WCO Report for Erie and Crawford County 07/24/02: Erie area, PA,
WCO Report Posted: July 24, 2002

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Posted by WCO John Bowser on July 24, 2002 at 05:22:03:

CENTRAL ERIE COUNTY / WCO TOM EDWARDS

Outstanding Service Award Presented:
Highway Equipment located in McKean, Pa. received an "Outstanding Service to Area Anglers" Award 7/24/02 at 2:00 PM from the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission.
On March 25, 2002. a bad accident on I-79 had thousands of gallons of diesel fuel running in a ditch toward Elk Creek. There was no way to stop what would have been a disaster to not only the adult Steelhead, the recently planted Steelhead & Coho smolts, and the upcoming Trout Season Opener had it not been for some quick thinking McKean Fire Dept. members and Highway Equipment immediately volunteering one of their machines. This action deserves the gratitude of not only the anglers & streamside landowners but also our entire county that benefits from the influx of millions into the local economy.


Bass:
Smallmouth fishing is still very productive in the bay as well as from the channel to six-mile CK.

Perch:
Water depth is still about 45-55 feet off of Seagull Point and east of 4-mile.

Walleye:
Fishing is fairly consistent in apx 65-75 ft of water due north of the Lighthouse.

Channel Cats:
Are being caught off of the S. Pier in the evening hours. One angler reported 9 hook-ups in one evening with some very good sizes.

EASTERN ERIE COUNTY / WCO MARK KERR

Lake Trout:
Being caught in 135' of water at a depth of 65' due North of North East Marina

Walleye:
In 103' of water at a depth of 40' between McCord's Point & Freeport and in 130' of water to the northeast of the marina. Both places report black & purple worm harnesses are the best lure choice.

Yellow Perch:
The 45' water depth off of Charlie's Boat Livery are producing perch. Walleye are also being landed in this area ranging from 18" to 21".

Smallmouth Bass:
The hotspot is 18' of water from McCord's Point west to the "Triple W's"

North East Marina:
...The Cra-Z-Parrot Restaurant is open and in full swing serving food & drinks from 11 AM to 10 PM in a Jimmy Buffet atmosphere overlooking the lake.
...Boat rentals are available at $12/hr (4 hr. minimum) which includes safety equipment, motor, gasoline as well as the latest tips from Tim.
... Fuel dock available as well as boat repairs & supplies.
Phone number is 814-725-8244

WESTERN ERIE COUNTY / DWCO RANDY LEIGHTON

Conditions:
Perch fishing continues to be good although catches vary from day to day. The type and availability of minnows continue to be a factor in catch numbers. The largest school of perch remains just west off of Walnut creek in 48 to 50' of water. Average sizes are 8 to 14" and many are tipping the scales over a pound. Walleye action has begun to peak with good number of steelhead being brought in along with the walleye. Several nice "kings" were brought into the Walnut Creek Access Area this past weekend. Trolling spoons for walleye will often net the bonus steelhead or King.

Law Enforcement:
Officers continue to find larger numbers of safety violations. This late in the season boaters should be well aware of the equipment needed for their particular vessel and the "rules of the road". The most common violations are lack of required PFDs as well as PFDs that are unserviceable. Badly torn PFDS, broken buckles and straps, and those with the stuffing coming out are all considered unserviceable. Regulations state that PFDs are to be "readily accessibe". PFDs stowed in a cuddy cabin or storage hatch especially in the wrapper they came in are not considered readily accessible. Fire extinguishers must be on board any motorized boat with enclosed compartments that can accumulate fumes. Many checks this season have revealed discharged extinguishers. Regulations state that extinguishers must be fully charged. Day/night visual distress signals are required on most boats over 16 feet on Lake Erie and must be serviceable. Flares or cartridges used with a gun are considered unserviceable if they have passed their expiration date. One of the most important regulations is that all children 12 and under must be wearing a PFD on boats 20 feet and under while underway and on canoes and kayaks. The PFD must be suitable in size for the child. Officers will have a zero tolerance police with regard to violations that affect the safety of children. For further information on equipment required for your particular vessel, check your boaters hand book available at most any boat store
Copies are also available at the Walnut Creek Access area.


