Northwest Region
Get your fishing license ONLINE!
2019 PA Fishing Licenses went on sale December 1st.
REMINDER – Mandatory Cold Weather Life Jacket Wear November 1, 2018 and runs through April 30, 2019. Learn more here.
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.
SAFETY FIRST: fishandboat.com/Boat/WaterandIceSafety/Pages/default.aspx
Erie County
Area Steelhead tributaries
Currently, tributaries are open, but you’ll have to watch the weather forecast and freezing temps to see if they’ll remain open. Plenty of steelhead are still in the streams and will be until April.
Presque Isle Bay
Fishing from the North and South Piers is a great place to target Yellow Perch right now.
Forest County
Allegheny River
The Allegheny River at the Tionesta Sand and Gravel Launch is not accessible by boat due to ice accumulations in front of the boat ramp. Shoreline fishing is also hindered by ice accumulations on the shoreline. Prior to the development of ice on the Allegheny River, anglers were catching Walleye and Northern Pike from boats and from thet shoreline.
Tionesta Outflow
Open water has provided anglers the opportunity to fish from the wall for Yellow Perch, Walleye, and Muskellunge. Anglers are reminded that they must have purchased a Trout Permit to fish in the Tionesta Outflow, regardless of fishing for or keeping trout.
Mercer County
Shenango Reservoir
Walleye goes out in Commonwealth Waters on March 15. Spring and boating season is right around the corner. Check the PFBC website for Boating Safety courses in your area.
Trout Stocked Waters
A reminder that all Trout Stocked Waters will be closed to all fishing from March 1 until 8 am on April 13.
Venango County
Allegheny River
Anglers are catching Walleye, Muskellunge, and the occasional Northern Pike.
Oil Creek
As of the second week of February, water conditions downstream of the ice control device remain open. Upstream of the ice control device, however, several portions of the stream and/or streambank remain locked in ice.
Justus Lake
Anglers are catching trout throughout the lake.
Kahle Lake
Anglers are catching crappie, Yellow Perch, and Bluegill.
Northcentral Region
ICE FISHING IS HERE! LEARN ABOUT PA ICE FISHING AND SAFETY TIPS!
KEEPEMWET FISHING
Cold temperatures are not only dangerous for humans, but also fish. If you want a photo of a fish you catch and plan on releasing the fish to survive another day, KEEP the fish in the water.
CHECK OUT KEEPEMWET FISHING for tips on how to capture great photos of your fish “in water”
Tioga County
Hills Creek Lake
Anglers are catching panfish using green, black and chartreuse colored soft plastics. Wax worms are also working well.
Centre County
Foster Joseph Sayers Lake
Prior to the deterioration of the ice, due to new snow, flooding and ice, anglers were catching lots of panfish, using a variety of techniques. Currently, there is a lot of open water, but as the cold weather moves back in, ice conditions should begin to improve.
NOTE – Anglers are reminded to always check ice conditions, prior to venturing out on the ice.
Spring Creek
The water has good color and is back down. The water temperature is in the mid 40s.
Anglers are catching trout using the following nymph patterns- squirmy wormies #12; walt’s worm #12-16; olive scuds #14-18.
Anglers continue to catch trout using streamers. Streamer patterns that are currently working include, olive, black streamers #4-8.
Clinton County
Fishing Creek
The water level and color are good. The water temperature is in the mid 40s. Trout are on the bottom, but they are feeding!
Anglers are catching trout using small streamers. Sparkle minnow patterns and sculpin patterns (#4-8) are working well.
Nymphs are also working well. Be sure to bring along a few orange/peach “mop” patterns.
In addition to the “mop” pattern, the following nymph patterns are also working well – Flashback pheasant tail nymph #14-18; Frenchie #14-28; black or brown stonefly nymphs #8-12.
Northeastern Region
Lackawanna County
Last week’s rain and warmer weather created some unstable ice conditions across the county. Be cautious when venturing out on the ice. Drill plenty of holes through the ice before venturing to your favorite spot on the lake. Remember ice does not freeze uniformly.
Ice fishing activity has been quite slow across the county. Anglers that have ventured out have experienced much slower catch rates than during the early ice period.
Remember none of the PA American Water Company reservoirs are open to ice fishing.
Northern Pike and Southern Wayne Counties
Lake Wallenpaupack
Ice fishing on Lake Wallenpaupack has been very productive for some anglers. Large stripers are being caught around Eppley Island, along with perch and other panfish along Shuman’s and in Walt’s Cove. A couple of the big Brown Trout are being caught but not in any one location on the lake. Most of the big fish are being caught on live bait.
Shohola Lake
Shohola Lake anglers are also doing good with some nice sized Largemouth Bass and nice pickerel.
