FISHING REPORT
Lake Erie (Erie County) A month before the walleye migration reaches the peninsula, anglers reported good catches in 53 feet of water off Shades Beach. One party reported eight ’eyes and a yellow perch taken in five hours while trolling in 40-45 feet of water between Walnut Creek and Trout Run. Postspawn bronzebacks that remained in the bay picked up live bait from the bottom, blade baits and soft plastics. Panfish were caught in the bay.
Conneaut Lake (Crawford County) Smallmouth bass and Northern pike were pulled from weed beds.
Lake Wilhelm (Mercer County) Anglers reported good fishing for smallmouths at dawn.
Allegheny River (Clarion County) Anglers picked off smallmouths, a few Northerns and the occasional muskellunge.
Clarion River (Clarion County) Crappies were taken near the Toby Bridge and Route 322 bridge. Smallmouths and good-size walleye were caught between the Mill Creek Access and Blyson Run. Anglers caught Northern pike, muskies and smallmouth bass near the Allegheny River juncture.
Lake Arthur (Butler County) Crappies responded to warming waters by moving to summer feeding stations in 10-12 feet of water, often suspended over stumps, humps or fish-enhancement structures. The hot baits were a tipped jig or live fathead under a bobber.
Raccoon Lake (Beaver County) Panfish took tipped jigs and smallmouths picked up black plastic worms under cabbage.
Bradys Run Lake (Beaver County) Good-size crappies were taken on the north end. They went for minnows under bobbers.
Ohio River (Beaver County) On a night last week, Luke Lyons of Monaca pulled a 3pound 4-ounce bronzeback from Dashields Dam. Rebel Crawfish crankbaits and spinner baits attracted smallmouths, and walleye went for drifting fatheads. Hybrid striped bass were caught on shiners or big swimbaits.
Beaver River (Beaver County) Hybrids were caught here, too, on large white or yellow swimbaits. Muskellunge prowling behind the island at the Townsend Dam took live suckers. Muskies and walleye were taken on fatheads at Freedom Point.
Allegheny River (Allegheny County) To beat the heat, Venture Outdoors started and ended its TriAnglers fishing program an hour early Wednesday. While two channel cats were landed, the most important catch of the day was a 9-inch spotted bass, the first fish caught by Alex Weiss, 6, of Squirrel Hill. Normally, TriAnglers meets 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. on the North Shore wharf under the Carnegie Bridge. Rods and bait are free. Get details at 412-2550564 or www.ventureoutdoors.org.
Loyalhanna Creek (Westmoreland County) A golden rainbow trout – 27 inches, 8 pounds – was caught on a spinner and released in the Delayed Harvest Artificial Lures Only section June 16.
Those waters are part of the Fish and Boat Commission’s Keystone Select program, in which large numbers of former nursery breeders are stocked.
Dutch Fork, Canonsburg lakes (Washington County) While most anglers have moved on to warm water gamefish, trout were still being caught.
Cross Creek Lake (Washington County) The crappie bite was fading but largemouth bass and bluegills were picking up on this 258acre waterway managed under Panfish Enhancement regulations.
Monongahela River ( Washington County) Walleye were caught at the tailwaters below the dams.
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