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Chris Bush of Edgewood with a 22-inch brown trout caught on the Madison River near Ennis, Mont., while on a drift boat trip with Trout n’at guide Matt Carey, originally from Fox Chapel.
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Fishing Report: Anglers and fish struggle under heat wave conditions

Courtesy of Matt Carey

Fishing Report: Anglers and fish struggle under heat wave conditions

Like the thermal blanket now smothering much of North America, heat waves can have a distinct impact on fish.

Atmospheric conditions affect water temperature. In cool water, molecules are grouped closer together, resulting in more molecules and more dissolved oxygen. For freshwater fish, cooler is always better. In warm water, molecules are farther apart, oxygen levels are lower and gills have to work harder to keep the fishing going.

Hot air warms water surfaces and generally has more impact on standing water in lakes and ponds, particularly near shallow shoals and banks. When breathing becomes uncomfortable for fish, they go where there is more oxygen. That may mean dropping deeper in the water column, ducking into shaded areas under submerged weeds and wood or traveling to deeper parts of the lake.

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Water is constantly churning in creeks and rivers, where hot air has less of an impact. Excessively warm air is hardest on small, shallow, slow moving, unshaded pools in small streams. Fish cannot survive in saunas. Larger creeks and rivers can be significantly warmed at and below confluences with warm, shallow tributaries.

There’s another way that hot summer temperatures impact fish. In sweltering weather, fewer anglers are on the water trying to catch them. Consider starting later in the day when the sun begins to set and temperatures are dropping. Better yet, dawn is usually a good time to fish in any weather. If the fish aren’t biting, try fishing deeper. If you don’t find them there they may have moved to cooler parts of the waterway. If you’re targeting big fish, remember that they need more oxygen and when the mercury is high they are often the first to find cooler, comfortable water.

Lake Erie (Erie County) Walleye charter captains reported boat limits Sunday through Tuesday. Chartreuse and orange were the hot colors for fish stacked from 45-60 feet. An independent angler limited out Sunday while night trolling with harnesses in 25 feet of water just east of the Ohio line. Drift fishing with crawlers led to hookups about 1 mile north of Presque Isle.

For the second week, limits were reached with some throwaways north out of Walnut Creek in 55-65 feet of water. Smallmouth bass took soft plastics twerked over dropoffs in waters out of North East. Despite some 5-footers last week, the lake settled and swells of 1-2 feet rolled through early in the week. A Friday high of 88 degrees could get knocked down by stray showers. Thunderstorms are expected to keep thermometers from passing the 75-degree mark Saturday. Cloudy with a high of 73 is expected Sunday.

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Pymatuning Reservoir (Crawford County) Anglers continued catching walleye while trolling in waters north of Linesville. A good crappie bite was reported in 10-foot waters out of Jamestown.

Conneaut Lake (Crawford County) Steven Salkheim of Monroeville boated a 22-inch largemouth.

Lake Arthur (Butler County) Bluegill slabs took tipped jigs over a submerged feature outside of Muddy Creek Bay.

Carnegie Lake (Allegheny County) Know a kid who wants to learn to fish? Pittsburgh Let’s Go Fishing holds instructional on-the-water fishing sessions for kids ages 5-15 accompanied by a parent or guardian from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays. The free program includes fishing rods, gear, live bait and supervision. Registration is recommended.

Allegheny River (Allegheny County) Tommy Lippert of Spring Garden pulled two channel catfish, 16 and 19 inches, onto the North Shore Riverwalk near Acrisure Stadium and the Water Steps. Both fish bit on chicken liver during Venture Outdoors’ Lunchtime Fishing. The free program, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Wednesdays, includes loaner rods, tackle, bait and supervision by experienced staff. Fishing license regulations are waived. Learn more from Venture Outdoors at www.ventureoutdoors.org.

Loyalhanna Creek (Westmoreland County) Trout in the 15-inch range took nymphs in the Delayed Harvest Artificial Lures Only area.

Monongahela River (Greene County) A 32-inch flathead catfish took a scored bluegill and was released from the bank Sunday.

Vacation catch: Chris Bush of Edgewood caught a beautiful 22-inch brown trout on the Madison River near Ennis, Montana, while on a drift boat trip with Trout n’at guide Matt Carey, originally from Fox Chapel.

File your fishing report and high-resolution digital photos (1MB minimum) at fishingreport@post-gazette.com. Include name, age (for under 18 years), town, species, size, body of water and details of the catch.

First Published: July 28, 2023, 9:30 a.m.
Updated: July 28, 2023, 4:56 p.m.

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Chris Bush of Edgewood with a 22-inch brown trout caught on the Madison River near Ennis, Mont., while on a drift boat trip with Trout n’at guide Matt Carey, originally from Fox Chapel.  (Courtesy of Matt Carey)
Courtesy of Matt Carey
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