| A Good Catch brought in at Walnut Creek 05/09/2008: ,
Posted by: Sherry Date Posted: 13:00:31 5/09/08 |
SMALLMOUTH BASS: Ed Fogarty of Pittsburgh was out on a Charter with Sea Wolf. He brought in this six pound Smallmouth Bass. It was 21 ½ inches long and had a girth of 16 ¾ inches. He caught it East of Walnut in 15 ft of water on an emerald shiner. They caught forty Smallmouth altogether for catch and release. MARINA NEWS: We have had a few boaters hitting bottom out in the lake bout seventy to one hundred feet off the mouth of the channel. The sand bar is too far out for the machine to dig so it dug in front of the bar around 10 ft deep and one hundred to one hundred fifty feet wide. Hopefully, the wave action will move the sandbar to fill in the hole they dug. The wind warning light is up and running. The rope lights in the channel and the flag pole rope will hopefully be put up in a couple weeks. The men are working on the building at the Hatchery for now. When they get a chance they will come down to hook the lights and rope up.  to VIEW PICTURE |
| WCO Report Photo for Erie County 05/07/2008: Erie area Erie, PA
Posted by: DWCO Randy Leighton Date Posted: 21:39:16 5/06/08 |
Big Bass Are Biting in the Lake and the Bay
 to VIEW PICTURE |
| WCO Report for Erie County 05/07/2008: Erie area Erie, PA
Posted by: DWCO Randy Leighton Date Posted: 21:31:26 5/06/08 |
| May 7th, 2008 West Erie County, DWCO Randy Leighton, WCO Brook Tolbert Conditions: Free Fishing Days Coming Up: |
| First Day of Walleye: ,
Posted by: Sherry Date Posted: 16:15:02 5/03/08 |
Well, this is the first day of Walleye. I have no reports Today is also the beginning of the regular hours of operation for the marina. The weather is nasty and rainy but it is supposed to be nice next week with South winds and less than 2 foot on the waves for most of the week. |
| WCO Report for Erie County 04/30/2008: Erie area Erie, PA
Posted by: DWCO Randy Leighton Date Posted: 00:15:26 4/30/08 |
| April 30th, 2008 West Erie County, DWCO Randy Leighton, WCO Brook Tolbert Conditions: As another chapter in the annual Erie steelhead season comes to a close, a wealth of opportunities are opening up with the spring fishing and boating season. Anglers have been doing well targeting smallmouth bass in Presque Isle Bay and throughout the lower areas of the West County tribs. Boats have been hitting Presque Isle Bay in search of spring Crappie, Perch, trophy Bass, Pike and even the occasional remaining steelhead. The Gravel Pit Pond in Fairview has an abundance stockies to be caught. Where else can one find such a wealth of angling opportunities? Current Lake Erie water temperature is 55 degrees off Toledo, 46 degrees off Cleveland, and 47 degrees off the Port of Erie. Walleye Season Opens on Erie This Weekend: Walleye season on Lake Erie, Presque Isle Bay and the tribs opens this Saturday. This will be the time to try night time fishing near the mouths, both from shore, and by boat. Minimum size is 15" with a daily creel limit of 6 fish. Walnut Creek Access Area: The docks and launch ramps are in and dredging is complete. Fishing in the Walnut basin is now closed until removal of the docks in the Fall. Archery or Spear Fishing: |
| The 2008 Season Begins Aboard The “SEAWOLF”: ,
Posted by: Captain Ron Rusch Date Posted: 20:42:15 4/28/08 |
| Drift fishing for Smallmouth was the target. The near shore of Erie PA on Sunday April 28, 2008 finds the water temperature at 46 degrees. This low temperature did not stop the bite. Smallmouth action was pretty good once the wind made just a 5 to 10 degree shift to the west after starting out of the south. After several fishless drifts the plotter showed the wind shift right at the waypoint where the first fish was caught. It was amazing how that little bite of change in direction turned the fish on. Smallmouth on the line, brings smiling faces as the size of these smallies is awesome The best depth was the 15-foot ledge area near shore in the morning. Several doubles made the rods bend as some fish dance on the water. Smallmouth were found on the bottom and suspended at various depths. About mid day the best action was in the 8 to 12 foot depth. Water was murky all day but they may have made the shallow water so good. The captain’s first fish was a 20 inch smallie. All the fish caught were on the large size as very few small fish are ever caught the last few years. Gobies maybe taking a toll on the eggs??? Jerry caught the biggest measuring 21.5 inches. This is a real beauty that was released and unharmed for others to enjoy catching. The rest that were caught were also released. All the fish were caught on golden shiners purchased form Poor Richards Bait and Tackle on the west side. 814-474-5623. The smallmouth action has just begun with many to be caught over the next couple months. Walleye and smallmouth combo trips start in six weeks. Looking for that tackle busting action call 800-784-1232. Tight lines Captain Ron to VIEW PICTURE |
| WALNUT CREEK OPEN FOR SEASON 4/27/08: ,
Posted by: Sherry Date Posted: 16:12:31 4/27/08 |
| Walnut Creek Administration building and restrooms will be open for the season this Saturday, May 3, 2008. I will be here on Friday from 7 AM till 5:30 PM then on Saturday we will be starting our regular seasonal hours. Our regular seasonal hours are: Mon - Thurs ... 8 AM till 6:30 PM The docks and launch ramps are in and the courtesy docks will go in this week. Small Mouth are the fish being caught right now. A couple boaters went out and had some luck fishing for them. The limit is (1) fish and (20") is the size limit. No one has found the Perch yet on this side. I hear over at the Peninsula they are doing good though. Of course I haven't had any boats go out looking for them yet on this side of Erie so once the boat traffic picks up I am sure they will be found. They are still (30) creek limit and there is no size limit. Walleye season starts on Saturday also. The season right now is "closed". The limit for them hasn't changed any. It is still (6) fish and (15") is the smallest size limit. Lower Elk Creek and Crooked Creek are being stocked tomorrow. If you would like to help stock they are meeting at 9:45 AM at the Fairview Hatchery. It is located on Rt. 5, West of Avonia Rd. |
| WCO Report for Erie County 04/23/2008: Erie area Erie, PA
Posted by: DWCO Randy Leighton Date Posted: 19:22:24 4/23/08 |
| April 23rd, 2008 West Erie County, DWCO Randy Leighton, WCO Brook Tolbert Conditions: The Erie tribs are very low and very clear with the steelhead season pretty much winding down, although there are still pretty good numbers of stockies spread throughout Elk and Crooked Creeks. Although a few steelhead remain they are spread out pretty thin. Anglers are still catching a few steelhead along the shoreline at Trout and Godfrey Runs. Many anglers have turned to the Bay and the Lake for Perch, Crappie and Bass and boats have already been spotted on Lake Erie in search of Perch and Lakers. (Walleye season on the Lake begins May 3rd) Lake conditions have been pretty calm over the last week and Bay fishing has been fair to good, depending on who you talk to. Current Lake Erie water temperature off Toledo is 51 degrees, off Cleveland, 42 degrees and off the Port of Erie, 44 degrees. Another PFBC Basic Boating Course Offered: |
| Beginning of season at Walnut Creek 04/18/2008: ,
Posted by: Sherry Date Posted: 13:56:29 4/18/08 |
