Pennsylvania's Best Ice Fishing: When, Where, and How Anglers Caught
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Pennsylvania’s compiled by Art Michaels BEST ICE FISHING: When Where and How Anglers Caught Fish The end of December, January, February, and the first part of March constitute Pennsylvania’s ice fishing “season.” The Commission has issued some 390 Angler Awards for catches made during the ice-fishing seasons from January 2000 through early March 2005. Because these catches include those made only in lakes and impoundments, they are considered ice-fishing catches. If you’re ready to Of the 101 largemouth bass caught, 66, or 65 find the best hard-water percent, were caught in Lake Arthur, Moraine action in Pennsylvania this State park, Butler County. All 101 winter, let this information largemouth bass were caught with minnows, except for two caught with suckers and two guide your efforts. caught with chubs. photo-WCO Dave Kaneski 36 Pennsylvania Angler & Boater • November-December 2005 www.fish.state.pa.us Awards included 32 Catch-and-Re- caught, 33 were caught in Presque Isle the Allegheny Reservoir and Glendale lease Awards (C&R), four First Fish Bay, and 21 were taken in Lake Erie. Lake each accounted for three. Yough- Awards, one Husky Musky Award, 78 Mauch Chunk Lake accounted for iogheny River Lake accounted for two. Junior Angler Awards, 274 Senior An- four; Leaser Lake and Pecks Pond, three Accounting for one each were Keystone gler Awards, and one state record—Carl each; accounting for two each were Lake, Lake Arthur, Lake Erie, Lake Stoltz, of Bradford, caught the current High Point Lake, Laurel Hill Lake, Wilhelm, Loyalhanna Lake, Prompton 35-pound state-record northern pike Marsh Creek Lake, Ridgway Reservoir, Dam, and Woodcock Creek Lake. while ice fishing in the Allegheny Res- Shohola Lake, and Yellow Creek Lake. ervoir on January 1, 2003. One yellow perch was recorded from Award Rules, Beaver Pond, Beltzville Lake, Indian Application When Lake, Justus Lake, Kahle Lake, Lake Visit the Commission’s web site, The number of catches anglers have Arthur, Lake Marburg, Little Pine Lake, www.fish.state.pa.us, for Angler made during the winter months of the Minsi Lake, Promised Land Lake, Rose Award Program qualifying mini- last five years depends on ice conditions, Valley Lake, and Stuckey Pond. mum weights, rules, and applica- for one variable. Nevertheless, during Chain pickerel. Of the 66 chain tion. On the web site main page’s all the data’s Decembers, anglers caught pickerel caught, 13 were taken in Lake left side, click on “Fishing.” At the 35 fish. During all the January listings, Nockamixon. Eight each were caught top of the fishing page, click on “Big- anglers caught 149 fish; during all the in Lily Lake and Shohola Lake. Lake gest Fish of 2004” and navigate to February listings, 174 fish; and during Minisink accounted for six. Account- the Angler Award Program rules and all the March listings, 29 fish. ing for four each were Lake Wal- application. This information also lenpaupack and Pecks Pond. Ac- appears on page 55 of the March/ Species counting for two each were Lake April 2005 PA&B. The web site in- Anglers caught 101 largemouth Ontelaunee, Mauch Chunk Lake, and cludes separate rules and an appli- bass, 88 yellow perch, 66 chain pick- Minsi Lake. Accounting for one each cation for state records, and a list of erel, 38 crappies, 32 northern pike, 16 were Beltzville Lake, Duman Lake, official measuring stations. The list walleyes, 10 bluegills, nine lake striped Glendale Lake, Greeley Lake, High of current Pennsylvania state- bass, eight smallmouth bass, six Point Lake, Lake Jean, Laurel Lake, record fish also appears in the May/ muskies, four brook trout, three chan- Letterkenny Reservoir, Poe Lake, June 2005 PA&B on page 57. nel catfish, three white perch, two rain- Promised Land Lake, Roamingwood bow trout, two bullheads, and two Lake, Stillwater Reservoir, Sylvan brown trout. Lake, and Tobyhanna Lake. Regulations Crappies. Of the 38 crappies caught, The upcoming ice-fishing sea- Where 14 were taken in Lake Arthur, four were son straddles 2005 and 2006. Largemouth bass. Of the 101 large- caught in Lake Ontelaunee, and three Fishing licenses for 2006 go on mouths caught, 66, or 65 percent, were were caught in Leaser Lake. Account- sale December 1, 2005. The 2006 caught in Lake Arthur, Moraine State ing for two each were Bradys Lake, Lake license is valid December 1, 2005, Park, Butler County. Check the up- Chillisquaque, and Walker Lake. Ac- through 2006. coming January/February 2006 issue counting each for one crappie were Regulations on some waterways for detailed information on fishing Donegal Lake, Faylor Lake, Keystone may change with the new year or Lake Arthur through the ice for large- Lake, Lake Marburg, Memorial Lake, thereafter. Be sure to consult both mouth bass. Lake