WCO Report for Erie County 11/14/2007: Erie area, PA,
WCO Report Posted: November 14, 2007

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Posted by DWCO Randy Leighton on November 14, 2007 at 22:06:49:

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.

Pennsylvania Steelhead Association Meeting Reminder:
The Pennsylvania Steelhead Association will be holding their monthly meeting on Wednesday November 14th at the American Legion Post on West 12th street (route 5 near the Airport) at 7:00 PM. The public is welcome.

Cold Weather Trib Tips:
Cold weather requires some modifications that can be prepared for in advance. Here are some of those tips to make your experience in Erie more satisfying:
Allowing your reel to get wet in freezing weather can make the drag system ineffective. Be sure to thoroughly dry out a wet reel or even change reels .... especially in freezing conditions.

Smearing a thin coat of petroleum jelly or lip balm on each eyelet can alleviate frozen rod eyelets. Water will not stick to the eyelets and allow them to freeze them shut.

Have your rod and reel rigged and ready to cast at home. Trying to thread a size 18 hook streamside or in a parking lot with the wind howling and the temperature dropping can be a real challenge.

Ice on your line or float will adversely affect you casts and excessive ice build up can make 4# test line sound like rope when it hits the water. Clear any ice build up frequently.

When wading, an extra set of gloves can be a blessing if that first pair falls into the water. Neoprene gloves are great for cold water fishing. An extra set of dry clothes in the vehicle can be gold after a cold day on the tribs.

Disposable pocket hand warmers work great when they are kept dry

Fish become less active as the water temperature drops. Sometimes it is necessary to induce the strike. Bright colored Glo Bugs and Blood Dots and sucker spawn in red, chartreuse, pink and orange can be the ticket in cold water. "Jigging" will often produce a strike when the fish aren't hungry. Twitching a small marabou jig under a very light float will often produce the desired result. Try pink, chartreuse, or white in cold water. Steelhead are cold blooded and as such their body temperature adjusts to the water temperature. The colder the water, generally the less active the fish will be. A slight increase in water temperature by just a few degrees can trigger activity that was absent the day before.

Never wear cotton clothing under your waders. Cotton retains moisture and has very little insulation value when damp. It also becomes a medium for fungal infections. The organisms that cause infections such a jock itch and athletes foot can not live in synthetic fabrics. Synthetic materials tend to "pass-through", rather than "retain" moisture from perspiration. Nylon, acrylic and polyester do not retain as much moisture as cotton, silk or wool. Dressing with layers of Synthetic material under your waders will help keep you dry and dry means warm.

Local Weather:
Wednesday Night...Mostly cloudy. A chance of rain showers in the evening...then a chance of rain or snow showers after midnight. Lows in the mid 30s. West winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation 50 percent.

Thursday...Cloudy. A chance of rain or snow showers in the morning...then rain or snow showers likely in the afternoon. Highs in the lower 40s. West winds 10 to 20 mph. Chance of precipitation 60 percent.

Thursday Night...Snow showers likely. Lows in the lower 30s. West winds 15 to 20 mph. Chance of snow 60 percent.

Friday...Cloudy with a 50 percent chance of snow showers. Highs in the upper 30s.

Friday Night...Mostly cloudy with a 40 percent chance of snow showers. Lows around 30.

Saturday...Mostly cloudy with a chance of snow showers. A chance of rain showers in the afternoon. Highs in the lower 40s. Chance of precipitation 40 percent.

Saturday Night...Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain and snow showers. Lows in the lower 30s. Chance of precipitation 40 percent.

Sunday...Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain or snow showers. Highs in the lower 40s. Chance of precipitation 40 percent.

Sunday Night...Mostly cloudy. Lows in the lower 30s.

Monday...Mostly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of rain showers. Highs in the mid 40s.

Monday Night...Mostly cloudy. Lows in the mid 30s.

Tuesday...Mostly cloudy. Highs in the mid 40s.




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