Page 4 - Fishing Report | 2-16-18

nut, but it’s slowing down in these areas. However, bite is starting to pick up more towards
west section of PIB and the Head of the Bay. The perch seem to be moving towards the spawn-
ing areas.

Kirk @ East End Angler; filed 2-14: Steelheads are being caught in 16 Mile
Creek from the water treatment plant to the lake. Most of the other east
side streams are jammed with ice. But the anticipated warmup and rain
this coming week should open everything up. Most of the fish in 16 Mile

are spawned out steelhead from the Fish Commission hatchery; they are
very dark in color and the meat is mushy and the skin very tough to cut. I
certainly do not recommend keeping any of them. Keep fresh silver ones
or slightly off silver – they are fresh ones entering the streams.
In the Bay, they are catching a lot of perch. Be careful – you can get into
schools of small perch, barely legal ones. But there are also schools of nice

perch. I recommend moving around to find larger perch. We are seeing a lot
of non-locals fishing perch here on the Bay and I’m hearing they don’t know
the regulations. Remember, in PIB the size limit is 7 inches and the bay limit
if 30 fish – not 50 like statewide inland limit. Crappie catches have been de-
cent too, but seem to be tapering off now. Stay away from the ice in the
eastern most section of the bay because the big ships are being reposi-
tioned and they are breaking up the ice.
Over at Eaton (Bull Dam), anglers are catching nice crappies, a few perch Dale fishes PIB for
perch, too!
and some smallmouth bass through the ice. At Lake Pleasant, it’s all about
trout plus some crappies and bluegills in the north end.

Doug @ Elk Creek Sports; filed 2-14: Ice on the upper parts of Elk has migrated north to form
big jams from R. 5 to the lake. But there is open water south of Rt. 5, and guys are catching
steelhead. With the anticipated rain and warm temps in the forecast, all streams should open
up this coming week.

Randy @ Fish West PA; filed 2-13: We have gotten a few steelheads through the ice at Walnut
Marina. But rising temps will change that now and probably
end the hardwater season…at least for us. Spring pike run will
happen soon at Shenango, and we are all excited. Please tell
anglers to be careful on all ice this coming week especially at
Shenango and Pymatuning, Some spots are thicker than others
and don’t see how there will be “good ice” anywhere soon –

given the long range forecast. (See photo)