| STEELHEAD: Eleven year old Nathaniel Kightlinger brought this male Steelhead in for his First Fish Award. It weighed 5 pounds 1 ounce and was 23 ¾ inches long with a 14 inch girth. He caught it on the east side of town at Glinado Center in Harborcreek, PA using a white wax worm. MARINA: The Marina has the two main launch ramps and one end ramp in. The railings on the main ramps are now lower than previous and also closer to the edges of the ramps. There are angled tips also so boaters won’t bang into the end when coming in off the lake. The channel is in the process of being dredged. The east side is done and the west side is half way done. It should be finished by next week. The office is open on Friday, Saturdays, and Sundays until May 3. Then we start our 7 day work schedule. The hours will be the same as previous years. Right now the hours are Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays - 7:00 to 5:30 pm. HOURS Beginning May 3: Friday and Saturday – 6 am – 10 pm Welcome back and have a good fishing season. to VIEW PICTURE |
| Beginning of season at Walnut Creek 04/18/2008: ,
Posted by: Sherry Date Posted: 13:56:12 4/18/08 |
| STEELHEAD: Eleven year old Nathaniel Kightlinger brought this male Steelhead in for his First Fish Award. It weighed 5 pounds 1 ounce and was 23 ¾ inches long with a 14 inch girth. He caught it on the east side of town at Glinado Center in Harborcreek, PA using a white wax worm. MARINA: The Marina has the two main launch ramps and one end ramp in. The railings on the main ramps are now lower than previous and also closer to the edges of the ramps. There are angled tips also so boaters won’t bang into the end when coming in off the lake. The channel is in the process of being dredged. The east side is done and the west side is half way done. It should be finished by next week. The office is open on Friday, Saturdays, and Sundays until May 3. Then we start our 7 day work schedule. The hours will be the same as previous years. Right now the hours are Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays - 7:00 to 5:30 pm. HOURS Beginning May 3: Friday and Saturday – 6 am – 10 pm Welcome back and have a good fishing season. to VIEW PICTURE |
| WCO Report Photos for Erie County 04/16/2008: Erie area Erie, PA
Posted by: DWCO Randy Leighton Date Posted: 21:11:37 4/15/08 |
| Opening Day on Elk Creek in McKean The Gravel Pit Pond in Fairview Kept These Kids Busy |
| WCO Report for Erie County 04/16/2008: Erie area Erie, PA
Posted by: DWCO Randy Leighton Date Posted: 21:01:52 4/15/08 |
| April 16th, 2008 West Erie County, DWCO Randy Leighton, WCO Brook Tolbert Conditions: The opening day of the regular trout season for our area was a great one with typical Erie weather conditions in the 50s, windy and a little rain. The reasonable weather brought out the crowds. The new access areas at Rick Road and Sterrettania road were popular and the additional parking these areas provided along Elk Creek were welcomed. Anglers did well with a mix of stockies, steelhead and the occasional sucker. There are still steelhead in the tribs, but they are beginning to thin out. Good steelhead fishing can still be found along the Lake Shore at Trout Run, the access area on the west side of Elk Creek, and in the pools on lower Walnut Creek. Boats have been taking to the bay and doing some trolling off trout run. There are still a fair number of steelhead in the Bay. Crappie fishing on Presque Isle Bay has been hot and is nearing the peak. Current Lake Erie Water temperatures off Toledo are 47 degrees, off Cleveland, 39 degrees and off the Port of Erie, 40 degrees. Walnut Creek Access Information: The Walnut Creek Access Office is open weekends, April 18th, 19th, 20th, April 25th, 26th, 27th, and May 2nd, 7:00 AM to 5:30 PM. Regular season hours begin on May 3rd. Regular season hours are Monday through Thursday, 8:00 AM to 6:30 PM, Fridays and Saturdays, 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM, and Sundays 6:00 AM to 8:00 PM. The office offers licenses, information, loaner tackle, most all PFBC publications, snacks and beverages and restroom facilities. The launch ramps are in at the Walnut Creek Access with channel dredging near complete. |
| WCO Report for Erie County 04/09/2008: Erie area Erie, PA
Posted by: DWCO Randy Leighton Date Posted: 19:42:24 4/08/08 |
| April 9th, 2008 West Erie County, DWCO Randy Leighton, WCO Brook Tolbert Conditions: Mild temperatures and little to no precipitation over the last week have left the area tribs on the low side and very clear. There are still steelhead in the tribs and there have been fresh fish caught. There are plenty of suckers throughout most areas and anglers are finding them selves working their way through the recently stocked steelhead smolts. This week's stocked trout for the opener on Saturday should provide plenty of fun. Early weather forecasts are calling for the low 50's and a pretty good chance of rain for opening day (hey, it's Erie). Anglers have been heading to Presque Isle State Park for spring crappie and perch action on the Bay. Action has been fair to good in the deeper areas with many anglers targeting the "Stink Hole" just off shore between the third and fourth parking lots entering the park. Current Lake Erie Water temperature off Toledo is 45 degrees, 37 degrees off Cleveland, and off the Port of Erie, 35 degrees. There is still a fair amount of drifting ice on Lake Erie. Temporary Closing Reminder: |
| WCO Report Photos for Erie County 04/02/2008: Erie area Erie, PA
Posted by: DWCO Randy Leighton Date Posted: 21:38:24 4/01/08 |
| Over 40 successful Basic Boating Students Lone Kayaker, angling on Presque Isle Bay "Stink Hole" on Presque Isle Bay Has Been Hot for Crappie to VIEW PICTURE |
| WCO Report for Erie County 04/02/2008: Erie area Erie, PA
Posted by: DWCO Randy Leighton Date Posted: 21:31:44 4/01/08 |
| April 2nd, 2008 West Erie County, DWCO Randy Leighton, WCO Brook Tolbert Conditions: Rain and mild temperatures have melted the remaining snow throughout the county and have raised trib levels. Tuesday afternoon the West county tribs were high side and flowing well. There are still plenty of steelhead remaining in the tribs and the suckers have arrived. There is still drifting ice on Lake Erie, but it seems the final meltdown is underway. Presque Isle Bay is ice free and the Crappie action has been kicking up. A good number of boats were huddled over the "stink hole" on the Bay chasing the monster "slabs" that Presque Isle has to offer. Current Lake Erie water temperature off Toledo is 39 degrees, off Toledo, 33 degrees and off the Port of Erie, 36 degrees. Although much of the Lake ice has melted, Lake Erie remains partially covered with a considerable amount of drift ice. The Big Day is Just Around the Corner: |
| WCO Report for Erie County 03/19/2008: Erie area Erie, PA
Posted by: DWCO Randy Leighton Date Posted: 22:51:12 3/18/08 |
| March 19th, 2008 West Erie County, DWCO Randy Leighton, WCO Brook Tolbert: Conditions: This past weekend angler's found generally good conditions with nearly all areas of the tribs open. Anglers fishing the Lake at Trout Run were having a bonanza with many fish caught. A slight warming trend into the forties on Monday and Tues combined with steady rainfall late Tuesday afternoon brought the tribs up significantly with high and muddy conditions on Elk and Walnut by Tuesday evening. Ice conditions on Presques Isle Bay should be considered unstable with the rain and warmer temperatures. Walnut Creek and Northeast Marina Information: Dredging of the Walnut Creek Marina and channel are tentatively scheduled for March 31st, 2008 depending on weather and ice conditions. Dredging and sand movement is scheduled for the North East Marina beginning on April 14th, 2008 depending on weather and ice conditions.
