Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - January/February 2013 - 8
weather that slows them down such as drastic cold fronts and rainy run-offs. Crappies will circulate and feed even in the daytime. For the biggest crappies, it’s good to wait for last light or even ice fish at night. Lakes with more definite contour lines, particularly those with hard shelves or channels, are another matter entirely. Frankly, these are difficult to fish, and success is often unpredictable. First of all, deeper lakes don’t freeze as quickly. So, it’s tough to get an early-season bite. However, in a cold winter, the deeper lakes often hold their ice longer, so an excellent late February and early March bite is a pleasant possibility. I head to these lakes when nature cooperates. The other thing with deeper lakes, those with 30 feet and deeper baselines, is that the crappies will be channel runners. There may be bays that make certain sections look and act like the shallow water scenarios noted above, but crappie numbers are often limited in those places. The crappies move out deeper in late fall and are deep throughout the winter. The best thing to do in this situation is to use electronics to find a turn in a channel or a secondary ledge, and pepper the area with bait and wait. When crappies feed in these lakes, they are moving and suspended. When a school shows up on the screen, you need to react quickly to get offerings down to that level. It’s not easy, but when four or five tip-ups go off in a flurry, it’s certainly fun. For shallow-water fishing along weeds, I prefer to use jigging rods with glow jigs adorned with larva and crappie nuggets. I also use small spoons and horizontal plugs with
Early-bird ice anglers and early-day crappies meld together in perfect unison.
fathead minnows, shiners or fish eyes. In deep lakes along hard structure, I use tip-ups with live fathead minnows and shiners. I’m also prepared with a spoon and fillet, so I can react to a suddenly appearing school on the sonar. In addition, I use a ½-ounce bell-sinker rig with dropper loops affixed with small jigs and bait to reach these deep fish quickly.
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8
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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