Fishing Report - Blackwolfe Communications

Northwest
Pennsylvania
Fishing Report
Reporting Date:
December 15, 2014
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The NW PA Fishing Report provides timely angling information for Crawford, Erie, Mercer
and Venango Counties – covering all species and all waters open to the public. The fishing
comments and photos are offered by regional tackle shops and area anglers, compiled
and published twice a month. The NW PA Fishing Report is based on experiences, observations and opinions of individual contributors; information sources are considered reliable but comments are not independently verified. In providing information or pictures,
you are agreeing to your comments being edited, and posted to websites and distributed
electronically.
The Landing Net
by Darl Black
With hunting seasons in full swing, some unusually cold/wet weather, holiday prep, and unusually poor
fishing results, contributions to the Fishing Report are on the light side this issue. Every year I look forward to fishing in late fall because it is normally a time for both numbers and quality fish. But this year
my efforts were not rewarded as expected. The historic drop of water temperatures from around 50 degrees to 32 degrees in a matter of a few days due to the severe early cold snap certainly played big part
in the poor results this fall as fish must have been in shock. And I’ll
admit my failure to adjust adequately likely entered into my overall
lack of fish. However, regardless of slim fish reports, you’ll find some
interesting information in this issue, including: Fish Commission Fisheries Manager Al Woomer’s response to a question on river smallmouth disease; Jeff Knapp’s year-in-review for his river guiding; Dave
Lefebre’s “Get Ready For Ice” tips; and “Livewell Memories” look
back at past Novembers and Decembers.
NW PA FISHING REPORT for December 15, 2014
Brought to you by PA Great Lakes Region tourism
What’s biting in the lakes, streams and rivers of Crawford, Erie, Mercer and Venango Counties?
FRENCH CREEK – Flowing through all four counties
By November 21, French Creek was
chunked up solid with ice in all pools and
slow stretches; only the shallow riffles remained open. With the severe cold that
had settled into the area, it appeared
French Creek fishing was over for the year.
Less than three weeks later, French Creek is
November 21/ db photo
completely ice free. This has been one crazy December 15/ db photo
fall.
Angler Al (Franklin):
- 11/30 – “What a nice morning to be alive. Weather whispered to me
“go fishing!” I took for French Creek around 9 AM and on my very first
cast hooked up a trophy-size walleye. It ripped the chartreuse floater jig
I had tipped with a creek chub. The fish battled strong. With net ready
at the bank, I was about to scoop when the fish rolled and cut my line…
this left me feeling as though I should have attended church! Did catch
two healthy northern pike and lost a third one before my noon deparPike/Angler Al photo
ture.”
- 12/7 – “The weather seems to be playing out nicely for Sunday fishing. I
returned to French Creek after spending a few hours trapping and
catching shiner baits in Sugar Creek. Didn’t take long to hook up on a
battle, which I won this time. A nice 27” walleye spanked a white
floating jig head as I slowly bounced the weight on the retrieve. My GoPro camera recorded the affair. Thereafter the camera captured a second fight won with a 22 incher to net. I called my friend Evan who lives
in the Village of Utica, and he came by to snap a photo for me.”
CRAWFORD COUNTY
‘eye/Angler Al photo
Pymatuning Lake
Dave @ Richter’s Bait & Tackle; filed 12/15: “Been a wild fall. Now that deer and duck season is over, I
hope to get back to some fishing. My son and I did make it out on Black Friday for a few hours in the
evening. We fished the lower end of Pymatuning on a spot that’ve caught a lot of walleye over the
years. However, neither of us turned up a walleye on blade baits. There are a few locals still chasing
walleyes in boats and making some decent catches on blade baits up in the Snodgrass area. Looks like
the lake will be ice free through the holidays. Anglers have been fishing from the docks at the Jamestown Marina; they are catching bluegills and small crappies. A number of anglers have been fishing in
the Shenango River downstream of the dam and catching crappies and a few walleyes.”
Conneaut Lake
Marilyn Black (Cochranton); filed 11/28: “Darl and I accompanied Dale
Black to Conneaut Lake for a last attempt at a 6 pound smallmouth. Water temperature was 37 degrees – colder than expected, and colder than
we would normally fish the lake for brown bass. And of course it was
breezier than we like it. Nonetheless, we worked several different brands
of blade baits in all the right areas, along with anchoring and throwing
hair jigs. We came up short on catching a big smallmouth, but I got a pike
on a chrome-finish Binsky Blade from Fish Sense.”
