Pennsylvania Fishing Report – July 18, 2019

Northwest Region

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Butler County

Lake Arthur

Anglers are catching Largemouth Bass using rubber worms and some stick baits. Popular colors are blue, white, grey combination, and a green watermelon color.
 

Lawrence County

Neshannock Creek

A few anglers are still catching trout using trout magnets and maggots. Anglers are catching Smallmouth Bass using a wide range of baits including live baits, green plastic worms, and spinning lures.

Venango County

Allegheny River

Anglers are catching a lot of Smallmouth Bass using tube jigs, live bait, and spinners. Anglers are catching several Northern Pike and Muskellunge by using topwater lures, spinnerbaits, and live bait (chubs) from shore and boat.

Northeast Region

Bradford County

High water temperatures and low flows in the North Branch Susquehanna River have slowed or put a halt to the bass fishing activity. Anglers targeting catfish are having luck late in the evening and into the night with worms and chicken liver.

Lackawanna County

There was plenty of boating activity on Lackawanna Lake this past week. The bulk of the boating activity involved kayaks. Kayaking has been increasing in popularity at the lake. The fishing activity has also been good at the lake in the early morning hours and late evening hours. Largemouth bass have been biting near the pier area and the Bullhead Bay area. Rubber molded twister tails and molded worms have been doing the trick.

Pike County

Anglers are continuing to catch Striped Bass at Lake Wallenpaupack. This past weekend, a couple of anglers caught three stripers anchored in 30 feet of water, several hundred yards off the Tafton Dike. They were using live alewives off an 8-foot bobber.

Northcentral Region

Clinton County

West Branch Susquehanna River

Anglers continue to catch catfish, bass and a few musky. Anglers are catching bass, using streamers and poppers.

Fishing Creek

The stream is currently in good shape for fishing; however, significant rain amounts are predicted over the next few days. Be prepared to switch up your game from nymphing and dry flies to streamers! Be continuous of the changing water levels due to floating debris and other dangers associated with high water levels.

Anglers are currently catching trout, using nymphs. Nymph patterns that are working (Iron lotus #16-18; dirty bird hares ear #12-16; flashback pheasant tail #14-18; pats rubberlegs #8-12).

Anglers are also catching trout using dry flies, just before dark. Tan, Elk Hair caddis and black caddis, blue quills, ISOs and midges. Anglers are catching trout in the evening hours using the following fly patterns – Elk Hair Caddis Tan (#14-18); Black Caddis (#14-16); ISO emerger(#8-12); midges (#20-26).

Bring a few streamers along to fish just after storm events. Fish the bank areas, structure and soft pocket areas.

Centre County

Foster Joseph Sayers Lake

Anglers continue to catch panfish at Hunter Run Cut, near the Howard Bridge, old roadbeds and along the shorelines. Several anglers are catching fish near PFBC habitat structures, just off the bank.

Bald Eagle Creek

Water levels are currently in good shape; however, rain is predicted over the next few days. Be prepared for water levels to rise. Anglers are currently catching trout using live minnows, spinners. Anglers are also catching trout using nymph patterns – waltz worm, sexy waltz worm, hares ear and squirmy wormies.

Spring Creek

Current water conditions are good, but will change with significant rain events predicted over the next few days.

Anglers continue to catch trout in the early morning and late evening hours. Patterns currently working include – Elk hair caddis- tan #14-16; Midges #22-26, ant patterns and sunken ant #12-18.

Anglers are also catching trout using nymphs (e.g. green weenies are working best). The normal “go-to” nymph patterns continue to work as well – iron lotus (#16-18);hot spot sow bug (#14-16); walt’s worm (#12-16); black zebra midge (#18-22).

If the water level begins to increase and the water clarity decreases, be sure you have a few olive or black streamer patterns on hand!

Southeastern Region

Eastern Schuylkill County

Trout fishing has been good in the early morning hours in the rivers on worms, minnows, and spinners. During the middle of the day it has been very tough. Most of the lakes and impoundments have seen a turn from trout to warmwater species of fish being caught.

Tuscarora Lake

Tuscarora Lake has been up and down for bass fishermen. Panfish are almost always eager to hit throughout the lake with the weedy end of the lake being the most popular. A few pickerel are also being caught but walleye and musky have been hard to find.

Locust Lake

Locust Lake has seen the trout move to the middle of the lake to deeper water. Trout anglers at Locust need to have a boat to have any success. The lake still has good bass and pickerel fishing near the shoreline as well as plenty of sunfish.