Page 8 - Fishing Report | 4-6-16

2016 Overview of Fisheries in NW PA

Based on surveys by PF&BC Fisheries Mangers

Summary of District 1 waters by Tim Wilson

Presque Isle Bay – BLUEGILLS are fantastic in the Bay in both size and abundance. If
looking for bluegills, PIB is the place to go. NORTHERN PIKE seem to be rebounding. The
LARGEMOUTH BASS population in the Bay peaked in 2005 to 2010 well above normal,
but the bass population has fallen back to about average now.

Pymatuning Lake – Going by our survey catches, 2014 was the best year ever for WALL-
EYES at Pymatuning and 2015 was our second best. The number of legal walleyes is out-
standing and average size is going up a bit. If our survey catches are not matching angler
catches, possibly the sheer number of baitfish in the lake may be the problem. If wall-
eyes are chasing open water bait, then it’s more difficult for anglers with traditional
methods to catch them. CRAPPIES: Last year the abundance of crappies was up but the
average size is down. There was a big three-year-old year class of 7 to 9 inch fish that
should be showing up this spring as 9 to 11 inch crappies. Last year our survey nets set a
record for MUSKIES at the lake; look for improved catches in the coming years. Pymatun-
ing offers excellent BLUEGILLS in size and numbers. We are seeing an abundance of YEL-
LOW PERCH at Pymatuning, including jumbos. LARGEMOUTH & SMALLMOUTH BASS
are doing okay. The CHANNEL CATFISH population at Pymatuning is doing very well.

Shenango Lake – CRAPPIES are growing faster at Shenango than Pymatuning, and the

density of crappies at Shenango is 2 to 4 times that of

Pymatuning. However, based on our surveys, few

crappies at Shenango live past three or four years, so

few quality crappies are being caught. We are going

to do further work to try to determine whether natu-

ral mortality or angler harvest is resulting in the lack

of older fish. It is possible there is not be enough ap-

propriate size minnows in the lake to feed growing

Crappies at Shenango crappies. HYBRID STRIPERS and WHITE BASS are do-
ing well at Shenango, and anglers are pleased.

LARGEMOUTH & SMALLMOUTH BASS are doing well at Shenango. Some decent

NORTHERN PIKE continue to show up in our surveys. However, we stopped stocking She-

nango with MUSKY a year ago because we were not seeing any return. And don’t over-

look the CHANNEL CAT opportunities here.