Annual Open House at the Linesville State Fish Hatchery: |
| WCO Report Photos for Erie County 03/12/2008: Erie area Erie, PA
Posted by: DWCO Randy Leighton Date Posted: 09:45:32 3/12/08 |
| West County Welcome Manchester After the Storm Project Waters to VIEW PICTURE |
| WCO Report for Erie County 03/12/2008: Erie area Erie, PA
Posted by: DWCO Randy Leighton Date Posted: 09:36:59 3/12/08 |
| March 12th, 2008 West Erie County, DWCO Randy Leighton, WCO Brook Tolbert Conditions: The Erie area took the brunt of the big snow storm this past weekend dumping a foot and a half of snow and plenty wind to create deep drifting. Although there was a fair amount of open fast water in the upper stretches of the tribs, getting streamside in the deep snow was difficult. A few sunny days have started a slow melt, however there is still plenty of white stuff remaining. A number of anglers have been taking advantage of the open water and doing surprisingly well. Two anglers were observed on Monday fishing some open lake water at Trout Run hooking fish after fish until they seemingly got bored. The lower stretches at the mouths of Elk and Walnut Creeks are ice jammed for now. Anglers have been venturing out on Presque Isle Bay in small numbers, with the heavy snow making the walk difficult. |
| WCO Report for Erie County 03/05/2008: Erie area Erie, PA
Posted by: DWCO Randy Leighton Date Posted: 22:39:39 3/04/08 |
| March 5th, 2008 West Erie County, DWCO Randy Leighton, WCO Brook Tolbert Conditions: Monday was as Spring like as it gets in Erie with temperatures climbing into the sixties. This, combined with a fair amount of rain Monday night put the area back in to meltdown. By Tuesday afternoon, we were enjoying freezing rain and slick roads and fishing conditions for only the hardiest of souls. The tribs were ice free by Tuesday and flowing hard and muddy. There is now open water on Lake Erie and the ice on Presque Isle has opened on spots, should be considered unstable for now. As we head into another freezing period, the heavy run off may slow down and bring the tribs down to more fishable levels and perhaps even ideal later in the week and into the weekend. |
| WCO Report for Erie County 02/27/2008: Erie area Erie, PA
Posted by: DWCO Randy Leighton Date Posted: 23:32:42 2/26/08 |
| February 27th, 2008 West Erie County, DWCO Randy Leighton, WCO Brook Tolbert Conditions: A winter blast hit the Erie area Tuesday leaving up to a foot of wet snow with more expected this week. Area tribs are nearly frozen over completely except for the very fast moving water. A few die hards have been seen out breaking up the ice on the large pools on Walnut and Elk Creek. Ice anglers seeking steelhead have been doing fairly well at the Walnut Creek Access marina, on the ice in the Walnut channel and just off shore at Trout Run. Presque Isle Bay was crowded with ice huts this past weekend. Ice thickness has been reported anywhere from 4 inches up to 10 inches depending on what part of the bay you are on. Catch reports at Presque Isle have been sporadic with mostly blue gills filling the buckets along with smaller perch and the occasional steelhead. Steelhead Moved: As part of the Fairview State Fish Hatchery Program, a good number of spawned out steel head have been returned to the water. This year a signifcant number of steelhead were released into Conneaut Creek in Albion near the Fairgrounds. (look for the big blue building) |
| WCO Report Photos for Erie County 02/20/2008: Erie area Erie, PA
Posted by: DWCO Randy Leighton Date Posted: 23:17:10 2/19/08 |
| Sons of Lake Erie Ice Fishing Clinic 1 Sons of Lake Erie Ice Fishing Clinic 2 Sons of Lake Erie Ice Fishing Clinic 3 to VIEW PICTURE |
| WCO Report for Erie County 02/20/2008: Erie area Erie, PA
Posted by: DWCO Randy Leighton Date Posted: 23:10:05 2/19/08 |
| February 20th, 2008 West Erie County, DWCO Randy Leighton, WCO Brook Tolbert Conditions: Monday afternoon and Tuesday found the Erie County tribs opened up with much of the ice pushed down stream and the water flowing high and mighty. Temperatures dropped into the teens again late Tuesday afternoon created slush and some icing again. As far as hard water fishing goes, caution can not be overemphasized with the rapid freezing and thawing. Anglers were out this past weekend with reports of ice thickness anywhere from 3 to 5 inches of relatively soft ice. There have been reports, both confirmed and unconfirmed of angler "fall throughs" Common sense dictates to the experienced ice angler that in Erie, it typically takes a good solid week of temperatures in the low teens to take the Bay from soft water to stable, hard ice. The constant freeze and thawing we have experienced has been forming multiple layers of frozen ice and slush and not a lot of hard "black ice". The experienced ice angler knows that just because someone is out there the ice is not necessarily safe for fishing or for any other ice activities for that matter. Ice conditions again, are not monitored and in these cases there are no laws for stupidity. When venturing out on to the ice....you are on your on, and for many anglers venturing out on the Bay in marginal conditions, that can be a long way away from rescue. Use your head and be careful. Cabin Fever?, Basic Boating Class, Sign Up Early: |
| WCO Report for Erie County 02/13/2008: Erie area Erie, PA
Posted by: DWCO Randy Leighton Date Posted: 11:47:42 2/13/08 |
| February 13th, 2008 West Erie County, DWCO Randy Leighton, WCO Brook Tolbert Conditions: The Erie are weather has had more ups and downs than the new Ravine Flyer II roller coaster at Waldameer Park. Mild temperatures and open water has given way to a deep freeze over the last several days. A good blanket of snow covered the area as of late Tuesday afternoon. Area tribs are nearly frozen over again with only the fastest flowing water remaining open. Presque Isle Bay has frozen over again although at this point the ice is very rough from high winds and should be considered unstable. Considerable drifting ice has reformed over Lake Erie again. In short we are in that transition period from soft water to safe hard water fishing. Cold temperatures forecast for the remainder of the week may bring solid ice by the weekend. |
| WCO Report Photos for Erie County 02/06/2008: Erie area Erie, PA
Posted by: DWCO Randy Leighton Date Posted: 11:14:26 2/06/08 |
| Meltdown on Presque Isle Bay If in doubt, don’t go out to VIEW PICTURE |
| WCO Report for Erie County 02/06/2008: Erie area Erie, PA
Posted by: DWCO Randy Leighton Date Posted: 11:05:55 2/06/08 |
| February 6th, 2008 West Erie County, DWCO Randy Leighton, WCO Brook Tolbert Conditions: Somewhat mild conditions this past weekend (for Erie anyway), found the west county tribs lined with anglers enjoying good to excellent steelhead conditions. Catches were good with many limits and hook ups observed with shiners, jigs, single eggs and egg patterns being the go to baits. Temps in the high forties and low fifties on Monday and Tuesday burned off any remaining ice along the tribs. With the mild temperatures came a significant amount of rainfall Monday night and Tuesday raising the water levels to high and very muddy conditions. Forecasts are calling for less precipitation and colder temperatures later in the week with the mercury expected to dip into the teens by the weekend. In short it will be wait and see Walnut Creek Fishing Hours Change, Effective Immediately: From September 2nd until the opening day of trout season in April, all Lake Erie tributary streams are closed to fishing from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. on the following day except for Walnut Creek, north of the Manchester Bridge and Elk Creek north of Route 5. The Important change here is that Walnut Creek specifically and effective immediately, is now closed to fishing south of the Manchester Bridge between the hours of 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. the following day through the opening day |
| WCO Report Photos for Erie County 01/30/2008: Erie area Erie, PA
Posted by: DWCO Randy Leighton Date Posted: 12:25:21 1/30/08 |
| Presque Isle Bay, 1/27 Misery Bay, 1/27 to VIEW PICTURE |
| WCO Report for Erie County 01/30/2008: Erie area Erie, PA
Posted by: DWCO Randy Leighton Date Posted: 12:18:28 1/30/08 |
