Northwest Region
Crawford County
Pymatuning Reservoir
Crappies are being caught by shoreline anglers north of the causeway. Stewart’s Bay was loaded with boats over the weekend targeting crappies and Yellow Perch. Jigs tipped with minnows seem to get the most hits. Bass anglers are beginning to see bass moving into the shallows. Top water bites have become more productive recently. Walleye anglers drift fishing a jig tipped with a minnow are picking up a few Walleye around the Tuttle Point area.
Erie County
Presque Isle Bay
Smallmouth Bass have begun to move into the bay. Yellow Perch are on their way out of the Bay but still can be caught throughout. A few Brown Trout have been caught in the Bay. Once the water warms, the fishing action will pick up.
Mercer County
Lake Wilhelm
Crappies are being caught around the bridge at Shakleyville. Jigs tipped with maggots or minnows seem to catch the most.
Venango County
Allegheny River
Smallmouth Bass and Walleye are being caught throughout the county. Stick baits and crawfish imitations seem to be the most productive baits this time of year.
Northeastern Region
Lackawanna County
Anglers at Lackawanna Lake under the Route 407 bridge have been doing well. Successful anglers have found trout, Bluegills and crappies willing to bite while using fathead minnows and paste baits.
The fishing has been a little slower at the PA American Water Company reservoirs Elmhurst, Curtis, Maple Lake, and Griffin Pond.
Boating traffic was pretty heavy over the weekend at Lackawanna Lake. Many people were enjoying the weather fishing from boats, kayaks and canoes.
Wyoming County
Now is a good time for anglers in the area. In-season trout stockings have begun and there are still trout to be caught from the pre-season as well. Lake Winola is fishing well for trout and bass anglers are find success there as well. The Susquehanna River is in good shape. Anglers are having success everywhere on the river right now.
Boaters are again reminded, of the mandatory PFD wear period is in effect through April 30th. This applies to anyone in a boat less than 16 feet, and ALL canoes and kayaks.
Northcentral Region
Crappies are beginning to stage and prepare for spawning in lakes across the region. They are being caught in waters that are approximately 10-15 feet in depth. Expect the peak of good Crappie fishing within 1 to 2 weeks. If water levels and temperatures remain stable, the first and second week in May should be the best Crappie fishing of the season.
Cameron/Clinton County
Streams are low and clear. Approach the water with stealth to avoid spooking trout. Rain and cloudy weather predicted for later this week should increase success on the water.
Tioga County
Hamilton and Beechwood Lakes
PA Fish and Boat Commission will be stocking more trout next week in each of these lakes. Anglers are catching trout using spinners and spoons. Butterworms, live minnows and waxworms are also working well.
Hammond Lake
Anglers are catching Crappie and Yellow Perch. A number of the fish being caught are over 12 inches! As long as the water levels and temperatures stay stable, the Crappies will likely move in to spawn sometime next week. Anglers are also catching Bluegills.
Hills Creek Lake
Anglers are catching Crappie, Bluegill and Yellow Perch using jigs, twister tails, live minnows, waxworms and butter worms.
Long Run, Cowanesque River, Asaph and Mill Creek
Anglers are catching trout using spinners, pink salmon eggs, paste baits, butterworms, mealworms and wax worms. A few anglers fished smaller streams and caught native Brook Trout using red worms.
Pine Creek
Anglers are catching trout using dry flies (e.g. size #14 or #16 apple caddis, tan elk hair caddis or CDC caddis; Hendrickson emerger). Anglers are reporting some of their best days ever on Pine Creek, with trout rising everywhere and clouds of caddis. The best time to be on the water seems to be mid-morning to mid-afternoon. A few anglers have reported good catches into the early evening hours as well.
Bait and spinner anglers are also catching trout. Fishing waxworms and butter worms on light line is bringing success to a few anglers. Small black/yellow panther martins and size “0” blue fox vibrax spinners in gold, silver or pink are also working well.
Potter County
Lyman Run Lake
Anglers are catching trout using dry flies (e.g. caddis patterns). Trout are rising to the surface consistently for caddis in the late afternoon and/or early evening hours.
Lycoming County
Loyalsock Creek
Anglers are catching trout using Hendrickson dry flies and a variety of nymphs. During rain events, anglers are catching trout using minnows, streamers and spinners.
Rose Valley Lake
Anglers are catching and releasing bass, using minnows and streamers. Anglers are also catching Bluegill using worms and a variety of twister tails.