CL pike/ db photo
ERIE COUNTY
Presque Isle Bay
Jim @ B.A.C. Bait; filed 12/15: “Weather has been up and down, and so has the
fishing. Anglers are catching some perch off the East and West Piers but that’s
about the only thing I have to report.”
Darl Black (Cochranton); filed 11/30: “I had to twist Dave Lefebre’s arm a little bit
to get him out fishing on the Bay. He said had not fished anywhere since the latter
part of October – making this the longest period he had ever gone without wetting
line since high school. Said he didn’t want to go until there was ice…but I persuaded him otherwise. The winds were calm but the Bay water was cold – down at
36/37 degrees. Still Dave figured we should be able to pull some nice largemouths PIB bass/ db photo
from deepwater on swimbaits and blade baits. Of course he was already fishing
when I arrived. While I was pulling on insulated outerwear and rigging rods, Dave
caught a 2.5 pound largemouth on a #6 Rapala Rippin’Rap in shallow water near a
drop-off. After joining him, we spent time in the shallows checking for more bass
then we went deep where we expected largemouths to be. However, other than
beat-up acrobatic steelhead that ate his Rippin’ Rap, not a single additional fish was
caught. Another unusually tough fall outing.”
Steelie/ db photo
Tributary Streams
Ric @ Trout Run Bait; filed 12/12: “The snow and rain brought the creeks up for a couple days. It
helped – bringing more fish into Elk. The middle third of the creek seems to be where the highest concentration of fish settled. Nice new fish the last two days have been brought to the shop for cleaning.
Skein, white/pink sacs and minnows are working well for bait fishermen at this time. Buggers in black
and white, pink and white sucker spawn, single eggs and Crystal Meth are working for fly fishermen.
Try a tandem rig with one of the above items tied above the fly. Use a small bead head nymph as the
trailer fly. Fishing the big pools has been fine, but don’t pass up the faster water in between the pools.
There are fish holding and moving in that type of water up and down the creeks. The weather looks
good through the Holidays as far as the temps go. A little rain and snow will help to keep the flow up as
we head into the New Year. Happy Holidays to all!”
Ric’s Addendum: “Bunch of new fish caught on the 13 th and 14th; reports from anglers of fish moving
upstream from Uncle Johns as of morning of the 14 th.”
Editor’s Note: On the 14th, I visited several popular spots on Elk and the
mouth of Trout Run and Walnut Creek. Saw very, very few anglers. This was
the only time in 30 years that I saw only one angler in the Manchester Hole
on Walnut Creek anytime during the fall. Fresh fish are moving in, but not
many people are fishing for them.
On the Wall at Walnut/ db
Bill Logan (Pleasantville):
11/27: “A steelhead on my first cast! The next three hours, I only had a single
hook up and one snag. There are few fish.”
12/8: “Back steelheading again. I had three hits, landing one six-pound hen that would not cooperate
with a selfie.”
MERCER COUNTY
Shenango River
Darl Black (Cochranton); filed 12/15: “After a morning
appointment, I made my regular December trip along
an old Shenango River trail to see if anyone was catching walleyes or crappies. There were five anglers down
at my favorite stretches – more than I’ve seen there in
years. Two of them were using big chubs for walleyes,
and said they had just lost a monster at the bank. Two
were fishing small minnows for anything they could
catch – which included a catfish and a carp. The fifth
River crappie/ db photo
was fishing strictly for crappies with tiny jigs tipped
Shenango River Angler
with maggots. He was catching the most fish in a current-break blowdown;
most of his crappies were on the small side – typical of this spot at this time of
year. However, he said catching anything was better than sitting at home!”
Shenango River Lake
Ken Smith (Sharon); filed 12/8: “I fished Shenango Lake on Sunday
12/7 with my buddy Ron Scarboro. We started in Campground Bay in
the deeper water – no luck. We tried a couple deep brushpiles – no
luck. Wind picked up so we had to fish secondary spots out of the
wind. We found some crappies stacked on a couple blowdowns; fished
jig-n-plastic combos under small bobbers. We took over 30 crappies
home that were 9 to 11 inches; lots of throwbacks, too. Clear sunny
Shenango drawdown/ mb Photo
skies kept us warm and allowed us to stay out until the sun was below
the tree line. I hope to get out a few more times before the lakes freeze up. It was a great day of December fishing!”