Lake Greeley
Lake Greeley has been slow but this is still good lake for panfish. Most of the ice is still good in the district, but always check thickness and quality before venturing out on frozen bodies of water. Be smart and wear a life jacket of float coat and always fish with a buddy.
Southern Wayne and Western Pike Counties
The recent jump in temperature has gotten anglers on the ice and the fish cooperating. Anglers have been catching quality perch and pickerel on live bait.
Southeastern Region
REMINDER – Mandatory Cold Weather Life Jacket Wear began on November 1, 2018 and runs through April 30, 2019, while underway or at anchor on boats less than 16 feet in length and for all canoes and kayaks.
The 2019 PA Fishing Licenses are available! Buy now and be ready for the season!
The Philadelphia Expo Center Fishing Show will be held from Friday, February 22nd to Sunday February 24th. The Expo will offer dozens of seminars on fishing tactics and styles for various species of fish, a trout fishing pond, a 5000 gallon aquarium, as well as a host of vendors that will have all the newest and greatest of saltwater and freshwater fishing gear, including boats, kayaks and marine equipment. The physical address for the show is 100 Station Avenue, Oaks, PA 19456. For more information go to phillyfishingshow.com/
On Sunday February 24th, The Delaware River Shad Fishermen’s Association will host a Fishing Flea Market. The show which will have both hunting and fishing items will be held at the Sewyco Fire Company Social Hall from 08:00 AM until 1:00 PM. The physical address for the hall is 3621 Old Philadelphia Pike, Bethlehem, PA 18015. For more information call 610-691-8518 or visit the webpage at http://drsfa.org/
The PA Fish & Boat Commission will have a booth at the Greater Philadelphia Boat Show in Oaks, Friday March 8th to Sunday March 10th. There will be presentations on anything that has to do with boating, vendors that will have all the newest and greatest of boats & boating equipment, including boats and fishing equipment. The physical address for the show is 100 Station Avenue, Oaks, PA 19456. For more information go to phillyboatshow.com/
Schuylkill County
Locust Lake and Tuscarora Lake have had good ice but are blanketed with some snow. Reports of a few walleye and good numbers of crappie are coming in. Both lakes are good right now for trout and perch with an occasional pickerel hitting on a live minnow.
The Schuylkill River has some ice but is very inconsistent and should be considered unsafe and is currently not very accessible by boat.
A few anglers have ventured out on Deer Lake with moderate success catching perch, crappies, and pickerel. Extreme caution should be used due to the creek channel and heavy waterfowl use which causes open water.
Most of the streams, including the Little Schuylkill River, have been tough to fish but still hold trout. Anglers should be aware of the stream classifications where they are fishing because March 1st Trout Stocked Waters will again be closed to fishing until the opening day of Trout Season.
S. Chester County
The White Clay Fly-Tying club will meet at 6PM on Thursday February 14th at the London Tract Meeting House in the White Clay Creek Preserve, located at the intersection of Sharpless & London Tract roads, Landenberg PA 19350, next to White Clay State Park Office. With the cold weather upon us, many of us are looking for a place to go or some activity to hold us over until we can wet a line again and this is the perfect thing. Fly tying materials are provided for those who do not yet have their own. Several flies are usually demonstrated and club members are happy to show you how it’s done, as well as spin a few stories about the last huge one that got away. Club mailing address is P.O. Box 762, Landenberg, PA 19350 for more information. Parking for club is behind the White Clay State Park Office.
If you live 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 that is also a Keystone Select Trout Waters). There was very little help on some of the stockings which made it difficult to distribute the fish as evenly as we would have liked to. Stocking is a lot of 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.
Are you waiting for the opening of trout, this year March 30th at 8 AM and for trout stockings to begin? Well your wait is over. We will stock four special regulations waters, Delayed Harvest Artificial Lures Only Areas and one Fly Fishing Only Catch & Release only on Thursday February 28th. We will meet the stocking truck at noon at the Ridge Fire Hall on Route 23. These are East Branch Brandywine Creek, 1.2 mile stretch from SR 4019 (Dorlans Mill Road) downstream to SR 4004 (Dowlin Forge Road). Pickering Creek, 1.5 miles from SR 1019 (Charlestown Road) downstream to 330 yards upstream of the railroad bridge. West Valley Creek starts 1.2 miles from the confluence with the unnamed tributary (locally known as Colebrook Run) upstream of SR 2020 (Boot Road) downstream to 0.25 miles of the railroad tunnel. There is also a Catch and Release Fly Fishing Only section of French Creek, from the breached dam upstream of the T491 Bridge to Hollow Road. These are all open to year-round fishing so while all the Stocked Trout Waters will close to fishing on March 1st, you can continue to fish all of these streams. We can always use help spreading the fish around so come on out, give something back to the resource. Good Luck!