| January 30th, 2008 West Erie County, DWCO Randy Leighton, WCO Brook Tolbert Conditions: This past weekend Presque Isle Bay could have been assigned a new zip code with hundreds of anglers taking to the ice. Reports were mixed with most anglers filling their buckets with blue gills and sunfish with a few perch and an occasional steelhead. Ice conditions were soft a varied from three to five inches. By Tuesday afternoon, the freeze left as fast as it came. Temperatures in the mid to high forties soften the ice on Presque Isle Bay and left unsafe conditions with considerable slush and standing water. Area tribs were opened up in many areas with the mild temperatures sending loose ice down stream and adding further blockage to the mouths of Elk and Walnut Creeks. As of Tuesday afternoon there were many fishable areas along Elk and Walnut Creeks with the water very high and moving although still somewhat on the clear side. Lake Erie is nearly all open with some drifting ice. The forecast is calling for temperatures back in the twenties perhaps bring a quick return to the hard water season. Ice Warnings: As ice builds along the lake shore, so does the formation of "ice dunes". These beautiful formations occur as the waves pound the shoreline pushing drifting ice into large mounds along the Erie lake shore. As spectacular as they are to view, they are equally dangerous to walk on. Many of these dunes are hollow inside with open water underneath. A fall through a dune can leave an individual trapped with little chance of escape. Walking on these formations can be risky. Erie Outdoor Sport and Travel Expo: |
| WCO Report for Erie County 01/23/2008: Erie area Erie, PA
Posted by: DWCO Randy Leighton Date Posted: 22:39:43 1/22/08 |
| January 23rd, 2008 West Erie County, DWCO Randy Leighton, WCO Brook Tolbert Conditions: Erie certainly has not been spared from the recent winter storms. Blowing cold temperatures dipping into the single digits at times and howling winds and drifting snow along the Lake shore have made traveling difficult. Snow accumulation has varied through out the area with the lake shore receiving less than a foot, however, the frigid arctic conditions have made steelhead fishing miserable at best. At the same time, hard water anglers are already testing the newly formed ice around the area. Presque isle has frozen over with a few inches of soft ice and most of the area tribs are frozen over with all but the fastest flowing water remaining open. It certainly appears that ice fishing season is moving in. Anglers should be exercise extreme caution with the soft early season ice. 2007 Pennsylvania Boating Analysis Recap from Dan Martin, Director, Bureau of Boating and Access, PFBC: |
| WCO Report for Erie County 01/16/2008: Erie area Erie, PA
Posted by: DWCO Randy Leighton Date Posted: 23:34:11 1/15/08 |
| January 16th, 2008 West Erie County, DWCO Randy Leighton, WCO Brook Tolbert Conditions: Area tribs are still open and flowing on the clear side. Warm temperatures over the last week have kept conditions good to excellent. Frigid temperatures are expected through the week end likely bring back slushy to icy conditions. Late January into early February is typically the most brutal part of winter here in Erie. Catches have been very good with little angling pressure. Current West County trib conditions as of late Tuesday afternoon were clear with good flow. Elk Valley Sportsmen Reverse Raffle..Don’t Miss It! The annual Elk Valley Sportsmen Reverse Raffle is just around the corner. Your ticket gives you a chance at the $2,000.00 Main Prize, dinner, drinks, music, games of chance, & dancing. It is being held on Feb. 16th @ St. John's Social Hall / Girard with Happy Hour starting at 5:30 ... Dinner @ 7:00 ... Dancing from 9:00 to Midnight. At a bargain price of $60.00/couple, it is one of the best buys out there. This is the only Fund Raiser held by the Elk Valley Sportsmen Club for the year. This helps to fund the Annual Kid's Fishing Derby & improvements at the Girard Boro Pond as well as Turkey Feeding, Hunter's Safety Courses, and many other community projects. Tickets are available at McDonald's Meats on Route 20 in Girard (near the Overlake Golf Course) or by calling Lee Weaver at 922-3412 (area code 814 if needed) or any Club Officer. This is the sportsmen's social event of the season in Northwest Erie County. Tickets are limited to 200 couples so get yours now !! Basic Boating Class, Sign Up Early: Area officers from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, will be conducting a safe boating class on Tuesday and Wednesday. March 25th and 27th from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM each evening. The class will be held at the Girard United Methodist Church at 48 Main Street Girard PA 16417 with plenty of room for anyone interested. This comprehensive 8 hour class is designed for the novice boater or boater to be, as well as the experienced boater who would like to refresh his knowledge and is especially recommended for the new boater and their families. The class covers basic boating safety, boating laws and regulations, and equipment. Successful completion of the course qualifies the individual for a Pennsylvania boating education safety certificate (card). There is no charge for the course or materials, although registration is required. This class typically fills up and early sign up is recommended. To register for this class, email DWCO Randy Leighton at rglerie@msn.com with your name, address, phone, age, and number of people you would like to register or you can phone WCO Brook Tolbert at (814) 774-4672 Upon successful completion of the course , the Agency will require a processing fee for your Basic Boating Safety Card if one is desired. Alternative Area Angling Opportunities: Braving the winter elements, anglers have been spotted on the North and South piers along the Erie Channel targeting Perch and Burbot. This can be a great alternative to our winter steelhead fishing and can produce some mouthwatering table fare. The bait of choice is shiners, especially the larger ones when targeting Burbot. Weighted perch or crappie rigs with tandem hooks work well. Perch and other panfish are being caught on calmer days along the Bayfront near the Dobbins Landing especially at daybreak and just before sunset. Crappie and other panfish can be targeted along the dock areas in Marina Bay, at the park, and off the wall near the Perry Monument. Preparing for Ice Fishing Season if it Ever Arrives: Consider the following check list of items (enhanced from year to year) to make your ice outing more enjoyable and productive: Fishing rods - Large guides, sensitive tip, with some backbone, preferably the short ones made specifically for ice angling Reels - Micro-spinning reel Line - 2 to 6 LB test ice line Bobber stops with beads Split shot, a variety of sizes Foam ice fishing bobbers Fingernail clipper or line cutters to cut line Ice scoop/ladle/dipper - for removing slush from the hole, a must have item Micro and ice jigs and spoons, hooks...etc. Bait - wax worms, fatheads, crappie, minnows, grubs etc. Small jigging blades tipped with shiners are good bait. 5 gallon bucket to sit on, and carry fish in Hand warmers (I still like the Jon E's best) Needle nose pliers or forceps Fishing License with appropriate stamps (current of course) Proper Personal Identification (regulations require an additional form of ID when fishing) Ice auger (Regulations permit hole diameter to be 10") Sled for auger and gear (The light weight kids plastic toboggans work great) Bait bucket Small light weight shovel, collapsible if possible Ice picks - could be a lifesaver! (A couple of screw drivers tied on the end of a light cord will work in a pinch) A compass (can be easy to loose sense of direction in a blizzard) Mouth spreader (for the fish of course) Gaff for larger fish should you get lucky Hook sharpener Ice Shelter "Another sled for more gear" Propane heater Spud bar (for checking ice thickness) Tip-ups - preferably the freeze-free type Leaders for tip-ups Quickstrike rigs for tip-ups Bait for tip-ups, smelt, shiners, etc. Cell-phone GPS (a white out on Presque Isle Bay can be pretty confusing) Camera (disposable works best and you wont fret if you lose it) Ice cleats Small flashlight Lantern, Matches or Lighter (for propane heater) Sun glasses, You'll appreciate them when coming out of your hut on a bright sunny day A buddy whenever possible Neoprene waterproof gloves Tasty snacks and beverages "Another sled for more gear" Local Weather: Thursday...Cloudy with a chance of snow early...mixing with rain in the afternoon. Highs in the upper 30s. South winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation 50 percent. Thursday Night...Rain and snow showers likely in the evening...then a chance of snow showers after midnight. Little or no snow accumulation. Blustery with lows in the upper 20s. South winds 15 to 25 mph. Gusts up to 40 mph after midnight. Chance of precipitation 60 percent. Friday...Snow likely. Windy with highs in the lower 30s. Chance of snow 60 percent. Friday Night...Cloudy with a 50 percent chance of snow. Breezy and colder with lows 15 to 20. Saturday...Snow showers likely. Breezy with highs in the lower 20s. Chance of snow 60 percent. Saturday Night...Snow showers likely. Breezy and cold with lows around 10 above. Chance of snow 70 percent. Wind chill values as low as 10 below. Sunday...Snow showers likely. Breezy with highs around 15. Chance of snow 70 percent. Wind chill values as low as 10 below. Sunday Night...Cloudy with a 40 percent chance of snow showers. Cold with lows around 10 above. Wind chill values as low as 10 below. Martin Luther King Jr Day...Cloudy with a 40 percent chance of snow. Highs in the lower 20s. Wind chill values as low as 5 below in the morning. Monday Night...Cloudy with a 40 percent chance of snow. Lows 10 to 15. Tuesday...Mostly cloudy with a 40 percent chance of snow showers. Highs in the upper 20s. Wind chill values as low as 5 below in the morning. |
