Gary shot clay targets with us the other day at Ed’s place, and told us about fishing the Meadow Grounds Lake near McConnellsburg. In a canoe with his wife, Linda, fishing from the bow seat, they caught and released dozens of bluegills large enough to filet for supper and some bass pushing 12 inches. However, since Meadow Grounds is a trophy bass lake, they put them back to grow to 15 inches, and probably would anyway. We didn’t ask what Linda caught her fish with, but they both use flies and Gary caught all his with flies using a fly rod.
It hasn’t been that many years since the Fish and Boat Commission drained the lake because of a leaky dam. There were some big walleye pike, northern pike and bass in the small lake, and hopefully now that the dam’s repaired, the opportunities to catch some nice fish will return.
Several other lakes dot the area around Shippensburg, and all allow small boats, kayaks and canoes powered by electric motors or oars and paddles, which makes it nice for those who enjoy quiet fishing without jet skis or big bass boats.
Long Pine Reservoir holds a surprising population of small and largemouth bass along with yellow perch and other panfish, plus some brook trout. All of them are wild fish, including the brook trout that swim out of the streams that keep the small lake filled.
Letterkenny Reservoir is another lake that surprised anglers. Most know it as a put-and-take trout fishery, but the lake is filled with big largemouth bass, along with bluegills and some crappies that were stocked illegally years ago. What surprises anglers fishing the small lake are the occasional large pickerel that strike artificial lures. I’ve caught several that measured 26 inches long.
While fishing Letterkenny Reservoir in the evening, we’ve noticed small flocks of Canada geese fly over during the early resident goose season. They ignored fishermen casting lures and flew low enough, well within shotgun range. I’ve often thought of camouflaging myself as a fisherman to wait for a flock.
Little Buffalo State Park has some good fishing for panfish along the dam breast, and Gifford Pinchot State Park has a nice lake with crappies, hybrid striped bass, largemouth bass and, from what I’m told, several other species of fish.
We fished it several years ago, and while out on the lake, a small boat flew by us with a big electric outboard motor hung on the back. From what I’ve been told, Fish and Boat is looking into banning them on small lakes, requiring a low horsepower rating.
Gov. Wolf just signed a bill into law strengthening the public road traffic laws to allow officers to confiscate unlicensed vehicles they see using public highways. That means people and children driving on even rural roads or crossing them will be subject to losing their toys.
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