Pennsylvania Fishing Report – March 17, 2016

Northwest Region

Mercer County

Shenango Reservoir

The water levels are still low for the spring although the water is slowly rising. Anglers are starting to pick up panfish around the lake. If it is your first time venturing out this year, make sure you pick up a license before you fish. Cold water mandatory Personal Flotation Device wear remains in effect until April 30^th. Remember your first step in an emergency is to call 9-1-1.

Shenango River

Anglers have been taking advantage of the warmer weather to fish for Walleye at the tailrace. Walleye are now out of season, but the river is still open to fishing. Trout will be stocked and are able to be caught. They are illegal to harvest until 8am on the first day of trout season this year. 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.

Neshannock Creek

New for this year, the area of the Delayed Harvest Artificial Lures Only section on 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 Region and it is only one of six in the entire state. Trout 2-3 years old and measuring 14-20 inches will be stocked in this water which is open to fishing year round.

Northeast Region

Local Stocked Trout Waters are now closed and stocking across the region is underway.  Anglers wishing to participate in those stockings are encouraged to check the website for dates and meeting times.

Trout season will open April 16, 2016 at 8:00am, so now is the time for a good maintenance session for all of last year’s equipment.

Mentored Youth Trout Day will occur in the region on April 09, 2016.  Those wishing to participate are urged to review the information found on our website prior to heading out.  More information can be found at:http://fishandboat.com/MentoredYouth.htm

Carbon County

Anglers fishing Mauch Chunk Lake during the weekend reported doing well catching bass and pickerel.  However, most of the bass and pickerel were sub-legal in length.  Panfish anglers were doing best west of boat launch B.

Fishing activity on Beltzville Lake appeared to be less active, but a few anglers reported catching bass near the upper reaches of the Preachers Camp access.  Boaters and boat anglers are reminded that although the regulatory buoys such as Slow No Wake are not in place on the lake, there are Slow No Wake signs posted indicating those areas and the regulations are still in effect and enforced.  Maps of the lake are posted at each boat launch indicating the Slow No Wake areas of the lake.

A Basic Boating Education course is being offered at Beltzville State Park on April 25, and April 27, from 6 pm – 10 pm each night.  There is no charge for the course, but all participants must pre-register and attend both sessions.  Persons interested in attending the course should contact the Park Office at 610-377-0045.

Anglers fishing the Pohopoco Creek downstream of the outlet of Beltzville Lake reported doing well catching trout (catch & release) during the weekend.  The Pohopoco Creek is Class A water.   It is legal to fish for trout in Class A trout streams year-round, with no harvest beginning the day after Labor Day through the regular opening day of trout season the following year.

Pre-season trout stocking are now underway in the district.  On Thursday, March 17, the Lizard Creek is scheduled to be stocked.  Persons interested in assisting with the trout stocking should meet the stocking truck in the rear of the Andreas Post Office off Rt. 895  at 11:30 am.

Northern Susquehanna & Eastern Bradford Counties

Bass have been biting on soft plastics on several ponds in Susquehanna County. Stocking has begun across the district and the DHALO section on Salt Lick Creek has provided anglers with great angling since it has been stocked. Take advantage of the nice weather and try your luck, if you’re lucky a Golden Rainbow will be passing through.

Lackawanna County

What a difference a week makes.  The previous week there were some ponds and lakes that still had some ice.  Last week, the warm weather melted away any remaining ice.

All of the PA American Water Company reservoirs, that are open to fishing (Curtis Reservoir, Elmhurst Reservoir, Dunmore #1 Reservoir, Griffin Pond and Maple Lake) have open water and are fishable.

The largest lake in the county (Lackawanna Lake, 200 acres) is also ice free.

Nice perch have been caught using red worms on the bottom at many of the area lakes and reservoirs.  This is the perfect time of the year to land nice sized perch but the water temperatures are still too cold for the black & white crappies to be biting.

Monroe County

The nice weather has had trout anglers in force fishing the special regulation / catch and release section of the McMichael’s Creek. Most have been doing fairly well with small spinners and flies.

Northcentral Region

Stocking season is in full swing now!

Come out and help PFBC stock fish in streams near you! Look for a stream and meeting location near you by clicking the link below: http://fbweb.pa.gov/stocking/TroutStockingDetails_GIS.aspx

Learn more about helping to stock trout: http://fishandboat.com/stock_help.htm

Special note: PFBC would like to thank everyone who helps stock trout each year! We would also like to thank landowners who allow fishing on or near their property!

McKean County

Allegheny River

Just before Walleye season ended, anglers were catching Walleye using a variety of baits. Anglers are also catching pike and musky!

Tioga County

Hills Creek Lake

Anglers are catching a variety of panfish and lots of pickerel. Current water temperatures are in the mid 40s. The best fishing is in shallow waters; however, a few fish are being caught near the dam.

Bass fishing is slow; however, a few anglers are catching bass using live shiners and jerkbaits. Pickerel are being caught using live minnows, jigs, jerkbaits, and spinnerbaits. White or bright colors seem to be working best.

