Rain is needed to bring steelhead into Erie's streams, though a few are being caught at the mouths of the tributaries in the early morning and at night. While the wait for steelies continues, don't overlook Erie's great fall bass bite. Even after steelhead begin making their early-season runs, bass angling in the bay offers a respite from crowded streams. You can do both in one day, heading to the bay for a little peace and lunker bass if streams get packed with steelheaders. Besides bass, the perch bite remains outstanding in 55 to 60 feet, while walleye are scattered.
Many local trout streams are fishing well. The predominant hatches are Slate Drakes, Blue-Winged Olives, miscellaneous Caddisflies and Tricos. The Autumn Sedge, a type of Caddisfly, should be coming off Slippery Rock Creek.
Catch of the Week
Nicole Miller, 12, of Pittsburgh earned a junior angler award for a 20-pound, 2-ounce, 41-inch muskie she boated Saturday on Lake Arthur.
Weekly report
Keystone Power Dam (Armstrong County): John McDermott of New Kensington encountered two muskie Saturday while bass fishing with Denny Tubbs of Greensburg. One bit through his line while he ran a buzzbait on the surface in the morning, then he boated a 28-incher in the afternoon off the bottom on a tube. He and Tubbs also caught a slew of bass, 13 and 14 inches.
Allegheny River: Art Day boated a 28-inch walleye Saturday at lock three dam. Walleye are hitting again. Strong bass and catfish bites are reported. Shawn Balaschak landed channel cats, 22 and 23 inches, and a 24-inch flathead fishing the North Shore Monday and Tuesday nights. Wayne Torrence landed four smallmouth up to 14 1/2 inches, and Henry Chugmousky of Greenfield caught a 12-inch skipjack herring during the Western PA Field Institute's Downtown TriAnglers' outing at The Point yesterday.
Kinzua (Warren County): A few walleye and perch are being taken in the lake. White bass are slowing down. The smallmouth bite remains steady in the lake and in the river below the dam.
Pine Creek (Allegheny County): Angling pressure has been high with good yields on bass and holdover trout.
Ohio River: Good walleye and catfish bites are reported.
Monongahela River: Dave Magyar won Shad Lure Bait and Tackle's August carp contest with a 14-pounder.
Lake Arthur (Butler County): Dan and Larry Connelly of Verona and Turtle Creek caught three hybrid stripers in the 6-pound class over the weekend. The bass bite has picked up with 3-pounders now being caught.
French Creek (Crawford County): Water is a fishable level but chocolate colored. A few walleye and quite a few smallmouth have been taken though pressure is low. Last month, Clarence Yost of Robinson landed a 41-inch, 14-pound muskie on a spinner bait.
Pymatuning (Crawford County): A good bass bite is reported in the weeds and around other structures. Some muskie action is reported. Anglers trolling Hot-n-Tots deep are coming up with walleye.
Conneaut Lake (Crawford County): Bluegill and crappie action is the best so far this year. A good largemouth bite is reported. Pike are active on the north end, with some tackle-busters in the mix.
Youghiogheny River: Walleye are coming on crawler harnesses in 50 feet. Bill Christopher of Masontown has boated them up to 20 inches.
gdotYoughiogheny Dam (Fayette County): The District Five Bassmasters' tournament winner Saturday was Roy Gallagher with an 8.19-pound total. Alex Armbruster caught the 3.90-pound lunker.
Hereford Manor Lake (Beaver County): A 7.25 pound, 25-plus-inch lunker largemouth was reportedly taken over the weekend.
Cross Creek Lake (Washington County): Bluegill, crappie and bass are being caught.
Glendale Lake (Cambria County): Rich Mislevy of Patton won the Patton Bass Club tournament with a five fish limit totaling 8.16 pounds. Rich Harrington of Patton caught the 4.7-pound lunker smallmouth in the lower end of Slate Lick branch. Walleye in the 18-inch range are reportedly being caught on crawlers at various points around the lake. Allen Pittsinger of Ashville boated crappie in the 8- to 10-inch range on small minnows.
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