice. Remember SAFETY FIRST: http://fishandboat.com/safety.htm
Northcentral Region
The fishing reports below reflect fishing conditions over the past few days of fishing.
Recent rain events have increased water flow to many of the streams and lakes across the region. Rain/ice amounts varied throughout the region, but has impacted ice conditions and stream conditions. Only a few streams are fishable at this time. Anglers looking to ice fish should proceed with extreme caution.
Tioga County
A few of the lakes (Hamilton, Beechwood, Hills Creek) MIGHT be fishable this weekend; however, anglers must always check ice conditions prior to going onto the ice.
Hills Creek Lake
Anglers were catching Largemouth Bass, Chain Pickerel and Yellow Perch. A few perch measured in at 12inches! Tipups rigged with shiners or fatheads were working for all of the fish.
A few crappies and bluegills were also being caught using waxworms.
Centre County
Foster Joseph Sayers Lake
Anglers were catching Crappie and Bluegill by jigging waxworms. The best time of day was in the morning hours. A couple anglers, ice fishing in the beach area of the lake, landed 12 keeper Crappie and a few keeper Bluegills over a 3 hour period on February 15, 2016.
Spring Creek
As a result of the recent rain and ice event, water levels are up, off color and cold (30F). Anglers are catching trout using nymphs and streamers. Patterns that are working: beadhead pheasant tail; caddis; walt’s worm; slumpbusters.
Keep an eye on water flow and temperatures (Spring Creek at Houserville, PA): http://waterdata.usgs.gov/pa/nwis/uv?site_no=01546400
Southeastern Region
March pre-season trout stocking is right around the corner and the Regional Opening Day of Trout follows shortly after that. In the meantime, a trip to the Greater Philadelphia Outdoor Show in Oaks, being held from Thursday February 25th to Sunday February 28th, might be the answer to cabin fever. There will be presentations, a trout fishing pond, a 5000 gallon aquarium, a rock wall, archery range, as well as vendors that will have all the newest and greatest of outdoor gear, including boats and fishing equipment. For more information, go to http://www.sportshows.com/philadelphia/index.html or for directions to the show, go to http://www.sportshows.com/philadelphia/directions.html.
S. Chester County
The trout stocking scheduled for Friday, April 8 in Southern Chester County for Elk Creek Big Section 1, Elk Creek East Branch Section 2, and White Clay Creek Middle Branch Section 2 has been rescheduled to Monday, April 4. The meeting location and time are unchanged, still noon at the intersection of Route 1 and 896. Please let everyone know. It might still have the incorrect date listed on our website at the submission of this report, but this will change shortly.
Fly-fishing instruction will be offered at the Fly Fishing Federation Learning Center at the Fly Fishing Show in the Lancaster County Convention Center on March 5 & 6. Basic fly casting, fly tying, and knot tying will be offered during the show. For more information you can go to the website at http://flyfishingshow.com/lancaster-pa/
The weather has been inconsistent this winter for ice fishing. This last record-breaking frigid weather snap on the weekend of 2/13 and 2/14 started freezing up the local lakes once again, but then it was warm Monday and Tuesday with the rainstorm. If the cold weather moves in again, make sure to check the ice conditions onsite before going out. If not, some of the lakes in the Northern areas of the state may still be fishable. The time to get some super deals on ice gear is in the spring. There are some unbelievable discounts that are available at the end of the ice fishing season. Of course, it will have to be stored for next season. Anglers in Chester County have fished on Marsh Creek Lake, Struble Lake and Coatesville Reservoir as conditions allowed. Anglers are not permitted to ice fish on Octoraro Reservoir. Ice that appears to be thick enough to safely walk on in one spot can be dangerously thin just a few feet away.
For residents in Southern Chester County, on the south side of 322, consider coming out this year and helping to stock the Stocked Trout Waters. The Stocked Trout Waters in Southern Chester County include Beaver Creek, Buck Run, Brandywine West Branch, Pocopson Creek, Elk & Big Elk Creeks, Octoraro Creek East Branch (in-season only), and four sections of the White Clay Creek (including one Delayed Harvest Artificial Lures Only Section). We had very little help last year on some of the stockings which made it difficult to distribute the fish as evenly as we would have liked to. We often get anglers who call to complain that their favorite hole was not stocked well enough, or for reasons of bad weather and proximity to the road and or, for lack of help, it may have been passed by. The first thing we ask is if they came along to help stock and the usual answer is no. Stocking is fun and gives you a chance to give something back to the resource. It is also a great way to spend a day with a kid and to get them off the web and video games for a while. The web site below has been updated and will give you all the dates, times and meeting locations for any county in Pennsylvania. Thanks in advance for your help. http://fbweb.pa.gov/stocking/TroutStockingDetails_GIS.aspx
The Orvis Store in Downingtown will offer a free course, Fly-Tying 101, on Saturday, February 20 from 9AM until 11AM. The course will cover everything that the beginning fly fisherman will need to know to get started in tying. Spring is almost here, take advantage of this opportunity to learn the art of fly tying. For more information you can call the store at 610-873-8400 or visit the website at www.orvis.com/downingtown
E. Schuylkill County
Locust Lake and Tuscarora Lake have had ice that anglers were wandering out on for a few days, but a warm week may weaken the ice to the point that it is unsafe. Only a few anglers have fished the lakes in recent weeks, but anglers are taking trout and perch, with an occasional pickerel hitting on a live minnow.
The Schuylkill River has some ice, but it is very inconsistent and should be considered unsafe and is currently not accessible by boat.
A few anglers have ventured out on Deer Lake with moderate success catching perch, crappies, and pickerel. On Valentine’s Day, the lake had ice, but with warming weather and rising water levels the ice will probably disappear there shortly.
Most of the streams, including the Little Schuylkill River, have been tough to fish because of floating ice traveling through. The streams should be good after water levels recede. Anglers should be aware of the stream classifications where they are fishing because Stocked Trout Waters will again be closed to fishing from March 1st until the Regional Opening Day of Trout Season.
Reminder: The PFBC does not monitor ice thickness. Ice thickness and conditions can vary greatly across the lake. Use caution as you head out onto the ice. A life jacket and a set of ice awls can be extremely important if you fall though the ice. Remember SAFETY FIRST: http://fishandboat.com/safety.htm