Northwest Region
Crawford County
Anglers are reporting panfish are in the shallows and hitting live bait as well as grubs. Largemouth Bass are found in the lily pads and along the woody structure near the lakes edge. Walleye continue to be caught in 8-10 foot of water and some Bass anglers are picking them up shallow fishing for Largemouth Bass.
French Creek
Boaters are reporting tons of pressure by kayaks, canoes, and floats throughout the county. Boaters are reminded that the water is lower than normal so you might have to scout ahead to make sure no strainers exist.
Woodcock Creek Lake
Anglers are reporting a few Walleye, Muskellunge, and Smallmouth Bass are being caught.
Woodcock Creek (below the dam)
Anglers are reporting a few smaller Walleye and Muskellunge are being caught. A lot of trout are still left in the creek since it was stocked on May 24th.
Canadohta Lake
Anglers are reporting a few Rock Bass and Largemouth Bass are being caught.
Erie County
Lake Erie
Anglers targeting Yellow Perch report they seem to have not schooled up yet. Most of the boaters are going out in anywhere from 35 ft. to 51 ft. of water. Boaters are not coming in with any big numbers but it’s early. Anglers targeting Walleye report that night seems to be the best for the Walleye fishing. Anglers are fishing close to shore mainly from Walnut Creek going west to Elk Creek and beyond. Lake Erie’s water temperature is now 65 degrees and that is normally when the fish start biting.
Venango County
Allegheny River
Smallmouth Bass catches continue to be reported especially through the northern portion of the county. Anglers are reporting the best success was on tubes. Additionally, Channel Catfish anglers report the highest number of hook-ups just at sunset, especially during the new moon phase, which during 2016 is the first full week in June. Cut bait, chubs, or live baits are the preferred choices.
French Creek
Fishing activity continues to increase, as weather and water conditions improve. From Utica through Franklin, anglers have begun reporting sporadic Northern Pike, Smallmouth Bass, and Walleye hook-ups.
Oil Creek
Smallmouth Bass, and the occasional Walleye, are being reported along the lower reaches of the waterway.
The Delayed Harvest Artificial Lure Only section(s) will open for harvest beginning June 15th. The daily creel limit is three combined species.
Kahle Lake
Given water temperatures, Largemouth Bass will be the preferred target of anglers. Focus your efforts along both the weedy and woody cover areas. Top choices may be lures, crank baits, jigs or a spinner. Occasional crappie harvests are being reported with the majority of those catches occurring on jigs.
Two Mile Run Reservoir (Justus Lake)
Trout continue to hold the attention of anglers, with the majority of hits occurring in the deeper water along the lake’s southern reaches.
REGISTRATION OF NON-POWERED WATERCRAFT REQUIRED AT PFBC LAKES/ACCESS AREAS:
With the 2016 boating season beginning in full swing, boaters are reminded that ALL non-powered watercraft are required to display either current registration or a launch permit when launching or retrieving at all PFBC lakes and/or access areas. For a complete listing of regulations pertaining to PFBC properties, please refer to: fishinpa.com/pfbcproperty.html.
Northeastern Region
With the recent rains the trout streams have got a much needed ‘recharge.’ There are plenty of trout left in the region and they are just waiting for an angler to drift some bait, spinner or fly by them. Make sure to get out while this mild weather continues and enjoy some of the excellent fishing this time of year.
Luzerne County
Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission region biologists recently completed a fish survey on Moon Lake. Bass anglers will want to make sure to check out the full report as while the numbers of Largemouth Bass captured were average their size wasn’t! The largest bass captured was 21.5 inches long and 9 pounds. Click here to view the full report.
Paddlers and anglers have been on Sylvan Lake enjoying the nice weather. Anglers have been targeting the banks with a variety of lures and baits throughout the day but their best luck has been early in the mornings or in the late evening. Lake Jean paddling traffic has been busy on the weekends but minimal on the weekdays. Even the nicest evenings have had only a few different paddlers on the lake, which can make for a great way to end a day and recharge your batteries for the next.
Lackawanna County
A Family Fly Fishing Program is being offered at Lackawanna State Park on June 25th from 9am -1pm. There is no charge for the course but all participants must pre-register. Persons interested in attending should contact the Northeast Region office at 570-477-2206 or go online at gonefishingpa.com.
Northcentral Region
Find a waterway near you (PA’s Best Fishing Waters): fishandboat.com/PaBestFishing.htm
Find a Family Fishing Program near you: fbweb.pa.gov/Calendar
Tioga County
It has been a great week of fishing for many across the county!
Hills Creek Lake
The “frog bite” is on!! Anglers are catching and releasing bass using a variety of frog patterns in the slop and emerging grass. Weeds are getting thick already, making Hills Creek Lake perfect for topwater frog fishing.
Anglers are catching other panfish in pockets within the weed beds and in deep water near the dam.
Tioga Spillway
Anglers are catching Walleye, Bullhead Catfish and Channel Catfish. Walleyes are measuring 6-15 inches with a few between 18-20 inches. Catfish are just now beginning to get active. Recent reports share that the bite has increased greatly since last week.
A few catfish measured 20-22 inches. The best time seems to be in the evening and late into the night. Smallmouth Bass and Crappie are being caught throughout the day using small swimbaits, twister tails, shiners and small hair jigs.
Upper Pine Creek
The “Delayed Harvest Artificial Lures Only” section, currently has water temperatures between 67-72F. With recent rain events, Pine Creek colored up a little, but is clear in most areas. More rain is heading for the area soon and will help cool Pine Creek to more favorable temperatures.
Anglers are catching trout using live minnows and butterworms.
