May 26 NW PA Fish Report

Following weeks of up and down weather, the heat has finally arrived in NW PA. The shallows of inland lakes are packed with a variety of active gamefish and panfish. But the region is in need of rain, and a bit of cool down would be in line also…almost too hot for this time of...

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May 5 NW PA Fish Report

Unseasonable spring weather continues. As a result, fishing success continues its roller coaster ride. There are some very good bites happening right now – including smallmouth bass in Presque Isle Bay and Lake Erie and hybrid stripers at Shenango Lake. But crappies are up and down from day to day. Walleye bite at Pymatuning in...

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April 21 NW PA Fish Report

April is a time of weather extremes and those cold extremes can shut down shallow water springtime fish species. Fishing success can be impressive during warming trends, only to go into a downward spiral with the next cold front. Pymatuning Lake, Shenango Lake and Allegheny River have seen hot bites go up and down the...

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April 7 NW PA Fish Report

The spring bite is full on in NW PA. It’s been a roller coaster ride with the weather the last couple weeks, but hopefully the last of the snow is behind us, and water temperatures can climb upward. Just about every species is active at this point so there is something biting to interest everyone...

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March 17 NW PA Fish Report

The ice is gone! We can fish open water! However, with a slightly early than normal ice out, it seems some of the expected ice-out bites are a little slow. I think by this weekend – First Day of Spring – or the latest early next week, angler should be experiencing better bites. Nonetheless, this...

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Feb 12 NW PA Fish Report

With less than six weeks until the first day of spring, Ice Fishing in NW PA is finally I full swing. And looking at the long-range forecast, it appears they will be ice fishing right through mid-March. Steelhead streams are frozen, and both the Allegheny River and French Creek are chunked up with ice. Ice...

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Jan 22 NW PA Fish Report

Mid-winter in NW Pennsylvania. Over last couple weeks, only a couple small lakes had sufficient ice for ice fishing activities. But with extended cold spell upon us, sometime in the next week the ice should be of sufficient thickness to support hardwater group fishing activities on more for lakes. However, the extended cold will freeze...

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Dec 14 NW PA Fishing Report

Across NW PA, fishing has slowed down – except for action in the steelhead streams. Strong agreement that this is one of the best returns of steelhead in some years. If winter weather does hit too hard, tributaries should remain open for several more weeks. On inland rivers and lakes, fewer anglers are out right...

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Nov 18 issue of NW PA Fishing

Snow flurries in NW PA this week provide us notice of the coming winter, and perhaps, just perhaps, a solid ice fishing season. In the meantime, Erie tributaries are filled with steelhead, with numbers higher than have been seen in recent years. However, stream flows are up and down, and so it the bite. Lake...

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Nov 4 issue of NW PA Fishing

It was a long dry spell, but the rain dance worked and Erie tributaries are full of water, steelhead and anglers. According to Erie area tackle shops and some guides, this is the best steelhead run in many years. Smallmouth bass fishing on Erie, select inland lakes and Allegheny River has been exceptional. Hottest area...

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