Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 14
Mercer and Venango Counties
by Darl Black
photos by the author MERCER
The phone rings one Friday night in January. “How would you like to come to a party Saturday morning?” said Mike Kuna, an ice fishing buddy and co-founder of Keystone Crappie Association. “Odd time for a party, isn’t it?” I respond. “Come on, you know this is an ice fishing party. I’m in Mercer County for the weekend and plan to fish up a storm. Bob and his wife are coming up, and another friend and his son are in from Michigan. With this many people in our party, it shouldn’t take us long to figure out what the fish are doing.” “Where do you plan to fish?” I inquire. “Well, we can discuss that right now. Let’s review our possibilities.”
Shenango River Lake
VENANGO
Two Mile Run Reservoir
Oil City
Lake Wilhelm
Franklin
Kahle Lake
Fishing with a group is safer than being on the ice alone, and more lines in the water helps to locate schools of fish quicker.
Find it: The centerpiece of Maurice K. Goddard State Park, 1,860-acre Lake Wilhelm is located in northeastern Mercer County. While the upper portion of the lake is readily visible from I-79, there is no exit specifically for the lake. Instead, exit I-79 at Route 358; go west on Route 358 to Clarks Mills and take Lake Wilhelm Road north to the lake. The lake may also be reached by Georgetown Road off Route 19. Highlights: Most ice anglers on Lake Wilhelm are interested in crappies and bluegills. Walleyes are also present, targeted most often with live suckers on tip-ups. During the 1970s, northern pike were abundant in the newly impounded lake, but the current pike population is low. Only a few are taken each ice season, primarily in the upper reaches of the lake.
Lake Wilhelm, Mercer County
Ice Access: With four major boat ramps and a marina, plus additional picnic sites, observation areas and several pulloffs along Creek Road, the shoreline of Lake Wilhelm is one of the most accessible lakes in the state for ice fishing. Generally, the ice is reliably safe throughout the lake except for areas immediately around bridges and in the stump-filled north end. Fishing Tip: “During first ice, I suggest anglers seeking crappies concentrate on available green weeds,” said ice fishing expert Mike Kuna. “Later in the season, anglers should shift to deeper brush piles. As long as weeds are still green, you’ll find baitfish and crappies hanging out there. When weeds eventually die, crappies move to brush piles and
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14
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater • January/February 2013
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013
Straight Talk
Table of Contents
Secrets of Solid Fishing for Crappies
Tying the Scud
Your Fishing Field Guide
Transitioning to Fly Fishing
Mercer and Venango Counties on Ice
Tip-up Fishing for Pike and Pickerel
Make Your Own Rabbit Hair Jig
Not Working, Try Something Different
Notes from the Stream
Lively Larvae
Commission Fish Stocking Volunteers: A History of Dedication
Take Your Ice Shanty to the Next Level
10 Tips for Safe Ice Fishing
Ice Safety Thickness Chart
Homegrown Fishing Lures
Reflecting on the Water
Impacts of Fishing Line and Other Litter
Ohio River Sauger and Walleye
Winter PLAY Newsletter
Finding the Right Powerboat
Pennsylvania’s Not-so-bland Blanding’s Turtle
Deputy Waterways Conservation Officer Graduation
Currents
Angler’s Notebook
Fishin’ from the Kitchen
Cast & Caught
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - CT1
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - CT2
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - Straight Talk
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 3
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 4
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - Table of Contents
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - Secrets of Solid Fishing for Crappies
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 7
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 8
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - Tying the Scud
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - Your Fishing Field Guide
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 11
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - Transitioning to Fly Fishing
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 13
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - Mercer and Venango Counties on Ice
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 15
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 16
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - Tip-up Fishing for Pike and Pickerel
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 18
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 19
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - Make Your Own Rabbit Hair Jig
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 21
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - Not Working, Try Something Different
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 23
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - Notes from the Stream
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 25
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - Lively Larvae
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 27
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - Commission Fish Stocking Volunteers: A History of Dedication
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 29
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - Take Your Ice Shanty to the Next Level
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 31
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 10 Tips for Safe Ice Fishing
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 33
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - Ice Safety Thickness Chart
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - Homegrown Fishing Lures
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 36
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 37
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - Reflecting on the Water
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - Impacts of Fishing Line and Other Litter
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 40
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 41
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - Ohio River Sauger and Walleye
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 43
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 44
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - Winter PLAY Newsletter
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 46
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 47
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 48
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 49
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 50
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 51
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - Finding the Right Powerboat
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 53
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - Pennsylvania’s Not-so-bland Blanding’s Turtle
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 55
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - Deputy Waterways Conservation Officer Graduation
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - Currents
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 58
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 59
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 60
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 61
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 62
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - Fishin’ from the Kitchen
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - Cast & Caught
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - CT3
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - CT4
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