Northwest Region
Mercer County
Shenango River
Anglers have been taking advantage of the warmer weather to fish for Walleye at the tailrace. Anglers are reporting catches of Walleye, Rainbow Trout, and an occasional Northern Pike. There are still plenty of stocked trout in the outflow. This area is designated as a year round trout fishery so a current trout/salmon stamp is required to fish the area from the outflow to the Walnut Street Bridge regardless of species of fish that you are targeting or harvesting. The creel limit is 3 trout. Waters will be closed to harvest starting March 1.
Neshannock Creek
New for 2016, the area of the Delayed Harvest Artificial Lures Only section of the Neshannock Creek in Volant is going to be classified as a Keystone Select Stocked Trout Waters. This is the only stream with this designation in the Northwest and it is only one of six in the entire state. Two and three year old trout measuring 14-20 inches will be stocked in this water which is open to fishing year round.
Area Trout Stocking: Check www.fishandboat.com for a list of trout stockings.
Erie County
Steelhead Streams
The Steelhead streams are open, but fishing pressure has been light.
Lake Pleasant
Don’t forget Lake Pleasant is open to year around fishing; however, no trout may be taken or possessed on this water from March 1 through the opening day of trout season 8:00 AM April 16.
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
Carbon County
Mauch Chunk Lake
Ice anglers, near Boat Launch B, were catching nice size panfish and perch last weekend. Most of the fish were caught by a jig tipped with a waxworm or a minnow. A few sublegal bass and pickerel were as well. Ice conditions at most of the water impoundments in the district, including Mauch Chunk Lake and Beltzville Lake, have been deteriorating due to the warmer weather and recent rain events creating unsafe conditions.
Lehigh River
The Lehigh River has recently been flowing higher than normal and fishing activity has been slow on most parts of the river. A few fly anglers fishing the Pohopoco Creek have reported doing well near the outlet of Beltzville Lake and downstream near the Turnpike bridge.
Anglers are reminded that Approved Trout waters will be closed to fishing beginning March 1st until the Regional Opening Day of Trout or the Regular Opening Day of Trout season. Anglers should consult the PA Fishing Summary booklet on the Trout waters that are included in the Regional Opening Day of Trout and the Regular Opening Day of Trout Season.
The pre-season trout stockings in the district will begin on March 1st. The Pohopoco Creek will receive a trout stocking on March 1st and persons interested in assisting with the trout stocking should meet the stocking truck at the Army Corps. Engineers Office at Beltzville Lake at 12:15 PM.
Northern Susquehanna & Eastern Bradford County
Anglers have been pushing their luck on several ponds in Susquehanna County. There are several inches of ice on many of these ponds but it is rapidly decaying. Use extreme caution and keep pets and children off the ice.
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
Ice fishing season is slowly coming to an end, but remember, fish eat even when the ice is gone! Pull out your rain gear, layered clothing, prepare your thermoses and get ready for some great March fishing! http://fishandboat.com/fishing.htm
Tioga County
Until today, anglers were ice fishing Hills Creek, Beechwood and Hamilton Lakes. Ice conditions are slowly deteriorating on most of the lakes.
Hamilton Lake
Over the weekend anglers were catching panfish and trout. Most of the fish caught were in 20-28 feet of water. Waxworms were the bait of choice.
The ice fishing tournament scheduled for the weekend of 2.27.2016 has been canceled due to weather and deteriorating ice conditions.
Hills Creek Lake
Anglers caught Bluegills, Yellow Perch and Crappie on waxworms, various plastic lures and mousees over the weekend. Right now, the key is to keep moving to stay over the panfish during the day.
A few anglers have done well in the late afternoon into the night. A few of the Yellow Perch caught measured up to 11 inches.
The best bite has been in water less than 10 feet, but a few perch were caught in deeper water as well.
A few pickerel and bass were also caught using tipups rigged with fatheads or shiners in shallow water.
Clinton County
Fishing Creek
Nearly an inch of rain is predicted over the next 48 hours, so water will be up and cloudy. Water temperatures are currently in the 30s.
Fishing is slow, but the fish being caught are hefty and healthy! Anglers are catching trout using nymphs from mid-day to late afternoon. Be prepared to adjust your rig (e.g. add or take of weight). In some areas you need to be near or right on the bottom to entice the trout to eat!
Nymph patterns that are working: caddis larva and beadhead pheasant tail.
Centre County
Spring Creek
Nearly an inch of rain is predicted over the next 48 hours. Water will be up and muddy. Water temperatures are in the upper 30s to low 40s.