| WCO Report for Erie County 01/09/2008: Erie area Erie, PA
Posted by: DWCO Randy Leighton Date Posted: 20:47:43 1/08/08 |
| January 9th, 2008 West Erie County, DWCO Randy Leighton, WCO Brook Tolbert Conditions: Short of the robins singing, the past few days have looked more like spring and even early summer than the dead of January. Anglers took to the tribs in big numbers on Monday and Tuesday with temperatures in the high 60's and pretty good water conditions. The Walnut Creek Project waters were lined with anglers having no thoughts of putting the rods and reels away yet. Although a bit on the clear side, the West county tribs had enough flow to allow fair to good catches. Temperatures should be returning to reality throughout the remainder of the week although we may be ice free for a while. Current Lake Erie water temperature as of this writing is 32 degrees. Current West County trib conditions as of Tuesday afternoon were clear with some flow. *Elk Creek Access Area Development Meeting*: |
| WCO Report for Erie County 01/02/2008: Erie area Erie, PA
Posted by: DWCO Randy Leighton Date Posted: 21:22:25 1/01/08 |
| January 1st, 2008 West Erie County, DWCO Randy Leighton, WCO Brook Tolbert Conditions: The West County tribs were on the clear side with reasonable flow as of Tuesday afternoon. A number of anglers were spotted chasing that first catch of the new year. A winter storm warning has been in effect through Wednesday for the area. The snow accumulation should bring some color and depth the the tribs. Overnight temperatures are predicted in the teens for the next few days which will likely bring morning slush and some ice. Fish are scattered throughout the tribs with pockets of fish holding in the slower moving, deeper pools. Jigs, skein, egg sacks, and minnows are all popular baits for the cold water fishing. Fly anglers find the egg patterns, small jigs, and wooly buggers are often the "go to" presentations. Lake Erie water temperature off the Port of Erie is 33 degrees. Don't Forget: 2008 Fishing licenses are to be displayed on an outer garment when fishing effective 12:01 AM, January 1st, 2008. There is no grace period. Elk Creek Access Area: The Girard Township Supervisors will be holding a public meeting at the Girard High School on January 15th at 7:00 PM. The purpose of the meeting is to gather public comment regarding the development potential and future of the Elk Creek Access area. This is a great opportunity to get involved with the future of this area. |
| WCO Report for Erie County 12/19/2007: Erie area Erie, PA
Posted by: DWCO Randy Leighton Date Posted: 00:21:12 12/19/07 |
| December 18th, 2007 West Erie County, DWCO Randy Leighton, WCO Brook Tolbert Conditions: Die hard anglers have been battling wind and snow flurries on the Erie Tribs over the last week, however, those that have been willing to brave the elements have very often been rewarded with ideal water conditions at times and good catches. A break in the weather and slightly warmer temperatures on Tuesday left the tribs a bit on the clear side but still with good flow. Predictions for light snowfall over the next week may help to put some color back in the water. Day time temperatures have inched high enough to keep any significant ice from forming, although the early morning hours can be slushy. The Walnut Creek marina basin is mostly ice free and patient anglers have been doing well there. Conditions on Elk Creek have been ideal with good catches through out and up into the upper stretches. Skim ice could be seen over much of the west end of Presque Isle Bay on Tuesday morning...perhaps a sign of an early hard water fishing season. Anglers willing to brave the cold have seen good catches of perch and pan fish at many of the public access areas along Bay front and around Dobbins landing. Current water temperature off the Port of Erie is 33 degrees. Current West County trib conditions as of Tuesday afternoon were good flow and clearing somewhat. Happy Holidays: Winter Safety Reminders: |
| What's Happening at Walnut Creek, PA: ,
Posted by: Sherry Date Posted: 18:17:07 12/14/07 |
| STEELHEAD: I caught this picture from inside the building. As I was walking by the lobby window I saw this man catch and net this fish so I snapped a picture. This one is of a man who was just so excited about catching one that he held it up to me for the picture and then continued fishing. I didn’t get any names but pictures are better than words anyway. The people are still catching fish. I was told by a regular (Bruce) that the North winds are good for catching the fish. We have some pretty strong (25 knot) winds now too from the Northwest. But we have around 30 cars in the South lot and I have 15-20 people fishing around the basin and the north wall. I guess the threat of snow doesn’t hinder anyone from their love of fishing. After next Friday the office building will be closed until April 9, 2008. I will be here on December 21 but just to close up for the season. Don’t forget you can get your fishing licenses now for next year. They make good Christmas presents if you can’t think of what to buy for someone. Senior Lifetime Licenses can be bought if you will be 65 any time in 2008 from January 1 thru December 31. You can buy them anytime after January 1, 2008. All licenses will be sold through the PALS (Pennsylvania Automated License System) machine now so there will be no paper licenses sold anymore. These are nice though because they are plastic and your information is burned into it so it won’t run or get ruined from water and such. Also it is a little easier to get a replacement if you loose yours. to VIEW PICTURE |
| WCO Report for Erie County 12/12/2007: Erie area Erie, PA
Posted by: DWCO Randy Leighton Date Posted: 11:15:32 12/12/07 |
| December 12th, 2007 West Erie County, DWCO Randy Leighton, WCO Brook Tolbert Conditions: Significant rain and temperatures in the mid 40's have joined forces to raise the Erie tribs back to high and muddy conditions. The Erie area still had a fair amount of residual snow on the ground from a week ago adding a significant amount of run off to an all day rain fall on Tuesday. On the plus side, the ice has all but been eliminated for now. Forecasts for the remainder of the week are calling for a good chance of additional rain and freezing rain putting anglers in the wait and see mode. Current Lake water temperature off the Port of Erie is 36 degrees. Current West County trib conditions as of Tuesday afternoon were high, muddy and flowing hard. Law Enforcement: |
| What's Happening at Walnut Creek, PA: ,
Posted by: Sherry Date Posted: 08:59:33 12/09/07 |
| STEELHEAD: Here is a man who caught his first Steelhead. His name is Cary Zack of Hunker, PA and he caught this nice male Steelhead. It was 7 pounds 9 ½ inches and was 27 ½ inches long with a 15 ½ inch girth. He caught it in the marina off the southwest channel wall. He caught it on a baby jig with maggots. The parking by the lake is pretty full today. I also have about 30 cars over in the south lot with people fishing in the creek. The people seem to be doing okay. I haven’t seen many fish get caught but that’s fishing. I had a few people thank me for being open. They enjoy the ability to get out of the cold for a while and to use the facilities. The marina is just getting a slight skimming of ice on just a little of it. It is still flowing pretty well into the channel. I haven’t had any boats go out for a while now but I did have someone call today and ask if they could get out. I told them about the little launch on the south side into the creek. If the marina ices over you could always use the creek launch. It is mostly for smaller boats or Ski-Doo’s though. Next Weekend is the last weekend the office building will be open until April 9, 2008. I will be here on December 21 but just to close up for the season. Don’t forget you can get your fishing licenses now for next year. They make good Christmas presents if you can’t think of what to buy for someone. Senior Lifetime Licenses can be bought if you will be 65 any time in 2008 from January 1 thru December 31. You won’t be able to buy them until January 1 though. All licenses will be sold through the PALS (Pennsylvania Automated License System) machine now so there will be no paper licenses sold anymore. These are nice though because they are plastic and your information is burned into it so it won’t run or get ruined from water and such. Also it is easier to get a replacement if you loose yours. to VIEW PICTURE |
