Steelhead association works for angling opportunities
Sportsmen’s groups work to improve steelhead fishing around Lake Erie
Brian Whipkey, Erie Times-News
The sudden burst of warm weather has brought a lot of anglers to northwestern Pennsylvania waters just in time to enjoy mid-to-late-spring fishing opportunities.
However, the winds still have to be mild enough to allow for optimal fishing conditions.
“Northeast winds continue to beat up Presque Isle and her fishermen,” said Jake Schneider at FishUSA. “Strong NE winds can make for a long cold day of fishing, but when the winds cooperate, so do the smallmouth bass. My recent hot baits have been a single Keitech Swimbait on a jighead, a purple smoke-colored tube jig, and a Vision 110+1 jerkbait for when the wind is blowing. Lakers are still chewing on the mountain; cowbells with spinning glows and Dreamweaver Mag spoons have been laker candy recently. I’ve also been fly-fishing for smallies in the creeks for relaxation.”
Bill at Tudor’s Hook-N-Nook bid farewell to the last of the steelhead run and, with his fly rod, welcomed an increasing number of smallmouth bass to the tributaries. “Compared to trout, smallmouth like a big streamer,” he advised.
“Smallmouth bass are dominating the shallows of Presque Ilse Bay along with northern pike and largemouth bass around weedy edges,” stated Tim Tomlin of the Presque Isle Bay Anglers Group. “Crappies are entering the pre-spawn period, and they can be found along the entire perimeter of the Bay, including city-side piers. Crappie action is mostly early and late in the day. Some yellow perch are still hanging around the bay. Walleye are being caught at night from piers by casting long minnow plugs.”
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On May 10, Keith Eshbaugh of Dutch Fork Fishing Charters had some success trolling the 15-foot to 18-foot depths on the main lake. “We pulled both crankbaits and worm harnesses; however only harnesses with butterfly blades caught fish. Then the killer east wind came up.”
Bean at Richter’s Bait on Pymatuning Lake, had reports from the south end of an increased daytime walleye bite on the humps from Snodgrass to the dam, crappies on shallow brush, and some dandy smallmouth and largemouth bass from all over the lake, including a six-pound largemouth caught and released by David Graham on a flipping jig.
“As Shenango Lake’s level is receding, the shallows are coming alive with active largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, walleyes, crappies and white bass,” stated Randy at Fish West PA. “I caught my personal best white bass the other day; it weighed 3.8 pounds, which is approaching state record weight.”
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Linda and Bob Steiner fished for crappies in the stump section of Lake Wilhelm on May 10. “Our largest was 17 inches and weighed 2.5 pounds. I’d never caught a crappie that big before. An amazing fish!” exclaimed Linda.
River anglers are pleased to see the Allegheny level is receding just in time for inland walleye season, which came in on May 7. Mike at Mike’s Custom Tackle caught several 20- to 24-inch walleyes this week.
Contributors:
East End Angler, 4702 East Lake Road, Erie; 814-898-3474
FishUSA Pro Shop, 6960 W. Ridge Rd., Fairview; 800-922-1219
Poor Richard’s Bait & Tackle, 6821 West Lake Road, Lake City; 814-474-5623
Elk Creek Sports, 10543 Old Lake Road, Lake City; 814-774-8755
Tudor Hook-N-Nook, 10079 Cross Station Ext., Girard; 814-323-5886
Richter’s Bait & Tackle, 2936 Williamsfield Road, Jamestown, PA; 724-932-5372
Plastic fish baits explained
Joe Blazauski, owner of Scared Fishless Tackle Co. and 412 Bait Co., explains May 6, 2022, the differences in plastic baits he creates for anglers.
Brian Whipkey, The Daily American
Credit: Source link