Neshannock Creek
Bob @ Neshannock Creek Fly Shop; filed 12/3: “As of this email we only have a few seats remaining for
the 2015 Fly Tying Class that starts on January 6, 2015. If interested, you must pay in advance by stopping by the shop or calling me with a credit card. Christmas is coming up fast, so stop in, call or email us
for Gift Certificates available in any denomination. Pay by cash, check or credit card.”
VENANGO COUNTY
Bill @ Griffins Bait & Tackle Shop; filed 12/9: “With hunting season on us and the lack of ice, business has
been slow. We have been selling some heavier jig heads and live shiners, along with grubs for walleye
fishermen who like to catch their own bait. Jerry Hoover was successful in landing a 22”, 6-pound smallmouth bass and Chad Wilkinson landed a few nice walleyes fishing the Allegheny River. Remember to
like us on Facebook @ Griffins Bait & Tackle Shop.”
Lou Letterle (Franklin); filed 12/8: “A couple friends and I have fished the Allegheny River several times during the last several weeks. Fishing with Ken Dudash
(Pittsburgh) and Tim Kier (Titusville), we have done pretty well with the walleyes.
We caught walleye on each trip, and some days we landed more a dozen. Among
them, one 9-pounder and one 7-pounder. Unlike most years when the majority of
our walleyes were caught on live bait, this year most of our walleyes have come
on artificial baits, including suspending jerkbaits, jig-n-plastic grubs, and my personal favorite fall presentation – hair jigs! I have attached a photo of Ken Dudash
with a 26-3/4 inch walleye caught on a hair jig on December 2. This walleye was
Ken Dudash/ LL photo
caught right next to shore when the river was up but reasonably clear.”
Darl Black (Cochranton); filed 12/9: “I fished the Allegheny three times since the November 17 Report –
once with Dale Black and twice with Gene Winger. Each time we found smallmouth bass incredibly uncooperative. Water temp was 32 degrees on the 11/22; 38 degrees on 11/26 and 36 degrees on 12/9. I
landed a single smallmouth on the 22nd on a Jimmy D River Bug (hair jig); not a single bite on the 26th and
one smallmouth on December 9 on a Get Bit Crawling Tube. My fishing partners caught a walleye each
trip, but no smallmouth. River temp simply dropped too much too fast in mid-November. Unless we
have an unusual warm-up, I’m done fishing the river for smallmouth until spring.”
DB with 32 degree smb
Gene Winger/ db photo
Gene Winger/ db photo
Dan Gray/ Gray photo
Dan Gray (Butler); filed 11/25: “Cold fishing!! Brrrr. Bites were slow and felt like mush; caught 10 decent
fish like one in photo. Got on the water a little later than I wanted, usually the bite is better first thing
then dies by lunch time. The river was beautiful, 37 degrees, clear and a little more flow than I expected
for being a tad low. Bass were caught mainly on ¼-ounce tubes in green pumpkin and watermelon.”
Steve Udick (Oil City):
- 11/23 – “This cold spell really put the fish in a hibernating state…I got one
small bass. Barely 10 inches. Not even a strike the evening before. However,
the weekend before the temp drop, I got 21 smallmouths when water was 14
degrees warmer. Water level dropped 10 inches and I think the fish moved
towards center of river beyond my cast from shore.”
- 11/30 – “Caught this bass (pictured) today and I noticed the split in the tail
and the anal fin is also red and eaten away as is the tail. Do you know what is
Steve Udick photo
wrong with this fish?”
BONUS RIVER INFORMATION
Allen Woomer, PA Fish Commission Fisheries Manager for the Middle Allegheny River, responds to Steve concern about the condition of the smallmouth bass: “Regarding the Smallmouth Bass photos, while
we do occasionally see Smallmouth Bass from the Allegheny River and other waters with heavily eroded
fins such as the ones in this picture, I do not think it is a sign of major disease problem such as the one
currently affecting bass in the Susquehanna River basin. Ever since I started work on the Allegheny River
we have seen a small number of bass of various sizes showing a variety of lesions, hemorrhages and erosions of fin tissue. While I am not a pathologist, I think in most cases bacteria is the primary cause of fin
erosion. It may start out as a physical wound of some kind…then there is a secondary infection of bacteria that continues the damage by eroding the fin. Even with these types of problems many of the affected bass survive the trauma, eventually overcome the infection and heal.
