Lake Erie (Erie County) With waters warming, walleye hookups occurred in 40-55 feet of water with the fish suspended at 35-40 feet. Some 5½ miles northwest of Walnut Creek, two anglers trolling harnesses and spoons had a 20-walleye day Wednesday with most measuring 17-21 inches. Yellow perch were caught in 45-50 feet from Elk Creek to the Ohio line and lake trout were marked as deep as 100 feet out of North East. Smallmouths were taken on drop shot rigs and jerkbaits in 30 feet of water east of North East Marina. Canoe fisherman Dan Morey of Erie and a friend released four fat channel catfish June 30 using 12-pound-test line. “Elk Creek is hot as well,” said Mr. Morey. “The channel cats are on fire up here.”
Conneaut Lake (Crawford County) At weed lines off the lake’s northern shores, anglers caught smallmouth and largemouth bass and some Northern pike.
Lake Wilhelm (Mercer County) Walleye and crappies went for jigs and crawlers, live minnows and crankbaits.
Lake Arthur (Butler County) Roaming crappie slabs were suspended at 20-30 feet near submerged brush or weeds adjacent to underwater points, roads and railroad beds. One angler reported success using a dual rig: on the bottom was a 1/8-ounce jig tipped with soft plastics in various colors; about 2 feet up the line off a 12-inch leader he tied a No. 6 Aberdeen hook baited with a medium fathead or alewife.
Carnegie Lake (Allegheny County) Siblings Micaiah, 8, and Roman Johnson, 6, of Duquesne took a tag-team approach to landing a small bass and shared the credit for catching their first fish.
Allegheny River (Allegheny County) In waters off Sharpsburg, chipped him, chicken liver and french fries were the go-to baits for catfish. The biggest catch at Venture Outdoors’ Wednesday lunchtime TriAnglers fishing program on Wednesday was a 22-inch freshwater drum taken on a crawler by 4-year-old Daniel Biersnesser of Pittsburgh.
Monongahela River (Allegheny County) Angelo Talarico of West Mifflin caught a small bass around 2 p.m. July 4. Before it was boated, the bass was attacked by a 44-inch, 15-pound 11-ounce muskellunge, which was also hooked and retrieved by Mr. Talarico on 8-pound test line. The bass didn’t survive, but the muskie was released.
Deer Creek (Allegheny County) Trout went for nightcrawlers.
Pine Creek (Allegheny County) After high water receded, two rainbow trout that took Wooly Buggers were released in the Delayed Harvest Artificial Lures Only area.
Laurel Hill Creek (Westmoreland County) With rain keeping the creek full and cool, trout continued to be caught. Big golden rainbows were seen in Delayed Harvest Artificial Lures Only waters managed for the Keystone Select Stocked Trout Waters program.
Cross Creek Lake (Washington County) Crappies were suspended at around 7 feet in 10-15 feet of water and took small to medium minnows. Bluegills in the 7- to 8½-inch range took small jigs tipped with maggots or mealworms. Cole White, 16, of Sewickley released a 22-inch 5-pound-plus largemouth caught on a chartreuse spinnerbait.
Youghiogheny River Lake (Fayette, Somerset counties) Smallmouths and walleye were taken. The river was high and muddy all the way to its mouth at McKeesport.
High Point Lake (Somerset County) Anglers caught pickerel, bass and bluegills.
Quemahoning Reservoir (Somerset County) Smallmouths, Northerns and walleye were taken.
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First Published: July 11, 2019, 7:06 p.m.
