Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020 - 61

photo-Jerry Bush

Angler's Notebook
by Jerry Bush

Fishing murky streams is typical in Pennsylvania,
especially as winter climate takes over Lake Erie. However,
fishing somewhat muddy water is doable. Adapt to muddy
conditions by going large and bright. Though more difficult
to see, the fish did not go anywhere, and fish do not stop
eating. Be determined. Steelhead need an obvious target to
focus on. Bring lots of flash. It is also more difficult for fish to
see you as well in muddy water.
Presenting a fly in a natural manner is not always easy.
The movement of a fly tied directly to a leader or tippet is
limited during its movement downstream by the restriction
from the monofilament line. Tying an open clinch knot helps
a fly behave more naturally during the drift. The key to the
open clinch knot is that it does not clamp down on the hook's
eye. Instead, the eye stays within a small, loose loop created
and maintained as the knot eventually clinches tight to the

Fishin' from the Kitchen
Roasted Pike with Gremolata
by Wayne Phillips

Bring summer freshness to a winter meal by topping roasted
pike with zesty gremolata.
Ingredients for four servings:
*	 4 6- to 8-ounces boneless,
skinless pike fillets
*	 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Gremolata ingredients:
*	 1 cup Italian parsley,
finely minced
*	 1 clove garlic,
finely minced

Procedure

*	 Salt and black pepper
to taste
*	 Juice of ½ lemon
*	 1 tsp. lemon zest
*	 ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
*	 Salt and black pepper
to taste

Mix the gremolata ingredients together. Let it stand for 30
minutes, so the flavors can combine. Brush the olive oil on
the pike fillets. Place the fillets in a glass baking dish. Bake
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line, above the loop. The loop
allows a hook to be loosely but
firmly attached, so it can freely
move about the loop as the fly is affected by subtle nuances
throughout the drift.
Accurate casting is a challenge for Pennsylvania anglers
as winter winds prevail. When fishing for Northern Pike
and Muskellunge in these conditions, keep thinking tight
lines when choosing optimum lures. Large spinner baits
and heavy crankbaits give anglers the best opportunity to
cast lures accurately along a tight line to land in targeted
zones. Choppy water and wind will make loose line, finesse
fishing practically impossible. Most bites will go undetected.
Conversely, a bite administered to a good-sized lure that is
being retrieved on a tight line will be immediately felt.
As winds become more prevalent, it is tempting to hang
out in coves and spend your time where the wind is less
challenging. While not entirely a bad idea, anglers may
be missing some of the best action by ignoring drop-offs
along points that extend into the lakes, helping to form
coves. Most gamefish seek deeper water at this time of
year, but these fish are not necessarily ready to flee to the
deepest water. Each species is looking for its preferred water
temperature, but it needs to remain close to food sources.
While fishing drop-offs, pay attention to where the drop
bites are experienced. Fish around the point at roughly the
same depth, assuming it makes sense in regard to available
food sources.
in a 350-degree F oven
until cooked through,
usually about 15- to
20-minutes. Season
with salt and black
pepper. Spoon some
of the gremolata over
the pike.

Serve

Serve over a bed of fusilli
or other short pasta dressed with a
light tomato sauce.

lip
s

Lake Erie's steelhead fishing is not limited to tributary
waters. Anglers who have not already winterized their
boats should consider trolling calm waters, just off the
mouths of tributaries. Hard-fighting fish stack up off the
mouths while waiting for rains to elevate tributaries and
create optimum conditions for entry. One large destination
is Presque Isle Bay. Steelhead can be taken from bay
waters by boaters trolling spoons and diving crankbaits
from October through November. Shore anglers often
catch steelhead by using heavier spoons that can be cast a
good distance. Many steelhead are caught through the ice
throughout the winter months.

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Tips

To avoid overpowering the pike, make your pasta sauce by
mixing half cream and half tomato sauce for a more delicate
rosé sauce.
To perk up any fish dish, try topping it with a spoonful of
gremolata. It brings the freshness of Italian flat leaf parsley, the
robust taste of garlic, the zip of lemon, and the peppery zing of
extra virgin olive oil. Make it your own by varying the amounts
of the basic ingredients.

Pennsylvania Angler & Boater * November/December 2020

61
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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2020

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