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Fishing Report
Friday, April 11, 2008

Lake Erie: Katie Plants, 7, of West Newton landed a 7-pound steelhead in a small tributary near Misery Bay fishing with her father last Friday. In Presque Isle Bay, the lagoons, stink hole and marina are yielding nice crappies. Numbers of northern pike and steelhead also are hitting in the bay.

Neshannock Creek (Mercer, Lawrence counties): Anglers are catching trout on smaller nymphs such as Hare's Ear and Pheasant Tail, in the delayed harvest stretch. Although caddisflies aren't hatching yet, caddis larvae and pupae are starting to work. Early Black Stoneflies and Brown Stoneflies are not as prolific as in past weeks. Streamer fishing has picked up. Spotty top water action on small Blue-Winged Olives, midges and Stoneflies is reported.

Lake Wilhelm (Mercer County): Bluegills and crappies are hitting around Sheakleyville Bridge two hours before and after dark, in the stumps and around Launch No. 3. Anglers also are releasing largemouth bass in the stumps.

Shenango Reservoir (Mercer County): Dandy catches of crappies are reported all over the lake, including the bays around Route 846, Golden Run and the causeway.

Oil Creek (Venango County): Although rain is expected, the stream was in good shape Wednesday. Early Black Stoneflies are coming off, but most anglers were doing best on streamers and nymphs.

Little Sandy, Caldwell creeks (Venango, Warren counties): These smaller streams were fishing well on nymphs and streamers Wednesday.

Pymatuning Reservoir (Crawford County): Anglers continue to catch numbers of walleyes -- 20 and 22 inches -- all over the lake. These sizes are consistent with recent Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission surveys. Crappies are hitting in the shallow bays. Decent catches of perch also are reported.

Lake Arthur (Butler County): Nice catches of crappies around brush piles are reported. A couple of anglers caught their limits of perch at the 10-foot depth. Releases of walleyes are reported in the Muddy Creek arm. Northern pike have begun moving to deeper water. A few largemouth bass have been released.

Allegheny River: Water was still running high midweek. White bass and small walleyes were hitting around the power plant in Cheswick.

Ohio River: Water has been running high and fast and shore anglers have been out in large numbers. They are releasing walleyes up to 25 inches and saugers at Montour and Dashields dams, and some smallmouth bass at Emsworth Dam.

Monongahela River: White bass, hybrid stripers and smallmouth bass are hitting at the mouths of the creeks. A couple of catfish also have been landed.

Loyalhanna River (Westmoreland County): Anglers landed numbers of trout on Joe's Flies and other hardware in the delayed harvest section last weekend.

Youghiogheny River, Meadow Run (Fayette County): Good conditions have prevailed in recent days and numbers of trout have been reported on the river and the delayed harvest section of the run. The tailrace is closed until tomorrow.

Youghiogheny Reservoir (Fayette County): John Spittal of Ursina caught chain pickerels up to 20 inches from shore in recent weeks. The lake's Maryland side is yielding northern pike.

High Point Lake (Somerset County): The crappie bite has begun to turn on.

Raystown Lake (Huntingdon County): John Kormanski and Darin Woomer of Saxton won the Keystone Bass Buddy Club tournament Saturday with six bass totaling 171/2 pounds. Rick and Michael Maga of Greensburg caught the tournament lunker, a largemouth close to a 61/2 pounds. In all, 113 teams released 134 bass -- 84 smallmouths and 50 largemouths..

Glendale Lake (Cambria County): Shore anglers outnumbered boaters and were catching crappies and northern pike and releasing a few bass last weekend. Upper Slate Lick Branch had the best crappie action, in 50 degree water. Dan Coccia of Fallentimber caught 25 crappies on minnows near heavy cover in the colder waters of middle Slate Lick. Debbie and Bob Behee of Martinsburg and Cody Freeburger of Dysart released several northern pike 24 inches and smaller around Prince Gallitzin marina. Mike Hassen of Northern Cambria won the Cambria Bass Club tournament with two fish totaling nearly 41/2 pounds. Tom Yeager Sr. of St. Boniface caught the lunker, a 21/2-pound largemouth.

Report your catch to fishingreport@post-gazette.com. Include angler's name, age (if he or she is a child), place of residence, species, size, body of water, date of catch and phone number (not for publication). Publish your digital photos of fishing, hunting and outdoors adventures at Post Your Catch, www.post-gazette.com/sports.

First published on April 11, 2008 at 12:00 am