West Branch Susquehanna River
Anglers are catching and releasing bass and Walleye using spinners and live minnows. A few anglers are catching musky using large lures and flies. One angler, targeting musky, caught and released a Smallmouth Bass that measured over 20inches!
Clinton County
Fishing Creek
Anglers are catching trout using nymphs (e.g. bead head Frenchie; olive bird of prey; bead head pheasant tail; green weenie). Anglers are also catching trout using dry flies from late afternoon into the evening hours (e.g. tan caddis; midges; Hendrickson; blue quill).
Nymphing has been the most productive. Anglers using the dry-dropper technique (e.g. rig = dry fly with a nymph about 2 feet below the dry fly) are having the most success. Using the dry-dropper technique provides anglers with a chance to catch trout on the surface and/or under the water!
With rain predicted over the next few days, streamers and/or spinners should bring luck to anglers as well.
Centre County
Bald Eagle Creek
Anglers are catching trout using tan caddis dry flies and a variety of nymphs. Anglers are also catching trout using spinners and live bait (e.g. minnows and red worms).
Foster Joseph Sayers Lake
The lake is currently about 5-8 feet below full pool. It should be at normal pool by mid to late May. Winter launch is currently the only launch being used by boaters.
Anglers are catching lots of Crappie using jigs, twister tails, live minnows, and night crawlers. Under the bridge from Howard, Upper Greens Run; Hunter run cut; old 220 road bed and the pier at Lower Greens Run are places anglers are catching fish.
One angler reported catching a catfish using a fathead minnow at the spillway. The catfish weighed over 9lbs!
Penns Creek
With low water conditions, trout are staying close to cover. The water temperatures are still holding in the low 50s with lots of bug activity! Anglers are catching trout using nymphs throughout the day (e.g. bead head hares ear; bead head prince nymph; kaufman stone fly). The hatches occurring on the water right now are blue wing olives, grannom caddis, tan caddis, hendrickson, blue quill and midges.
With the predicted rain events later this week, sculpin patterns, spinners and live minnows should work well.
Anglers are catching trout using small dark nymphs, stoneflies and caddis pupa. Anglers are also catching trout using dry flies (e.g. small blue wing olives; tan caddis; hendricksons and midges)
Spring Creek
Spring Creek has the most consistent water flow across the region, but water levels still lower than normal. Approach your favorite fishing areas with stealth to avoid spooking trout.
Water temperatures are currently in the low 50’s. Rain is predicted for later this week making it a great weekend to fish!
Anglers are catching trout using nymphs (e.g. midge larvae; caddis larvae; olive scuds and cress bugs). Anglers are also catching trout using dry flies (e.g. blue wing olive; tan caddis; grannoms; midges).
A few sulphurs have been spotted in the late evening hours!
Southeastern Region
Bucks County
Trout: In-season spring stockings for Bucks County are almost finished. If you’ve missed the first part of trout season, there are plenty of opportunities for trout angling in Bucks and neighboring counties. Search trout stockings by county here: http://fbweb.pa.gov/stocking/TroutStockingDetails_GIS.aspx
Nockamixon Lake
Bass are moving to shallow waters seeking habitat for breeding. Crappies have been biting for about 2 ½ weeks. Anglers targeting crappies have found fish around submerged timber and other man-made structure. Crappie jigs and live minnows are a popular bait choice. Anglers were catching tiger and purebred Muskellunge around edges of weed beds in 5 feet of water. Crankbaits and buzz baits are the popular lures here.
Delaware River
The American Shad run is still in full swing and anglers have been reporting a good year. New anglers targeting shad often ask the County WCOs where in the river to find shad. Good spots are not hard to find; just follow the other boats catching shad! In the tidal section, several anglers have reported that adult Striped Bass have been caught in the areas of Neshaminy State Park and the Bristol/Burlington Island area. Blood worms and clams are still the preferred bait.
S. Chester County
PFBC staff & a few helpers stocked the White Clay Creek, Delayed Harvest Artificial Lures Only, Keystone Select Stocked Trout Waters on Monday, 4/25. There was a float barrel available for this stocking, but there were not enough helpers to wade the stream and float-stock. Please consider coming out to help us stock these trout streams. A particularly unique opportunity is that a blue trout ended up in the stocking truck, and was stocked into the stream. Here is a page on our website that explains this oddity: >http://www.fish.state.pa.us/anglerboater/bigblue.htm
The blue trout was a large 24 to 25 inch fish. Remember that if the fish is caught, then it will have to be limited to a photograph trophy as all fish must be returned to the water immediately and unharmed at this time.