| WCO Report for Erie County 12/05/2007: Erie area Erie, PA
Posted by: DWCO Randy Leighton Date Posted: 00:18:44 12/05/07 |
| December 5th, 2007 West Erie County, DWCO Randy Leighton, WCO Brook Tolbert Conditions: The first major winter storm slammed Erie earlier this week with strong winds and freezing rain along the lakeshore. Although we were spared any significant snowfall North of Interstate 90, we did receive enough precipitation to raise the tribs to high, muddy and all but unfishable conditions. Levels were dropping some as of Tuesday afternoon. As the tribs start to drop, predicted night time low temperatures may be bring icy conditions in the early morning hours. Minnows (shiners) both live and salted along with eggsacs and single eggs are great winter choices along with the sucker spawn patterns in white, chartreuse, peach, and pink with or without a little flash. Wooly buggers in olive, black and brown are good drifting choices as well. Slow reacting fish will often turn on to a skillfully worked micro jig tipped with a single maggot or a plastic worm drifted or bounced off the bottom Current Lake Erie water temperature off the Port of Erie is 38 degrees. Current trib conditions as of Tuesday afternoon were high and flowing hard. |
| What's Happening at Walnut Creek, PA: ,
Posted by: Sherry Date Posted: 15:32:08 11/30/07 |
| STEELHEAD: Bob Renkas of James Island South Carolina brought this nice Steel head in. It was over 8 pounds and was 26 inches long. He caught it just right of the Stop sign hole in Walnut Creek. He was using a “Crystal Meth” Fly and caught his limit with them. He said he gave a man a few of them to try since the man wasn’t having any luck. When he went by the man a little later, the man had a fish on. Here is one of our regulars. Bruce Roland of Erie brought in this nice looking Steelhead for Angler Award. You could tell he was in for a while with his coloring. He was 11 pounds and was 29 ½ inches long. He had a 19 inch girth. Bruce caught him in the marina on a “Little Cleo”. There are a lot of people catching fish up in the creek by the “Stop sign hole”. Also, I have seen at least 10 fish get caught in the marina today (Friday) so far. The water has a good color and there is water in the creek. I was told they are biting very lightly. We still don’t have any snow on the ground but it is supposed to rain/sleet tomorrow night and Sunday. Right now we are having 45 knot winds so it is very hard to even stand up outside but we have some really dedicated fishermen. MARINA OPERATIONS: The hours of operation for Walnut Creek office will be changing to our season ending schedule. As of December 3rd the office and restrooms will only be open on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 7 am to 5:30 pm. This is until December 21, than the building will be closed until next April 9. Please!!! Pick up after yourselves while you are here. It helps the place look nice and keeps everyone happy. Just follow all the rules and regulations and have a very happy and productive time fishing. to VIEW PICTURE |
| WCO Report for Erie County 11/28/2007: Erie area Erie, PA
Posted by: DWCO Randy Leighton Date Posted: 20:48:36 11/27/07 |
| November 28thj, 2007 West Erie County, DWCO Randy Leighton, WCO Brook Tolbert Conditions: Heavy rains around the Erie area on Monday put a dampener on the opening day of the regular deer season and left the tribs bulging at their banks. Tuesday found the tribs high and raging with winds blowing all day at 30 to 40 knots. Needless to say, conditions were far from ideal. On the bright side, all the precipitation should keep the tribs flowing and the fish moving for a while. Hearty anglers were catching fish at the Walnut Creek marina basin in spite of the rough conditions and a few "gotta fish no matter what guys" threw common sense into the wind attempting to wade the torrent conditions on the Walnut Project waters. Current Lake Erie water temperature as of this writing is 42 degrees. Current West County tributary conditions as of late Tuesday afternoon were high, muddy, and flowing hard. Walnut Creek Access Information: The Walnut Creek Access Office and restrooms will be open on a limited weekend schedule begin this Saturday, December 1st. Hours will be from 7:00 am until 5:30 pm for the next three weekends with the office closing for the season at 5:30 December 21st. Port a johns and dumpsters will remain throughout the winter for your convenience. Yellow Perch Size Limit Changes December 1st: The minimum size for yellow perch goes to 7" effective December 1st, 2007 until March 31st 2008 with daily creel limit remaining at 30. Catch and Release: |
| WCO Report for Erie County 11/21/2007: Erie area Erie, PA
Posted by: DWCO Randy Leighton Date Posted: 15:09:39 11/26/07 |
| November 21st, 2007 West Erie County, DWCO Randy Leighton, WCO Brook Tolbert Conditions: Off and on drizzle around the Erie area has been common, although as of Tuesday afternoon there had been little effect on the tribs. Although the weekends are still busy, the crowds have dropped a bit with the cold weather and hunting season upon us. Trib conditions are still up from the the last good rain we had a week or so ago, but in general, conditions are clear and on the low side. Flow has been moderate on Elk and Walnut. Patient anglers have been doing fair to good in the Walnut Creek marina basin. Catches along the Lake Shore at Trout and Godfrey Runs have been very good when the lake is calm. There has been enough precipitation to allow fish movement on Crooked Creek and anglers have been taking advantage of this. Perch and Crappie have been biting in the Bay and off the North and South Piers and few Steelhead have made their way into Cascade Creek. Current Lake Erie temperature as of this writing is 44 degrees. Current trib conditions as of late Tuesday afternoon were generally clear with slow to moderate flow. |
| What's Happening at Walnut Creek, PA: ,
Posted by: Sherry Date Posted: 15:44:23 11/23/07 |
| I got a couple pictures of the marina so you can see what the water looks like. It is up and has a chocolatey color to it. STEELHEAD: This week has been slow in producing any good fishing pictures. I guess people were just in a hurry to get home for Thanksgiving. They were catching a few until Thanksgiving Day but on Thursday the creek was so high and so was the wind at 36 knots that it made it almost impossible to do any good. I did have a few people catch though, mostly in the marina. The creeks were up to the bank and rolling very fast. We didn't get the snow that was predicted even though I heard a lot of the southern part of Erie got about 2 I heard quite a few different theories on what to use to catch the fish. I was told they are biting on: mealworms, grubs, night crawlers, power bait, minnows, egg sacks and single eggs. I even had a man tell me that someone was using marshmallow and grubs together and catching fish. Today, Friday, the snow is now coming down. It got real cold in a matter of about 15 minutes and the snow started. The creek is high and cloudy in color. The people are starting to catch some fish but there are a lot of smaller ones. That might be why I haven't had too many come in for weighing. to VIEW PICTURE |
| What's Happening at Walnut Creek, PA: ,
Posted by: Sherry Date Posted: 09:15:26 11/17/07 |
| STEELHEAD: Twelve year old Anthony Thomaselli of Weirton West Virginia caught his first Steelhead and got an Angler Award for First Fish. It was a female and weighed 4 pounds 1 ounce. It was 22 ½ inches long and had a girth of 13 inches. He caught it on the Walnut Creek channel wall using Yellow Power bait. Here are three friends who came up to Walnut Creek on a trip that was planned for thirteen years. They are Michael Santangelo from Swarthmore, PA, Carl (Butch) Hale, from Avondale, PA, and Joe Kovatch from Cochranville, PA. Butch is holding his 9 pound Steelhead he caught. It was 26 inches long and had a girth of 17 inches. He caught it with on a Chartreuse egg sack. They are up here for three days and they caught well over 100 fish among them. They seemed really impressed with all the fish and said they waited so long for this trip and it was worth it. The fishing has been excellent. Just because I don’t have that many pictures doesn’t mean that they aren’t catching fish. I guess there are a lot of camera shy people. The cold weather seemed to have brought in quite a few fish. Everyone seems to be having a great time. We were getting a little snow but none is sticking. The water temperature is still in the mid 40’s so the snow won’t be sticking for a while, down near the lake anyway. According to NOAA weather, where I get my reports, this weekend they are calling for snow and rain mixed for today and snow tonight. Sunday and Monday are mostly sunny and the rest or the week is going to be in the mid 40’s to mid 50’s with a 50% chance of showers every day until Friday. Have a great Thanksgiving everyone!! to VIEW PICTURE |