Anglers are catching trout using nymphs and streamers. Most of the trout are anchored on the bottom. You will need to add split shot, use beadhead nymphs and/or allow some time for your nymphs to get to the bottom.
When water levels increase and spread onto grassy areas along Spring Creek, the trout will too! There are many areas like this along Spring Creek. If you find one, stop and look for the trout feeding. You will see their shadow or you might see a tail as they feed on the worms in the flooded grass. So be prepared to put on an unweighted worm pattern and start looking for trout venturing onto the banks in search of a worm meal.
Nymph patterns that are working: beadhead pheasant tail, caddis larvae, walt’s worms, squirmy wormy
If you are using streamers, target slack water, banks and woody debris. Spring Creek is a great stream to fish with streamers during and just after rain events!
Streamer patterns that are working: olive or black 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
The Calvary Outdoors Expo will be held on Saturday, March 5th from 10:00 AM till 5:00 PM at the Calvary Church, 820 Route 113, Souderton, PA 18964. There will be over 100 vendors with the latest and greatest of fishing equipment, fishing workshops including a casting competition and critter show for the kids and a fishing simulator too. For more information you can go to the website at www.calvaryexpo.com.
Chester County
The East Branch Brandywine Creek, Delayed Harvest Artificial Lures Only, French Creek, Catch & Release Fly Fishing Only, Pickering Creek, Delayed Harvest Artificial Lures Only, and the Valley Creek, Delayed Harvest Artificial Lures Only, were stocked 2/24/16. The weather was dismal at best, 37 degrees, cold, windy and pretty much a constant rain. The fish however looked great, fat and happy and very lively. Thanks to all the great help that we had getting the fish in the water in such poor conditions and for such a lengthy stocking. With Stocked Trout Waters about to close, there are now plenty of big healthy fish in a variety of streams for you to choose from. Good luck.
The Little Cocalico Creek, Section 2, upstream from the Bridge at Resh Rd to the mouth, the Muddy Creek, Section 2, 100 meters upstream from the Pleasant Valley Bridge to the 897 Bridge, and Rock Run, Section 2, 1.94 miles downstream of Berks line to mouth will be stocked with trout on Tuesday, March 8th. The meeting place is the Cloister Shopping Center at the intersection of Route 322 and Route 272 near the McDonalds at 11:30 AM. We need help stocking these fish so please come out to help. Thank you.
The Big Elk Creek, Section 1, from the confluence with the East Branch & West Branch Elk Creek to T307 Camp Bonsall Road and East Branch Big Elk, Section 2, from New London Township line to the Confluence with the West Branch Elk Creek will be stocked with trout on Tuesday, March 1. The meeting place is the intersection of Route 896 and Route 1 at noon. We need help stocking these fish so please come out to help. Thank you.
The next meeting of the White Clay Fly Fishers will be held on Tuesday March 15th starting at 7 PM at the London Tract Baptist Meetinghouse which is at the intersection of Sharpless and London Tract Road in Landenberg Pa. 19350. This is a great club that stocks the White Clay Delayed Harvest Artificial Lures Only section. New members are always welcome. For more information on the club or the meeting you can visit the website at www.whiteclayflyfishers.org
Lancaster County
The Fly Fishing Show returns to the Lancaster County Convention Center for its fifth incarnation on Saturday, March 5 [9:00 a.m. – 5:30] and Sunday, March 6 [9:00 – 4:30]. Scouts under 16 in uniform are admitted free of charge. The PFBC will have an exhibit with many of our popular and informative complimentary publications. Additionally, PA Fishing Licenses will be available for purchase. The Lancaster County District Officer will be staffing the exhibit on both days, and will be available to highlight local trout fishing opportunities, specifically on the County’s two Special Regulation Waters; Catch and Release Fly-Fishing Only – West Branch Octoraro Creek and the Donegal Creek. Bring the Family out and learn more about the 2016 Mentored Youth Trout Days and the County’s and Commonwealth’s many trout fishing opportunities. The show is well attended and well presented, including casting demonstrations as well as fly tying with notables Bob Clouser, Joe Humphreys and Lefty Kreh.
Again this year the International Fly Fishing Film Festival will be screened on Saturday, March 5 at 6:00, tickets are $15.00 and $10.00 in advance. For show ticket purchase and complete event information link to:http://flyfishingshow.com/lancaster-pa/.
Per the Show Director from the website: “This will be the fifth year for the Lancaster Fly Fishing Show and it continues to grow. Our show floor is sold out and our seminar schedule booked solid. In the heart of famed Eastern trout water and in the home state of our offices, this event is one of our favorite and the grand finale of our nationwide tour. Historic Lancaster is a great town to visit and easy to travel to from many metropolitan areas within the region.”