Page 2 - Fishing Report - 01-15-2015

NW PA FISHING REPORT for January 15, 2015

This Report is brought to you by PA Great Lakes Region tourism, with additional spon-
sorship support from Wiegel Brothers Marine (Franklin) and Gamma Fishing Line (Oil

City).

We answer the question “What’s biting in the lakes, streams, and rivers of Crawford, Erie,

Mercer and Venango counties?”

French Creek – Flowing through all four counties
Editor’s Note: Since the severe cold snap that set in last week, edge ice,
slush and ice chunks have choked French Creek; the slower pools and bend
holes have frozen up completely.

Angler Al’s French Creek Diary
- Christmas week: “Saturday’s frigid air held me hostage the entire afternoon and I only managed
one small pike to the net. Sunday was bait gathering day and right after work on Monday I sped
down to French Creek. The first big chub out of the bucket was cast to the back of swirling eddy.
Before I could get a second rod rigged, the bobber went under. I let it run a little longer than nor-
mal before setting the hook. That was a mistake. Upon setting the hook, the large unidentifiable
fish cut the Gorilla Braid. Crazy! Never had that happen before. Prior to dark I jigged up a small
pike and the smallest walleye I’ve ever caught. The 8-9 inch fish ate a piece of bait nearly as big
as itself. The lid of my 5-gallon bait bucket is 12 inches…check the picture of the ‘eye and bait on
the lid! Tuesday was pleasantly mild. My brother Steve and nephew Riley joined me for another
for another go on French Creek. On Steve’s first cast, a large pike swiped his blue MoGlo Jig
tipped with a medium shiner, cutting his line at the bank. Riley caught a nice 21” ‘eye on a white
Road Runner tipped with small shiner. Uncle Al was proud of Riley’s jigging technique and his
composure in landing the fish. Photo included. Wednesday I spent 1-1/2 hours at an eddy with
shiner bait. Only caught two pike and got ripped off by a third.”

 January 4: “It was my first attempt to catch a fish in the New Year. Nephew Riley joined me on
what was mild temperature but very windy afternoon on French Creek. Bobber rigged rods with
large baits failed to produce in the dirty high water. So I took to jigging but didn’t have much
that way either. However as our quitting time drew near, a 17 inch sucker smacked my floating
jighead tipped with a medium size shiner. I can’t remember the last time I caught a jig while jig-
ging a shiner! Happy New Year everyone.” (See photos below)

Rich Sari (Franklin); filed 1/10: “I caught a 28 inch brown trout in French Creek a couple weeks ago. I
turned it loose so the fish is available for the next guy.”