| WCO Report for Erie County 11/14/2007: Erie area Erie, PA
Posted by: DWCO Randy Leighton Date Posted: 22:06:49 11/14/07 |
| November 14th, 2007 West Erie County, DWCO Randy Leighton, WCO Brook Tolbert Conditions: Steady drizzle conditions over the last week have kept the are tribs high and stained and good numbers of fresh steelhead moving. Steelhead have move as far as the Millcreek Mall on Walnut Creek and as far as Mckean on Elk Creek. Fishing has been good to excellent in most areas. Anglers were doing exceptionally well along the lakeshore at Trout Run this past weekend with steelhead hugging the shoreline and swimming among the anglers wading the shoreline. Anglers are beginning to pick up steelhead in Presque Isle Bay and Marina Bay along with perch and crappie. Current Lake Erie water temperature off the Port of Erie is 46 degrees. Current West county trib conditions as of Tuesday afternoon were high and stained with good flow. Access Along Crooked Creek Opened: Anglers are now able to fish Crooked Creek between Happy Valley Road and the railroad tracks in West County. They can park and access the creek from the landowner's property on the south or west side of the creek where the empty grass lot is located. this is the area on Crooked Creek where the PA Steelhead Association did the bank stabilization project a few years ago. This area was open to fishing in the past has been re opened on a temporary basis. It can be shut down immediately if it is abused. The landowner strongly encourages catch & release on his property and again any access must be from the south/west side of the creek. Please respect the landowners rights and stay clear of his house and yard on the north/east side of the creek. |
| What's Happening at Walnut Creek, PA: ,
Posted by: Sherry Date Posted: 12:43:49 11/10/07 |
| STEELHEAD: Eleven year old Connor Nace and his brother fifteen year old Austin Nace came up from Littlestown, Pa to catch some Steelhead. They caught two fish each. Connor’s total fish weight was 9 ½ pounds for both and Austin’s two fish total weight was 10 ½ pounds. They caught them in Walnut Creek in the channel on Skein and minnows. Thomas Redlinger from Coraopolis, PA caught this nice Angler Award sized fish. It was 10 pounds 2 ounces, was 29 ½ inches long and had a girth of 18 ¾ inches. He caught it up in the Stop Sign hole in Walnut Creek on a wax worm while fly fishing. Brad Dickey of Mechanicsburg, PA caught his first Steelhead. He received and Angler Award for First Fish. It was 8 pounds 1 ounce, was 28 inches long and had a girth of 15 ¼ inches. He caught it on a hair jig in Walnut Creek. MARINA OPEN: First fish was caught at 1 min. 10 sec. after the whistle. The man who caught it was Dick Mosbacher of Erie. He threw it back in after I got the picture. He caught the first fish but it took him a while to bring it in. First fish brought in was from Lou Fritch of Cheswick, PA. He and Dick Mosbacher were close in their catches but he netted his before Dick could. He was the second one to catch a fish but the first one to net it and bring it to shore. The water in the creek is up and running. The fish are on their way to the Millcreek Mall. The snow we had on Tuesday and the rain that has been coming down slowly has made the creeks rise so the fish can finally come in and do what they have to do. The lake is supposed to be nice tomorrow and then it is supposed to kick up. PUBLIC MEETING There is a meeting on this Tuesday, November 13, 2007 at the Tom Ridge Center on Peninsula Drive from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. It is about the renovation and expansion of Walnut Creek Access. It is given by the Urban Engineers in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. Please come so you will know what is going on. It is open to the public so everyone please come. to VIEW PICTURE |
| WCO Report Plus Photo for Erie County 11/07/2007: Erie area Erie, PA
Posted by: DWCO Randy Leighton Date Posted: 22:30:45 11/06/07 |
| November 7th, 2007 West Erie County, DWCO Randy Leighton, WCO Brook Tolbert: Conditions: Erie was caught a bit off guard on Tuesday with significant snow and a freezing rainstorm. Heavy wet snow pounded the Erie area leaving up to a half foot of the sloppy white stuff. The storm downed trees and power lines and reeked havoc with the I 79 / I 90 corridor. A good number of vehicles came to rest along side the interstates. The storm continued throughout Tuesday evening. On the bright side, the heavy wet stuff brought trib levels up significantly and with the residual runoff and additional expected rain and snow, trib levels should be high and rolling for a few days allowing fish to move freely up stream. Current Lake Erie water temperature off the Port of Erie is 50 degrees. Current West County tributary conditions as of late Tuesday afternoon are high and muddy and rolling hard. Public Meeting on Renovation of the Walnut Creek Marina: So often we here "nobody listens", "I have a great idea", "why don't they", or "I'd like to know what's going on".....Well, here is an opportunity to express your concerns and hear ideas on possible further development of the Walnut Creek Access area. Those that visit the facility regularly, particularly during the peak fishing and boating seasons, understand that the area is used to capacity and perhaps additional development and more efficient use of the facility is needed. The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is inviting public participation in a meeting to discuss a planning study for renovations and expansion at the Walnut Creek Marina in Erie County. The meeting, hosted by Urban Engineers, will be held November 13 from 6-8 p.m. at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center at Presque Isle. Representatives from Urban Engineers of Erie and the Commission will be on hand to provide a project description, explain the project goals and to gain comment from participants on the benefits and drawbacks of the existing facilities. Participants will also be asked to provide comment on the future needs of the facility. "The Walnut Creek Marina is one of the most important public assets the Commission manages. Our goal is to provide a high level of customer service to the many different users who visit the site. We want to consult with a variety of users from marina slip-holders, boat owners who launch at the public ramp, shore-line anglers and area residents as we plan for the future of Walnut Creek," said Fish and Boat Commissioner Sam Concilla of Northeast, whose district includes Erie, Butler, Clarion, Crawford, Forest, Lawrence, Mercer, Venango and Warren counties. The meeting is designed to allow participants to visit presentation booths, engage in discussions, and to hear a brief presentation by engineers and others involved in the project. For directions to the Tom Ridge Center, visit www.trecpi.org. to VIEW PICTURE |
| What's Happening at Walnut Creek, PA: ,
Posted by: Sherry Date Posted: 13:58:25 11/03/07 |
| STEELHEAD: Gerald Rotz II of New Castle, PA brought in a nice 11 pound 11 ounce Steelhead. He was 29 ¾ inches and had a girth of 20 inches. Gerald caught him in the Walnut Creek channel on a Little Cleo color was fluorescent blue and white. Ken George of Vandergrift, PA brought in both of these fish. They didn’t make Angler Award but the both together weighed 15 pounds. He caught them on Elk Creek with Red Magnum Power Egg. Carolyn Crehan of Erie, PA brought in this nice one which weighed 5 pounds 11 ounces. She caught it on the North end of Walnut Creek channel wall on a Cleo. The color was Green and White. Ralph Pettit Jr. of Harrisonburg, VA brought in this nice 10 pound Steel head for an Angler Award. It was 29 inches long and had a girth of 18 inches. He caught it above Manchester Hole on Walnut Creek using eggs from the fish he caught. Five year old Mitchell Angelo of Monaca, PA caught his first Steelhead. He received an Angler Award for First Fish. It was 5 pounds 3 ounces and was 25 inches long with a girth of 14 ¼ inches. He caught it at the Stop Sign hole on Walnut Creek using a minnow. Thirteen year old Logan Cook of Houtzdale, PA caught his first fish too. His was 5 pounds 1 ounce and was 23 inches long. His girth was 15 inches. He caught his using Power Bait on the channel wall at the mouth of Walnut Creek. The color was Red for his power bait.