Things to do...
If not everyone in your fanily enjoys fishing there is plenty of stuff to do.
Named for its geology by French settlers, Presque Isle means "almost an island." Today, Presque Isle State Park is a 3,200-acre sandy peninsula that arches lakeward into Lake Erie. A diverse, natural habitat, there are six distinct ecological zones on Presque Isle, each with a different plant and animal community.Presque Isle offers environmental education and interpretive programs as well as seven miles of sandy beaches and numerous trails for outdoor recreation. Activities include swimming, biking, hiking, birding, boating and more. Presque Isle is connected to Port Erie via water taxi service.Once the freshwater fishing capital of the world, Port Erie fishing continues to offer great sport to outdoorsmen. Bass, Perch and Walleye are plentiful in Lake Erie. The crystal clear waters of Lake Erie offer exciting opportunities for scuba divers. In fact, Port Erie offers wreck dives on numerous turn of century vessels which met untimely fates on Lake Erie's stormy waters.Port Erie features riverboat and sail cruises, bus shuttle and water taxi services, marinas, and a transient boating facility. Other attractions include:
Bicentennial Tower , a 187-foot observation tower with two observation decks and markers of Erie's harbor history and geography;
the Bayfront Gallery , an artist co-op featuring antique wares and local artistry;
the Erie Maritime Museum , homeport of the US Brig Niagara;
Liberty Park , an 8.5 acre park with public access walkways, playground and the Pepsi amphitheater with community programming throughout the year. Located along the waterfront, the Bayfront District includes restaurants, shopping, golf, wooden boat building, ADA accessible sail lessons, concerts, and other activities. The Bayfront District also is within easy walking distance to the museums and art galleries of Discovery Square.

Western Crawford County / WCO Joe Russell
Pymatuning Lake- The lake is getting very warm now with the lack of any consistent rain and the very warm days so walleye are all but shut down right now. If you do manage to find one it is going to be deep and probably towards sundown before it will hit. If however you are just looking for some fun fishing or action for the kids I would suggest Carp at the spillway with dough balls, or Bluegills at just about any place around the lake. The best time with these guys will be had on light tackle and with small jigs, and who knows if you get enough of them you can have some pretty good eating.

Looking for something to do this weekend with the kids then try this:
Pymatuning Pioneer Arts Festival
Park: Pymatuning State Park, 724-932-3141
E-mail: pymatuning.sp@a1.dcnr.state.pa.us
Contact: 724/932-3428 or 724/932-9473
Time: 10 am - 6 pm
Program Details:
Displays, demonstrations, historical programs, arts and crafts, jelly making, ice cream making, musical entertainment and Civil War Re-enactors. A variety of food vendors will be available. This is held in the day use area near the dam.

Conneaut Lake-The warm weather has not affected Conneaut lake as bad as pymatuning because it is spring fed and so much deeper but it has slowed fishing down. Bass and bluegill are still the fish of the hour here and guys are telling me they are still hitting if you catch them at the right time. Early morning and late evening after boat traffic has died down will work. fish just about everything you have until you find what work then keep using it. The fish this time of year are getting real picky so you have to find what works. Small jigs tipped with some bait for the bluegills was the hot ticket this last week and spinner baits seemed to work for a few of the bass fishermen but they even said it was slow.

The following article is from our Fish and Boat commission web site at www.fish.state.pa.us in response to several calls I have received over the past couple of weeks.
Q:
There have been lots of regional and national news stories about snakehead fish. Do we have them in Pennsylvania? Are they a threat?

A:
The discovery of a northern snakehead fish in a pond in Crofton, Maryland has generated national news. ABC, CNN, NPR, the Washington Post, National Geographic and other national and regional media have all carried prominent stories on this fish. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources even published a "Wanted Poster" for this fish. It now appears that two of these fish were purchased in New York, kept and then released into Maryland waters about two years ago. Officials from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources have found about 100 of the fish in the pond.Northern snakehead have NOT been found in Pennsylvania. These are exotic fish, which originate in Asia. They are not native to Pennsylvania waters, and the species is NOT approved for introduction or transportation in Pennsylvania. It is illegal under Pennsylvania laws and regulations for anyone to release northern snakehead or any other non-approved species into Pennsylvania waters.The northern snakehead is an exotic non-native species that could cause problems for aquatic ecosystems. It has a large mouth and big teeth and can grow to 40 inches in length and 15 pounds in weight. It can survive out of water for several days. In addition to the recent discovery of this fish in Maryland waters, a different species of snakehead was found in Florida waters in 2001. Snakeheads have also been found in other states.Pennsylvania anglers who encounter an unusual looking fish should not jump to the conclusion that it's a northern snakehead or some other nuisance species. For example, the bowfin is found in Lake Erie and western Pennsylvania waters. Recent reports (July 2002) indicate that bowfin are being caught in Conneaut Lake. Bowfin are a very unusual and unique fish in Pennsylvania. Bowfin are listed as a "candidate species," which means that anglers are strongly encouraged to return any fish caught to the waters from which they were taken. Anglers should be careful not to mistake the bowfin for the northern snakehead or other nuisance species.




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