FISHING REPORT

Ice conditions were changing following days of rain and warmer temperatures. Smashing through ice over moving water is dangerous and not recommended. See the state Fish and Boat Commission’s ice thickness guidelines at www.fishandboat.com.

Lake Erie and tributaries (Erie County) Ice was accessible from many points, and shanties were visible across the bay. Catches of panfish, bass and yellow perch were reported. Crappies were caught under 9-10 inches on Misery Bay. Perch were taken off Liberty Park and Chestnut Street (8-10 inches). A Western Pennsylvania Hardwater Tournament Series ice fishing event (wpahardwater.com) will be held March 5 at Presque Isle. Steelhead anglers found tributaries almost entirely locked up. Fishing was possible in fastwater patches and part of Sixteenmile Creek. A slight chance of snow and subfreezing temperatures were expected Friday and Saturday. Mostly sunny and 34 degrees Sunday.

Pymatuning Reservoir (Crawford County) Walleye took live minnows and tipped jigs at several locations including ice over fish-enhancement structures. Panfish and perch were caught near Jamestown.

Woodcock Creek Lake (Crawford County) Anglers pulled walleye, bass, panfish and a few muskies through the ice.

Lake Wilhelm (Mercer County) A Western Pennsylvania Hardwater Tournament Series ice fishing event (wpahardwater.com) will be held Saturday.

Justus Lake (Venango County) Trout took live minnows and tipped jigs under ice off the Two Mile Creek

County Park office.

Lake Arthur (Butler County) Brad Robison and Sean Carlin took first place Jan. 22 in the inaugural event of the Western Pennsylvania Hardwater Tournament Series. They caught a 2.51-pound whopper and the eight-fish limit weighing 12.56 pounds, topping 64 two-angler teams on the ice. Crappie moved off weed edges and dropped into the basin when the air temperature dropped to arctic levels. Despite the danger above water, one Pittsburgh angler reported boating and releasing more than 100 crappies on each of two recent nights.

Raccoon Lake (Beaver County) Panfish were taken near the dam. Soft ice was reported at places along the shore.

Brady’s Run Lake (Beaver

County) Anglers reported soft spots and water pooling over ice.

North Park Lake (Allegheny County) Ice that measured 5 inches last week was soft and slushy Thursday.

Deer Lakes (Allegheny County) Trout took worms under questionable ice.

Private pond (Allegheny County) Angela Bradford, 8, of Monroeville caught three bluegills, her first taken through the ice, at a farm pond near Murrysville.

Twin Lakes (Westmoreland County) Anglers on the ice Wednesday were heard warning incoming fishermen that trout had been caught but the ice was uncertain.

Keystone Lake (Westmoreland County) Trout and panfish were caught. Anglers said ice was fishable but dangerous in some places.

Cross Creek Lake( Washington County) Anglers said yellow perch took live minnows about 5 feet under the hardtop.

Laurel Hill Lake (Somerset Lake) Trout took live minnows and paste baits. One 18-inch rainbow was pulled through the ice.

High Point Lake (Somerset Lake) Good numbers of perch and panfish went for live minnows and tipped jigs under about 7 inches of ice Tuesday. A 20-inch pickerel took a large live minnow suspended about 5 feet down.

File your fishing report and high-resolution digital photos (1MB minimum) at fishingreport@ Include name, age (for under 18 years), town, species, size, body of water and details of the catch.

— By John Hayes