In the “Delayed Harvest Artificial Lures Only” section, fly anglers are catching trout using blue wing olives, sulphurs and caddis patterns. Subsurface, sulphur and blue wing olive wet flies/ emerger patterns are working well too.
Anglers around Tiadaghton and Galeton have noted heavy hatches of brown drakes over the last few days. A few trout keyed in on the drakes, but most of them were taking blue wing olives. Size 14-18 blue wing olives have been working best, on the surface. Parachute patterns are performing best.
Hammond Lake
Anglers are catching Walleye by dragging crawler harnesses over the drop-offs. Some of the Walleye being caught using this technique are measuring up to 24 inches. Large Yellow Perch and Hybrid Striped Bass are also being caught using this same technique.
Anglers are catching Yellow Perch and Crappie in 8-14 feet of water. Trolling small stickbaits and grubs is working best. A few anglers are also catching Yellow Perch and Crappie by jigging near brush piles and/or lake habitat structures.
Clinton County
Fishing Creek
Recent rain events have increased water flow and added a bit of color. Fishing conditions are great.
Anglers are catching trout using nymphs throughout the day (e.g. bead head green weenie; bead head isonychia; bead head prince; bead head pheasant tail). Just after rain events, anglers are catching trout using a variety of streamer patterns.
There are quite a few hatches occurring in the late evening hours. During these hours, anglers are catching trout using dry flies (e.g. slate drakes; sulphurs; caddis; midges; march brown)
Centre County
Penns Creek
Recent rain events have increased water flow and added some color to the water. As of right now, fishing conditions are good.
The green drake hatch is winding down along with other hatches; however, there is still enough insect activity to interest trout.
The best way to go is to fish nymphs early morning and/or late evening (e.g. caddis pupa; bead head prince; bead head pheasant tail; rubber leg stonefly nymphs; bead head hares ear).
If trout are rising, switch over to dry flies (e.g. small blue wing olives; tan caddis; march browns; light cahill; midges).
Sculpin patterns will catch trout, just after the rain storms and/or in the early morning hours.
Spring Creek
Recent rain events brought water levels up, but did not impact fishing.
Anglers are catching trout using nymphs in the early morning and late evening hours (e.g. bead head green weenie; caddis larvae; black zebra midge; bead head walt’s worm; hot spot sow bug).
When the trout are rising, dry flies are working great (e.g. sulphurs; tan caddis; blue wing olives; midges). Craneflies should begin to hatch soon, so keep a few patterns handy, just in case.
Southeastern Region
S. Chester County
That very productive back cove at Chambers Lake, the Waterfowl Propagation Area, is now open again to fishing and boating as per the Chester County Park Rangers. It is a great fishing spot, full of vegetation and stumps as well as other structure, all of which the fish love to hide in to ambush their prey. Good luck!
The Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission will offer a Basic Boating Course at Hibernia Mansion at Hibernia County Park at 1 Park Road in Coatesville, as a two night evening course during the week, Wednesday June 22 and Thursday June 23 with Officers Bonney & Benevento from 4 to 8pm. This course is required for anyone who desires to operate a PWC (personal watercraft). It is also required for anyone who was born after January 1st 1982, to operate a boat greater than 25 hp. Pre-registration is required at adesko@pa.gov
You can also get more information on the web at fbweb.pa.gov/Calendar
If you have been waiting for your big break into Bass Tournament Fishing, this may be it. Captain Jim is having a Bass Open Tournament at the Octoraro Reservoir on Sunday, June 19 from 6am until noon. The physical address for the Fishing Headquarters is 212 Spruce Grove Road, Kirkwood, PA. 17536. For even more information, call Captain Jim, phone 717-529-2488 or visit the website at http://www.jimsbait.net/. Only fishing from boats is permitted & limit of two persons per boat.
Struble Reservoir
Three anglers from a boat caught 120 crappies as observed by the District WCO. Many were in the 8 to 10 inch size. They were fishing crappie jigs both without and under a bobber and small fathead shiners fished the same way. They claimed they caught the fish in about four hours of time.
Octoraro Reservoir
Many large White Perch have been caught recently. Try small shiners and chunks of nightcrawler fished on a small hook on the bottom. The fish have been active all over the lake; however, boat anglers have been doing better than shore anglers.
Lancaster County
Above: PFBC staff leading boating safety presentations at the Youth Conservation School. Photos courtesy of Lancaster County Conservation District.
The Lancaster County Conservation District’s 38th Youth Conservation School is running from July 24-30, 2016, at the Northern Lancaster County Game and Fish Protective Association, located in West Cocalico Township. The camp is for students ages 14-16. Click here to learn more about the program.
Schuylkill County
Trout Fishing has been good in the streams including the Schuylkill River and the Little Schuylkill River. The water levels in the streams have been good and temperatures are still cool enough that fish are biting on most baits and spinners. Brown Trout fingerlings were recently stocked in the Schuylkill River from Pottsville downstream to Schuylkill Haven.
Locust Lake
Shoreline anglers are starting to see less trout and more bass and Bluegills along the edges. Most of the trout are being caught in the deeper water near the middle of the lake. Some trout have also moved to the western section of the lake where Locust Creek flows in. Boat rentals are now open at both the State Park Lakes.
Tuscarora Lake
Tuscarora Lake has been very good for Bluegills and Yellow Perch but the crappies and Chain Pickerel have been slowing down. A few bass are biting but not with any real consistency. The lake has been clear and fish have been picky with artificial lures, but live bait will work on most species.
The Owl Creek Reservoirs
The Owl Creek Reservoirs have been a great place for bass recently, but there has been little pressure in both reservoirs. Both reservoirs are under the Catch and Release Lakes Program and offer a peaceful, beautiful setting to fish at.