Hammond Lake

The Crappie bite is starting to pick up. Although the bite is slow, anglers are still catching a few Crappie using minnows and small white jigs.

Anglers are catching Yellow Perch off the bottom, using night crawlers and fathead minnows. Bass are also being caught. Keep in mind, the bass are sluggish, so you need to move baits slow to get a take.

Beechwood Lake

Anglers are catching trout using spinners, spoons, and small crank baits. A few pickerel are also being caught using shiners and jerkbaits.

REMEMBER, Beechwood Lake is open to trout fishing year round. http://fishandboat.com/fishpub/summary/yearround.html

Clinton County

Fishing Creek

Fishing is slow, but anglers are still catching trout using nymphs and streamers. Nymph patterns that are working are zebra midges, Blue Wing Olives, and caddis larvae. The streamer pattern that is working is an olive sculpin pattern (size 2-10).

Centre County

Spring Creek

The water level, color, and temperature is great for fishing! Blue Wing Olives are working in the mid to late afternoon hours. Streamers are also working.

Anglers are catching trout using the following fly patterns: Blue Wing Olive nymphs and dries; pheasant tails; sow bugs; and olive slumpbusters.

Anglers are catching trout on lower Spring Creek using spinners.

Southeastern Region

American Shad have arrived on the Delaware!

PFBC Area Fisheries Manager Michael Kauffman reports, “The unusually warm weather has brought the American Shad run on early. Not only are the lead fish here, but we already electrofished American Shad about 35 miles above the head of tide at Riegelsville, Pa./NJ,  on the Bucks/Northampton County line today.  Adding to the surprise was that three appeared to be row shad one was a buck.  Usually we first hear of anglers catching them around Yardley or New Hope in lower Bucks County and just above the head of tide. River clarity and level are excellent for shad fishing at the moment and this discovery of shad in the river will add a few weeks to the average shad angler’s season.”  For more information about shad fishing on the Delaware River, check out our shad feature web page at: http://fishandboat.com/shad.htm.

Bucks County

Several anglers have reported catching the first few American Shad in the Delaware River, from Riegelsville south to Morrisville. This is very early, but the fish are there so go ahead on out and get ahead of the fishing pressure!

Mentored Youth Day is scheduled for March 26^th, in the South East Region and is fast approaching! For fishing license requirements for Youth Anglers and their Mentoring Adults, Please see here:

http://fishandboat.com/MentoredYouth.htm

If you have a junior angler you’d like to take out and you’ve never fished or haven’t in a long time, here’s some tips to help you out!- http://www.takemefishing.org/blog/march-2016/10-first-time-fishing-blunders-you-don-t-want-to-m/?utm_source=Hootsuite

Here are the Bucks County Stocked Trout Waters that will be stocked with trout prior to the Mentored Youth Day:

• East Branch of Perkiomen Creek Section 2
• Lake Luxembourg
• Levittown Lake
• Neshaminy Creek Sections 2 and 4
• Unami Creek

To see the stocking limits of streams and for other Trout Stocked Water dates and locations for Bucks County Please go to the following link, select Bucks County and click the GO Box:

http://fbweb.pa.gov/stocking/TroutStockingDetails_GIS.aspx

Chester County

The Middle Branch White Clay Creek, Delayed Harvest Artificial Lures Only, section was stocked with trout on Thursday, March 10. This section is also a part of the Keystone Select Trout Waters program. The trophy fish were big, some of them really big. A few anglers stated that they saw a few fish that looked to be 6 pounds. Thank you to all the individuals who came out to help and special thanks to the White Clay Fly Fishers for the float stocking help. The stocked section is a 1.7 mile stretch that runs from Good Hope Road at 39 45′ 43.7″ North, 75 47′ 03.9″ West to the confluence with the East Branch White Clay in the White Clay Creek Preserve at 39 44′ 57.7″ North, 75 46′ 10.4″ West. The points that were stocked are Good Hope Road at 39 45′ 43.7″ North, 75 47′ 03.9″ West, the Iron Bridge on London Tract in the center of the section at 39 45′ 16.2″ North, 75 46′ 51.6″ West, and the Bridge on Sharpless Road at 39 45′ 01.9″ North, 75 46′ 16.3″, which is down toward the lower limit of the stocked area.