Don’t forget the marina will be open on November 8, at 2 PM for fishing TENTATIVELY. That means that if the docks are not all out there will be no fishing. These are new docks and it will take longer to get them out then it did the old ones. So be courteous and watch for the signs in the building or call here to find out if it is open. I will blow the whistle at 2 PM if the docks are out and I also will take a picture of the first fish and put it on this web site. to VIEW PICTURE |
| WCO Report for Erie County 10/31/2007: Erie area Erie, PA
Posted by: DWCO Randy Leighton Date Posted: 21:41:46 10/30/07 |
| October 31st, 2007 West Erie County, DWCO Randy Leighton, WCO Brook Tolbert Conditions: Last week's rainfall has was quickly absorbed and the area tributaries are again very low and clear. The short lived rainfall did allow some steelhead movement up as far a Route 5 on Walnut Creek and up as far as Route 20 on Elk Creek and to some extent on Crooked Creek. Steelhead are heavily backed up on the Walnut Creek Project waters and through out the channel and heavily scattered south to Route 5 on Elk Creek. Crowds at the access areas on Elk And Walnut have been extremely heavy. Rough lake conditions have slowed shoreline fishing at Trout and Godfrey Runs, but weather permitting, good catches can be had in those areas. Wind and waves have also slowed the boating down dramatically although weather permitting, there seems to be large numbers of steel head staging in the shallow water off the tributary mouths. Current Lake Erie water temperature as of this writing is 56 degrees off the port of Erie Tributary conditions as of Tuesday afternoon were very low and crystal clear with very little flow. Trout Run: |
| What's Happening at Walnut Creek, PA: ,
Posted by: Sherry Date Posted: 13:17:56 10/27/07 |
| STEELHEAD: Seventy year old Freeman Rathfon of Mifflinburg, PA came in with this nice 10 pound Steelhead. It was 30 inches long and had a girth of 17 inches. He caught it North of Manchester Falls on Walnut Creek on Salmon egg sack. He said he has been coming up here for a long time and finally got an Angler Award for one. He was very excited. Tom Kuhar of Niles, OH brought this nice Angler Award sized Steelhead in. It was 12 pounds 12 ¾ ounces, was 31 ½ inches long and had a girth of 18 ¾ inches. He caught it above the Manchester Hole on white sucker spawn. Nineteen year old Maurice Booker Jr. came up with his dad from New Kensington. They came in yesterday and didn’t quite make the size for an Angler Award. Today he came back in and showed me this nice 11 pound 6 ounce female Steelhead. She was 29 ½ inches long and had a girth of 19 ¼ inches. Maurice caught her at the Stop Sign hole in Walnut Creek on a yellow jig. Dad is really proud. The rain that we got on Tuesday and then again yesterday seemed to bring some more fish in. They almost are up to Rt. 20 on Walnut and to the Legion Hole on Elk Creek. Down here at the mouth the people seem to be having loads of fun catching and releasing. The Creek is still low but not as low as it was previously. The lake is supposed to be pretty rough for the next couple days so there are not and probably won’t be any boats going out. I had five go out earlier today but they were all back in by 12 noon. Please, if you are going to fish the Channel Wall, Please bring in your lines for the boaters. It can do hundreds of dollars worth of damage to the boats let alone be a danger to them out on the water if they get line wrapped on their props. MARINA OPEN: NOVEMBER 8 at 2 PM TENTATIVELY. Don’t forget the marina will be open on November 8, at 2 PM for fishing TENTATIVELY. That means that if the docks are not all out there will be no fishing. These are new docks and it will take longer to get them out then it did the old ones. So be courteous and watch for the signs in the building or call here to find out if it is open. I will blow the whistle at 2 PM if the docks are out and I also will take a picture of the first fish and put it on the web site. to VIEW PICTURE |
| WCO Report Photos for Erie County 10/23/2007: Erie area Erie, PA
Posted by: DWCO Randy Leighton Date Posted: 11:25:59 10/24/07 |
| Seized Steelhead Seized Snagging Hooks Great catch for this youngster to VIEW PICTURE |
| WCO Report for Erie County 10/23/2007: Erie area Erie, PA
Posted by: DWCO Randy Leighton Date Posted: 11:10:40 10/24/07 |
| October 23rd, 2007 West Erie County, DWCO Randy Leighton, WCO Brook Tolbert Conditions: Tuesday morning brought an all day soaker to the area bringing the area tribs to rock and roll levels. As of late Tuesday, the tribs were flowing high and muddy. Enough rain has fallen to trigger steelhead movement. Just how far they move will remain to be seen as the rain subsides and the trib levels drop. Early weekend forecasts are calling for a good chance of additional rain all of which may be the catalyst we need to get the steelhead season really rolling. Walleye have essentially disappeared but Yellow Perch fishing may still be good at times as lake conditions permit. It will be scattered and slowly wind down as the lake temperatures drop. Trolling the mouths along the shoreline continues to produce steelhead. Be sure to check wind and weather reports before venturing out on the lake. Cold fronts often move quickly and conditions can change in the blink of an eye this time of year. Fall Smallmouth fishing in Presque Isle Bay can be productive as fish try to fatten up or winter. Try salted 3 or 4" salted tube jigs, small spinners, night crawlers and shiners. Current Lake Erie water temperature off the Port of Erie is 59 degrees. Current tributary conditions as of Tuesday afternoon were high and flowing hard. Law Enforcement: |
| Perfect Day for Fishing: Walnut Creek Erie, PA
Posted by: Fisher of Men George Yates Date Posted: 20:17:09 10/22/7 |
| Date Fished: Monday October 22, 2007 Location: Boating out of Walnut Water Conditions: 1-2 ft Report: Near perfect day for fishing Steelhead - whether onshore or in a boat. Started at daybreak in front of Trout Run. 6-8 ft. Had 2 limits by 10:30. Jr Thundersticks and shallow Reef Runners 25ft back. 2.3 mph. Blakemore 35 ft back. Red/Black, Fire Tiger, Red/silver. Had to go deeper to get the last 3. Finished by 12:30 Pulled the boat today. Thanks to all the kind fisherman and boaters this season. Thanks to FishLakeErie.com for providing this great website. Lord willing we will see ya in the spring. |
| Rishing for Steelies Couple hours before dark: Walnut Creek Erie, PA
Posted by: Fisher of Men - George Yates Date Posted: 21:51:39 10/21/7 |
| Date Fished: Sunday October 21, 2007 Location: Boating out of Walnut Water Conditions: 1-3ft close to shore
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| What's Happening at Walnut Creek, PA: ,
Posted by: Sherry Date Posted: 14:44:46 10/20/07 |
| STEELHEAD: Nine year old Jacob Manley of Frederick, Maryland came in with a nice 7 pound 5 ounce Steelhead. It was his first big fish. It was 25 ¼ inches long. He caught it at Trout Run fishing the lake. It was caught using a “Blood Dot” and artificial egg. Fifteen year old Jeremy Cummins of Claysville, PA brought in this 7 pound 9 ½ ounce Steelhead. It was 26 ½ inches long and had a girth of 16 inches. He caught it trolling in front of Walnut Creek on a Blueberry Muffin stinger. Scott Dowlan of Shippenville, PA casting into the Lake at Walnut Creek caught this nice 9 pound 5 ½ ounce Steel head. It was 28 ¼ inches long and had a girth of 17 ¼ inches. He caught it on Power Bait and the color was green. Six year old Noah Bloom of Clearfield, PA brought in his first Steelhead. It was 7 pounds 8 ounces and was 27 inches long with a girth of 16 inches. He caught it up in the creek just south of the channel at Walnut Creek on a white jig tipped with minnow. We haven’t had any rain for quite a while so the water is low and clear. The fish are coming in but they can’t make it up into the creek so they are stalled from Rt. 5 down. The fishing is good down this way if you can catch them coming or trying to make it back out to the lake. We haven’t had any rain worth mentioning in about 5 weeks. What drizzle we get, gets soaked up into the ground. The lake has not been very good either with high waves. So, the best place to fish is near the mouth of the creeks up to Rt. 5 until we get some rain. There are quite a few people catching at Elk Creek also. The favorite bait seems to be green power bait and the single egg. The Marina will be open Tentatively on November 8 at 2 PM ONLY if the docks are all out. If the docks aren’t out it will be posted in the building. You can also call our office at 814-899-2464. The Weather for the next week: Sunday – Sunny - Hi: 78 degrees – S/14k/2-4 ft waves. to VIEW PICTURE |
| One hour Steelhead fishing toward dark: Walnut Creek Erie, PA
Posted by: George Yates Fisher of Men Date Posted: 23:03:48 10/18/7 |
| Date Fished: Thursday October 18th Location: Boating out of Walnut Water Conditions: 1-2ft Posted By: "Fisher of Men" george.yates@comcast.net Report: Could only fish an hour tonight. Real slow. Couple hits in 8ft of water. Moved into 5 ft of water just before dark. Pick up one steelie off - Jr Thunderstick Red/Black, 25ft back running 2.3 mph on mini inline board. The couple boaters I talked to said they had most hits between Walnut and Trout. |
| Good Day of Steelhead fishing: Walnut Creek Erie, PA
Posted by: George Yates Fisher of Men Date Posted: 11:57:55 10/17/7 |
| Date Fished: Monday October 15, 2007 Location: boating out of Walnut Creek Water Conditions: 1ft or less Posted By: "Fisher of Men" george.yates@comcast.net Report: Started at day break trolling in front of Walnut. Picked up most fish between Walnut and Trout in 7ft of water. Jr Thundersticks, Reefrunner and Blakemores. Colors Red/Black, Firetiger, and Black/White. Limited out by 11am. One close to 10lbs. |
| WCO Report Photos for Erie County 10/17/2007: Erie area Erie, PA
Posted by: DWCO Randy Leighton Date Posted: 08:57:41 10/17/07 |
| Still a few walleye to be caught The "Other White Meat" A Beautiful Fresh Steelhead to VIEW PICTURE |
| WCO Report for Erie County 10/17/2007: Erie area Erie, PA
Posted by: DWCO Randy Leighton Date Posted: 08:48:38 10/17/07 |
| October 17th , 2007 West Erie County, DWCO Randy Leighton, WCO Brook Tolbert Conditions: The lack of any significant rainfall around the area has left little but a broken record on fishing conditions in the area tributaries. Although the nights have been cool, the lack of rain has left but a trickle in many areas and fish stacking up in the gin clear waters near the mouths. There has been some good |