“Because of the situation in the Susquehanna River drainage, we are actually paying pretty close attention to any Smallmouth Bass disease problems in the Allegheny River. We annually sample both young-of
-the-year (YOY) and adult Smallmouth Bass in the Allegheny River and we check the condition of all bass
we collect looking for any signs of disease, parasites or injury, and repot this information to our
pathologist. So far the YOY Smallmouth bass do not appear to be affected in the Allegheny River and we
hope this continues. This year I do not think we saw even one YOY bass with a problem so we keep our
fingers crossed on that.”
Keith Eshbaugh @ Dutch Fork Lures reports having good fishing in the Three Rivers areas: “On November
25, we caught over 50 walleyes, sauger, saugeye, wipers and one small flathead on Dutch Fork Bucktail
Jigs in 22’ to 35 feet wintering holes. The walleyes ranged from 6” to 5 pounds. On December 6 th, we
caught between 15 and 20 walleyes and sauger on bucktails and Jigging Rapalas; fish were in deep
holes.”
Jeff Knapp @ Keystone Connection Guide Service provided his end-of-year report:
“The 2014 year was a challenging yet rewarding season on the Allegheny. Things got off to a late start
thanks to the extended winter, but when spring weather finally arrived river smallies really turned on.
During a warm Easter Sunday afternoon we caught bass after bass on hard jerkbaits on the first productive outing of the year.
“Just when bass were setting up near spawning areas, rain and high water arrived, setting a pattern that
continued throughout the spring and summer. Most summer outings the water temp struggled to reach
the low 70s. But the off-colored comparatively cool water was the perfect venue for spinnerbaits. All
summer long we caught many bass in the 18 to 21 inch range on Terminator Spinnerbaits.
“Late summer and early fall provided somewhat lower/clearer water. The ticket was a Winco River Darter fished ultra-slow, more like a Senko or Dinger. Again, lots of big bass. The Darter bite lasted into October.
“By late October water temps dropped down to the 50 degree range and the jig bite kicked in. An excellent fall jig bite with hair jigs, tubes and grubs all having their days, along with hard jerkbaits like the Rapala Husky Jerk. The weather was crazy, bouncing around from the 70s to subfreezing. On a midNovember day that featured sleet, snow and a cold rain, we boated around 70 smallies and several walleyes up to 24 inches. While the weather was miserable, the water temp was still 49 degrees. It was the
first time I’ve seen 19-inch smallies jump during a fight while being enveloped in a white-out!”
(Note: Jeff Knapp is a licensed guide through the PA Fish & Boat Commission, and can be reached at
www.KeystoneConnection.com. He guides for smallmouth bass and walleye on the Allegheny River.)
Last minute Christmas gift idea: Give a gift certificate for a day
with a licensed fishing guide on the waters of Northwest PA!
Darl Black guides for crappie/bluegills on Pymatuning Lake and
Conneaut Lake, and for smallmouth bass on selected waters including Conneaut Lake, French Creek and Allegheny River. Go to
www.blackwolfecommunications.com and click on “Fishing with
Darl Black guide service” for complete details. Also like “Fishing
with Darl Black” page on Facebook to discover fishing tips, contests and updates on guided outings.
Jeff Knap guides for smallmouth bass and walleyes on the Allegheny River. Visit his website www.KeystoneConnection.com to
learn more.
Fishing with Darl Black
Get Ready for Ice 2015 with Dave Lefebre
Ice fishing prep for novices
Dave Lefebre may be better known as a professional bass angler on the FLW
Tour events. But during his winter downtime, Dave is a diehard ice angler specializing in panfish. Last year he was named to Rapala’s Ice Force Team. Anticipating solid ice on local waters sometime in January of 2015, I’ve asked Dave
to provide tips for beginning ice fishermen.
Few of us can run out and spend a bunch of money unwisely on a new pastime
activity. But if you are just getting into ice fishing there are numerous items
which are must-have.
