Page 2 - Fishing Report | 6-21-17

The NW PA Fishing Report provides timely angling information for Crawford, Erie, Mercer,
and Venango counties. Fishing comments and photos are offered by regional tackle shops and area
anglers. The NW PA Fishing Report is based on experiences, observations and opinions of individual con-
tributors; information sources are considered reliable but comments are not independently verified. In
providing information or pictures, you are agreeing to your comments being edited for clarity and brevity,
and posted to websites and distributed electronically.

Fishing with Lefebre: Bass Tips for Late June

The later part of June is a transition time
for largemouth and smallmouth bass on many area lakes. There may still
be some late bedding bass, but for the most part, bass will be in post-
spawn/early summer. This is the time when bass will be guarding fry,

and the bite can be aggressive when using the right lure which seems to
threaten the fry. You also have straggler bass just hanging in the shal-
lows before moving into a true summer pattern. Late June through early
July is an excellent time for topwater fishing in very shallow water. You
can get some very explosive strikes. I like the Rapala Skitter Walk – the
5 inch model. First fish it slow and then fish it fast to figure out how the
bass want it. Whether these shallow bass are guarding fry, feeding in
shallow emerging grass or randomly swimming along the shoreline, this

walk-the-dog presentation will draw strikes on area lakes including Presque Isle Bay, Pymatun-
ing and Shenango. – Dave Lefebre, BASS Elite Angler

County by County Reports for June 21, 2017—Starting with CRAWFORD County

Dave @ Richter’s Tackle Shop; filed 6-19: It was as if a switch had been thrown! Suddenly in

the last several days, walleyes are biting at Pymatuning in the South End! Every good-looking
spot (humps and grass beds) you stop to fish, guys are catching keeper walleyes. I’ve heard of
more limit catches in the last three or four days than I’ve heard of or seen all spring long. And
most ‘eyes are being caught with the oldest of all walleye baits – a nightcrawler! I went out for
a couple hours Sunday afternoon with family members, and we managed to catch walleyes at
every place we stopped – although we had to seek shelter on the shore when one of the big

rainstorms passed through. What turned the walleye on suddenly? I don’t know. Having doubt-
ed the fish commission biologist reports that there were good number of legal fish in the lake
this spring when no one was catching any, I guess I’m eat some of my words along with those
walleye fillets! In addition to walleyes, the crappie bite has improved, too. Bluegill catches con-
th
tinue strong, and there are reports of muskies still being taken. With the big 4 of July Holiday
week on the horizon, it’s looking like a fish-catching fest for Pymatuning. Get out here and Fish!