Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - 29

Young boaters fish Acme Dam, Westmoreland County.
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC)
lists Acme Dam among " Pennsylvania's Best Fishing
Waters " for Bluegills and Pumpkinseeds. I spend many
evenings catching those fish on everything from worms to
small jigs to tiny poppers.
Bluegills, the lake's most common gamefish, outnumber
Pumpkinseeds 10 to 1 or better. But, both reach nice sizes.
A 2021 PFBC survey of the lake tells that tale. Then,
80 percent of Bluegills and 90 percent of Pumpkinseeds
handled exceeded 7 inches in length. More impressively,
the lake produced about 2.5 times as many quality-sized
sunfish per hour overall as statewide guidelines for a
" quality " fishery.
The lake is equally good at churning out nice bullheads,
hence its ranking among the state's " Best Fishing Waters "
for those species, too. Brown Bullheads predominate Yellow
Bullheads, but Acme Dam holds both, with fish of 15 inches
or larger. We almost always get plenty big enough for the
frying pan.
The fishing for two other species, meanwhile, is good
and getting better.
Black Crappies, the lake's secondmost
abundant fish, have undergone a
transformation. There was a time, in the 1980s,
when Acme Dam held a lot of Black Crappies,
although small or stunted.
These days, while the total number of crappies
is down slightly, the number of quality fish is up,
higher than it has been in decades. Whoppers-
crappies 15 inches or so-are still rare, but there
are lots of 9- to 11-inch crappies available.
Then, there are Acme Dam's Largemouth
Bass. That 2021 survey found as many as in
2010, when biologists last looked. But, the
number of chunky fish increased considerably.
Three out of four fish exceeded 12 inches long
and one out of two fish exceeded 15 inches
long, with some stretching 21 inches long.
The lake is relatively shallow and may get
weedy in the summer, but it does have one boat
launch. Using a canoe, kayak, or small boat-
electric motors are allowed-gets you to more
potential hot spots.
That can up your odds of hooking into a
Bluegills are the most abundant fish in Acme Dam. Acme Dam is considered
one of " Pennsylvania's Best Fishing Waters " for the species.
nice fish while minimizing the chances of
hooking someone else. So, you can fish while
breathing easy.
July/August 2022
29

Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022

Contents
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - Cover1
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - Cover2
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - Contents
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - 4
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - 5
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - 6
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - 7
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - 8
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - 9
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - 10
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - 11
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - 12
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - 13
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - 14
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - 15
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - 16
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - 17
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - 18
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - 19
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - 20
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - 21
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - 22
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - 23
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - 24
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - 25
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - 26
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - 27
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - 28
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - 29
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - 30
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - 31
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - 32
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - 33
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - 34
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - 35
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - 36
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - 37
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - 38
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - 39
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - 40
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - 41
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - 42
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - 43
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - 44
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - 45
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - 46
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - 47
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - 48
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - 49
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - 50
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - 51
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - 52
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - Cover3
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2022 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20240102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20231112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20230910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20230708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20230506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20230304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20230102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20221112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20220910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20220708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20220506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20220304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20220102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20211112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20210910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20210708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20210506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20210304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20210102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20201112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20200910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20200708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20200506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20200304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20200102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20191112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20190910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20190708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20190506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20190304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20190102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20181112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20180910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20180708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20180506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20180304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/201780102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20171112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20170910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20170708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20170506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20170304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20170102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20161112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20160910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20160708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20160506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20160304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20160102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20151112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20150910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20150708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20150506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20150304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20150102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20141112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20140910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20140708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20140506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20140304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20140102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20131112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20130910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20130708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20130506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20130304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20130102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pafishboat/20121112
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com