With that recent stocking of the White Clay Creek DHALO area, Keystone Select trout Waters, (Thursday March 10th), there was a lot of interest in just how much usage the program would get and how anglers felt about it. So our Southeast PA biologists and “Fish Whisperers” Mike Kaufmann and Greg Murphy conducted a stream survey of the area at two different times on Saturday about three hours apart. Just about 60 anglers were surveyed and there was about a 50/50 split of fly anglers to lure anglers. They reported catching over 80 trout, over 20 of which were over 14 inches.  A fly angler faired the best, he was using streamers and had caught eight trout. Lure anglers reported that trout magnets did well. All the anglers liked the program, except for 1, that’s 98.3% in favor. Anglers from PA, MD, DE and NJ were taking advantage of the opportunity to catch some big fish and many called the stream and its setting beautiful. The stream was float stocked by the White Clay Fly Fishers, and so the fish were well distributed which left elbow room for anglers who were well spread out fishing for them. A few anglers complained that they were confused by the summary guide about whether soft plastic artificial scented baits were legal. Gulp & Power Bait are not legal in the Delayed Harvest Artificial Lures Only Waters.  Many anglers understand this. Remember that the idea behind lures and flies is to lip hook a fish so that it can be caught many times. With bait, there is a tendency to gut hook a fish which leads to its death and it is then no longer available to be caught. Trout may only be creeled from June 15th to  Labor day when the minimum size is 9 inches and the creel limit is three (3). From the day after Labor Day until  June 15th, the creel limit is zero (0). Fishing can only be done with artificial lures, only constructed of metal, plastic, rubber, or wood, or with flies and streamers constructed of natural or synthetic materials. All lures may be fished with spinning or fly fishing gear. The use or possession of any natural bait, baitfish, fish bait, bait paste and similar substances, fish eggs, natural or molded, or any other edible substance is prohibited. If it is not exactly one of the above, it is illegal. You will note that the above does not say that artificial lures made of metal, plastic, rubber or wood may also contain scents or water or oil based resins“ or be “compounds” which are injected or added to the PVC, or plastic. Gulp and Power Bait are plastic polymer compounds to which an oil or water based resin and compounds have been added to scent it and soften it. So Gulp and Power Bait are not flies or streamers, they are a plastic product, but that plastic product is a compound, not just plastic,  that in addition to the plastic or pvc, contains scents and chemical and natural materials, added to water or oil based resins.  Chemical and natural materials, added to water or oil based resins, are not “artificial” lures , so they are illegal in the DHALO areas. So Gulp and Power Bait are illegal in Delayed Harvest Artificial Lures Only waters. Taking baitfish or fish bait is always prohibited. The DCNR’s White Clay Creek Preserve http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/cs/groups/public/documents/document/dcnr_002969.pdf

Two maps of the DCNR White Clay Creek Preserve are available, regular and large print at http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/cs/groups/public/documents/document/dcnr_002972.pdf

To get to the Middle Branch White Clay Creek, Delayed Harvest Artificial Lures Only section, take Route 41 to just south of Avondale and turn south on Penn Green Road. Follow Penn Green Road to Good Hope Road and turn right on Good Hope. Go past Bank Road and Crestwood Road and you will come to the top of the Delayed Harvest Artificial Lures Only section of the Middle Branch White Clay. Limited Parking is available on either side of the bridge. More parking is available in the lot near the Iron Bridge at London Tract in the center of the section. For more information on The White Clay Creek Preserve, you can call the park office at 610-274-2900. The park office is located at 39 44′ 48.1″ North, 75 46′ 27.2″ West. The nature center is located at39 44′ 46.4″ North and 75 46′ 29.6″ West.

Be mindful of the Delayed Harvest Artificial Lures Only regulations if you decide to go fishing there. Open to year round fishing, no closed season. A current fishing license with a trout stamp is required when fishing in a Delayed Harvest Artificial Lures Only area at all times.

Fishing hours according to the 17 PA Code, Subpart B, State Parks, states

(a) General. Except as otherwise provided in subsections (b)–(g), as otherwise provided in this chapter, and as otherwise posted, State parks are open to the public daily only from sunrise until sunset.

If you wish to see the complete DCNR 17 PA Code, Subpart B, State parks, you can find it at http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/ucmprd1/groups/public/documents/document/d_001192.pdf

The Beaver Creek Section 2, SR30 to the mouth, & Buck Run Section 2, Compass Road to Route 372, will be stocked with trout on Tuesday March 22. We will meet the stocking truck at 11:30AM across from the Sadsburyville Post Office. Please consider coming out to assist us in making this a great regional opening day.

Lancaster County

The Donegal Fish & Conservation Association will host their Spring Outdoor Show – March 19, 2016 11:00AM -3:00PM at Donegal High School, 1025 Koser Road, Mount Joy, PA.

With the stocking of Lancaster County’s 24 Stocked Trout Waters well under way in preparation for this season’s April 2 opener, anglers and organizations are encouraged to consider a mid- to- post season stream side clean-up. This effort goes a long way to demonstrate an appreciation for landowners that allow fishing access.   Accordingly consider participation in the

2016 Great American Cleanup of PA – groups can obtain free trash bags, gloves & safety vests from Penn Dot, must register the event, at www.gacofpa.org the event begins on 3/1 through 5/31. Registered Event Coordinators can take debris to participating landfills free from April 16 until May 9. District Officer Schmidt can be contacted via the PFBC’s Southeast Regional Law Enforcement Headquarters at 717-626-0228 for assistance in identifying riparian fishing access areas and coordinating your group’s efforts with landowners.

The Indian Run, Section 2, Little Muddy Creek, Section 2, and the Middle Creek, Section 2, will be stocked with trout on Thursday, March 24.  The meeting place will be the Middle Creek Visitors Center at 11:30 AM. This is a great way to give something back to the resource or to introduce a child to what it takes to get ready for the 2016 Regional Opening Day of Trout this year at 8 AM on April 2.