Ontelaunee, Berks Moniteau Glades, Pecks Pond, the 2005 and the 2006 Summary Ridgway Reservoir, Rose Valley Lake, County, accounted for eight large- of Fishing Regulations and Laws for Shadyside Lake, and Sylvan Lake. mouths. Shohola Lake, Pike County, the waterways you intend to fish. Northern pike. Of the 32 northern Visit the Fish & Boat six; Lake Wilhelm, four; Walker Lake pike caught, nine were caught in Lake and Lake Galena, two each; and ac- Commission’s ice fishing pages on Arthur, eight were caught in the Allegh- the Commission’s web site, counting for one largemouth each were eny Reservoir, and six were caught in Black Moshannon Lake, Canoe Lake, www.fish.state.pa.us. On the main Lake Marburg. Glendale Lake ac- page’s left side, click of “Fishing” Duck Harbor Pond, Glades Wildlife counted for two. Accounting each for and navigate to “Ice Fishing/ Area, Glendale Lake, Hereford Manor one were Black Moshannon Lake, High Safety.” Be sure to view the “Ice Lake, High Point Lake, Kahle Lake, Point Lake, Lake Chillisquaque, Lake Safety Chart,” and heed the recom- Koon Lake, Lake Marburg, and Lake Ontelaunee, Lily Lake, Presque Isle mendations for activities at vari- Wallenpaupack. Bay, and Yellow Creek Lake. ous ice thicknesses. Yellow perch. Of the 88 yellow perch Walleyes. Of the 16 walleyes caught, www.fish.state.pa.us Pennsylvania Angler & Boater • November-December 2005 37 Bluegills. Of the 10 bluegills caught, Ontelaunee and Lake Wallenpaupack Northern pike. Of the 32 northern Presque Isle Bay accounted for three. each accounted for one of the two pike caught, 28 were taken with min- Pecks Pond and Conewago Lake each brown trout caught. Bradys Run Lake nows. Two fell for smelt. A sucker and accounted for two, and accounting for and Yellow Creek Lake each accounted a chub each accounted for one. one each were Koon Lake, Lake for one of the two rainbow trout caught. Walleyes. Of the 16 walleyes caught, Ontelaunee, and Minsi Lake. Bullheads. Hopewell Lake and seven were taken with minnows, and Lake striped bass. All of the nine Shadyside Lake each accounted for one four were taken with jigs. A mealworm, lake striped bass were caught in Lake of the two bullheads caught. a chub, and suckerspawn each ac- Wallenpaupack. counted for one walleye. Lures took Smallmouth bass. Of the eight How two walleyes. Bluegills. Of the 10 bluegills caught, smallmouth bass caught, Lake Arthur Largemouth bass. All 101 bass were waxworms accounted for five fish, and and Lake Nockamixon each ac- caught with minnows, except for two jigs took three. A nightcrawler and a counted for two. Accounting for one caught with suckers and two caught grub each accounted for one fish. with chubs. each were Blue Marsh Lake, High Lake striped bass. Minnows ac- Yellow perch. Minnows accounted Point Lake, Ridgway Reservoir, and counted for all the lake stripers except Yellow Creek Lake. for 56 of the 88 yellow perch caught. A for one fish, which took a lure. Muskies. Of the six muskies caught, jig accounted for 18 perch (including Smallmouth bass. Minnows took Lake Wilhelm accounted for three, East jig-and-minnow combos and jigs com- all eight smallmouths. Branch Lake accounted for two, and bined with other baits). Waxworms and Muskies. Suckers, shiners, and Glendale Lake accounted for one. grubs each took five perch. Ice fishing chubs each took two muskies. Channel catfish. Lake Wal- lures took nine yellow perch. Channel catfish. Minnows took lenpaupack, Sugar Lake, and Twin Chain pickerel. All 66 pickerel were all three. Lakes each accounted for one of the caught with minnows except for two, White perch. Minnows took two, three channel catfish caught. which were taken with lures. and a lure took one. White perch. Hanover Water Com- Crappies. Of the 38 crappies caught, Brook, brown, and rainbow trout. pany, Lake Marburg, and Presque Isle 26 were caught with minnows. Six Minnows took five, waxworms took Bay each accounted for one of the three were taken with waxworms. A worm two, and a grub took one. white perch caught. and a maggot each accounted for one Bullheads. Minnows took both Brook, brown, and rainbow trout. crappie. Lures took two crappies. bullheads. Laurel Run Reservoir accounted for three of the four brook trout caught. Five Ponds accounted for the other. Lake Trout You may not catch an Angler Award-worthy trout through the ice, even though that’s possible (see the “Award Rules, Application” sidebar). Still, the Commission’s early season and winter stockings can provide fine ice fishing for trout in selected wa- terways statewide. Winter stocking takes place in November and De- cember. Early season stocking oc- curs in January and February. To re- view a list of these waters and their Seven walleyes were stocking dates, visit the Commission’s caught with minnows, web site, www.fish.state.pa.us, and and four were taken on navigate to the trout-stocking pages.