Rivers are low, but fish are still biting
Lake Erie (Erie County) When the lake was fishable, successful anglers adapted as walleye moved to deeper waters west of the peninsula. The ’eyes were suspended at about 50 feet in 7075 feet of water, and limits were taken by running biglipped stickbaits, crawler harnesses or spoons off Dipsies. A few steelhead were pulled from deep water off North East. Yellow perch were too spotty to chase, but hand-size panfish were caught from shore and the North Pier using live minnows under floats.
Woodcock Creek Lake (Crawford County) Walleye, smallmouth bass and panfish were taken in the lake, while muskellunge were pulled from the outflow in the evening.
Canadohta Lake (Crawford County) Anglers reported catching muskies and walleye.
French Creek (Crawford County) Low water complicated fishing, but smallmouths were caught near Saegertown and Cambridge Springs.
Lake Wilhelm (Mercer County) Crappies were suspended at 8-10 feet.
Shenango Lake (Mercer County) Anglers iced crappies taken at about 14 feet over brush.
Allegheny River (Forest County) Despite low flow, smallmouths went for live bait and soft plastics.
Tionesta Creek (Forest County) As water levels dropped, smallmouths and muskellunge were taken from Kelletville to Nebraska Bridge.
Lake Arthur (Butler County) Largemouth and smallmouth bass took plastic worms and spinners tossed to weed beds near submerged structure in this Big Bass Regulation lake. Hybrid striped bass continued taking crankbaits trolled over submerged roads and railroad beds. Crappies were caught after dark.
Harbar Acres Lake (Butler County) Trout were still going for live minnows and paste baits in deep water. Anglers picked off trout at the upper end shallows near dawn.
Bradys Run Lake (Beaver County) A few bass were caught as well as smallish bluegills.
North Park Lake (Allegheny County) Christopher Anderson, 5, of Squirrel Hill caught his first fish, a bluegill, on live bait under a bobber Aug. 8.
Allegheny River (Allegheny County) Tommy Lippert of the North Side, a longtime participant in Venture Outdoors’ TriAnglers fishing program, baited up with chicken liver and pulled two 21½-inch catfish onto the North Shore wharf. Island
Firearms provides live bait, and the group offers loaner rods during the free program, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Wednesdays near Kayak Pittsburgh under the Clemente Bridge. License requirements apply. COVID-19 protocols require preregistration at www.ventureoutdoors.org. Elsewhere on the river, smaller cats took hot dogs and chicken livers near tributary mouths, and bigger flatheads were caught on big live bait.
Youghiogheny River Lake (Fayette, Somerset counties) Good-size walleye were reported.
High Point Lake (Somerset County) Big bluegills went for tipped jigs and live bait under bobbers.
Quemahoning Reservoir (Somerset County) Smallmouth bass and walleye were taken.