Page 5 - Fishing Report | 1-30-2019

◼ Eaton Reservoir has been giving up walleye and crappies. Lake Pleasant has safe ice with
most anglers catching trout. Big crappies and hand-size bluegills have been caught, too.
Fish 8 to 15 feet water for crappies and a little deeper for perch.
◼ Don’t forget to take a cooler for your fish to keep them from freezing before cleaning
them. Perch get mushy if they freeze before getting filleted. Same for walleye and crap-
pie.

Danny Jones (Erie); filed 1-26: We’ve been catching

some perch and steelhead at the Head of the Bay and
in Marina Bay. 90% of our fish came on SteelShad Mini
in Sexy Shad color. We’ve caught fish from 8 to 12 feet.
The ice has been shaky the past couple days from the
rain last week but should be safe after the next cold
spell this week. Use a spud bar to work your way out!

MERCER COUNTY

Lake Wilhelm
Bo @ BC Bait Company; filed 1-28: Wilhelm has 7 inches of good ice. I spoke
with multiple anglers over the weekend. They reported catching crappies
down towards the dam in 15 to 20 feet of water using minnows on jigs and
UV BC Bait Pickworms. I also spoke with anglers fishing in the stumps; they

reported catching good numbers of bluegill and perch in 6 to 7 feet of water
off the Bachop Road Boat launch towards the stumps; they were using jigs
tipped with maggots and wax worms. A group of guys in the stumps had a
mixed bag of 47 panfish in two hours using a pink Pickworm on a #6 hook.

Shenango Lake

Editor’s note: no recent word from contacts on Shenango. Over a week ago (before the rain
event), Ken Smith said the ice was not safe. I would guess with all the rain this past week likely
brought the lake level up and destroyed what ice was forming – simply speculation.

VENANGO COUNTY

Allegheny River – Chunked up with ice and frozen in sections. However, prior to freeze up, an-

glers were catching good walleyes. See photos on Livewell Page of open water fishing. Here is
th
the last report from Jeff Knapp back on the 19 :