“One thing you cannot skimp on is an ice hut,” says Lefebre. “This shelter serves as a home base. That
does not mean you spend all your time in the hut. On the contrary, I fish more out of the hut than in it
because I move around a lot drilling new holes. But you need a hut to get out of the elements and warm
up. I’ve been doing this a long time, and there is no compromise when it comes to a hut – get the best
you can afford. I use an Otter, and I cannot say enough good things about it. It is easy to haul, carries
everything, sets up quickly and is insulated.”
Next you need an auger, along with electronics to see under water. This stuff can be pricey, too.
“It is nice to have a power auger, but if you are looking to stay within budget, you can get by with a
manual one,” explains Dave. “A 6-inch blade is all you need for crappies and panfish. Matter of fact, you
really don’t want a manual auger that cuts a hole bigger than six inches – a 8” or 10” manual auger will
wear you out. I use a StrikeMaster Electric Auger, but StrikeMaster also makes a nice six-inch manual
model for the beginner.
“Underwater cameras are super nice, but they are expensive compared to an ice sonar,” continues
Dave. “If you are trying to decide between the two, go with the sonar first. If you find ice fishing to your
liking, then you can pick up a camera later. I would not attempt to fish without a sonar – it is a must
have to find depth, cover and structure, as well as fish moving to your bait. My sonar is by MarCum –
the Flasher Ice System is an outstanding portable unit for ice fishing.”
Dave knows from years of experience that ice anglers don’t need the highest price ice rods and reels to
catch fish. “You can buy cheap ones for less than $20 or newest high tech ones for more than $100. I
would suggest getting a $50 rod-and-reel combo from 13 Fishing – solid and reliable and will last a long
time. Use light line – I’m talking one and two-pound test. Buy the smallest ice jigs you find and tip them
with a live maggot. Now, you almost ready to go fishing.”
The final advice involves dressing for the ice. “You must have a waterproof outer
shell in order to stay dry. You are bound to be kneeling around the hole in sloppy
ice water and if you get wet, your day is done. The other absolute must have
item: ice cleats! These can save you from a wicked fall. I recommend 32 North
cleats which are easy on and easy off, and can literally save you from serious injury!”
The Livewell
Brought to you by:
Wiegel Brothers Marine
704 ½ Elk Street
Franklin, PA 16323
814-437-2077
www.wiegelbrothersmarine.com
Debbie@wiegelbrothersmarine.com
Livewell Memories of Past Years
Why I like November & December fishing...
This used Jetcraft jet outboard can be a gift
to your family in time for Christmas!
2.5 HP motor—a stocking stuffer!
Black Knight Industries
Oil City, PA 16301
www.gammafishing.com
www.froghairfishing.com
Gamma Fishing Tip
Outdoor writer Jim Gronaw continues his evaluation of Gamma
Lines with a look at Torque: “I have been using the green 20pound Torque since mid-summer and have found it to be an excellent line for local largemouth bass fishing applications in small
private ponds and public lakes. Tied directly to a 2/0 off-set
worm hook, I can toss a 5-inch stick worm in and around the
thickest cover of local ponds and winch out big fish from aquatic
primrose and lily pads. I actually fish it on a medium spinning
outfit to help make pinpoint casts to pockets and crannies while
wet wading for largemouths – something few anglers do. Additionally, I can throw a ¼-ounce rattle bait a mile and still successfully set the hooks on the end of the cast due to the no-stretch
characteristics. Plus, there is no fraying or fading in line color…a
stealth tactic plus!
You can find Gamma Lines locally at the following NW PA Tackle Shops:
Consumer Direct Sports: www.cdssports.com
Hill’s County Store: www.facebook.com/hillscs
The winner of the spool of Gamma Line for this issue of the Fishing Report is Bill Logan. When you see
your name as the Gamma Line winner, please contact Darl to let him know what type Gamma Line and
what pound-test you desire.
Prize Pack Lures are supplied by Bobby Garland; Gene Larew; Get Bit Baits; Lake Fork Tackle, Lindy; Rapala; Road Runner; Scum Frog; Thill; Tru-Turn Hooks; Uncle Josh; Venom; and Yum. All prize packs have
been awarded for 2015.