Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 40
INTERMEDIATE
Ice Fishing
Hot Spots
in Western
Pennsylvania
by Jerry Bush
photo-Janelle Howard
W
estern Pennsylvania offers many ice fishing
opportunities, and some anglers may be surprised
to find safe ice nearly as far south as Pittsburgh.
Erie County
Lake Pleasant is stocked in the spring and the winter with
trout. It is a favorite location for ice fishing enthusiasts.
Howard Eaton Reservoir is near Pennsylvania's border with
New York. Its expanse of 159 acres is a panfish hot spot. You
may also catch Northern Pike and Walleyes.
LeBoeuf Lake, near Waterford, holds Largemouth Bass and
Northern Pike. Some large Bluegills are also found in this lake.
No conversation about Erie County's ice fishing is complete
without deserved recognition given to Lake Erie's Presque
Isle Bay. Species found in Presque Isle Bay include Bluegills,
Northern Pike, Pumpkinseeds, bass, crappies, perch, and
steelhead. Coaxing one of the larger gamefish through an
8-inch hole in the ice is challenging. Recognizing the current
hot spots at Presque Isle is easy. Look for the " tent cities " -an
affectionate name describing the conglomeration of ice fishing
shelters on the ice.
Crawford County
With a surface area of 925 acres, Conneaut Lake is
Pennsylvania's largest natural lake. Here, perch and panfish
are most targeted in winter, but many anglers hope for
Muskellunge and Walleyes as well.
With more than 17,000 acres of water, Pymatuning Reservoir
is king in Crawford County. Anglers seek Muskellunge,
Walleyes, bass, panfish, and perch. Most of the Muskellunge
stocked in Pennsylvania are spawned from brood stock from
Pymatuning Reservoir. Pymatuning Reservoir is western
Pennsylvania's most productive winter Walleye fishery.
Mercer County
Heading south, we find Mercer County's ice fishing season
is a week or two shorter than Erie and Crawford counties, but
40
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater
safe ice is available most years for 4 to 6 weeks. Shenango
River Lake may be the best body of water in western
Pennsylvania to consistently catch big Bluegills and large
crappies, as well as White Bass.
Lake Wilhelm's 1,680 acres is a fun fishery to collect a
mixed bucket of Bluegills, crappies, perch, and a few Walleyes.
Butler County
Only 40-miles north of Pittsburgh, Lake Arthur holds
3,225 acres of water in Moraine State Park, and most years it
provides safe ice fishing for 2 to 3 weeks. Lake Arthur is home
to Channel Catfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, and
panfish. Some Muskellunge and Walleyes are also present.
Gear
Panfish are most often attracted to tear drop jigs
tipped with maggots, mealworms, or pieces of red worms.
Sometimes, soft plastic grubs of various colors work well.
Most catches occur when the jig is bounced a few inches from
the bottom.
Larger gamefish prefer a lead head jig tipped with a
minnow submerged below a rod and reel or attached to a
tip-up device. Use baitfish
lures and spoons.
A 2-foot rod and
plastic reel with a spring
bobber at the end of the
pole catches as many fish
as other rods. A manual
auger is sufficient for
most ice fishing anglers,
but a motorized auger is
desired by true enthusiasts
who are constantly
on the ice in the most
northern counties.
To check State Park
ice conditions:
dcnr.pa.gov/StateParks/
WinterReport/Pages/default.aspx
fishandboat.com
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mQm7WkeNic&t=2s
http://dcnr.pa.gov/StateParks/WinterReport/Pages/default.aspx
http://dcnr.pa.gov/StateParks/WinterReport/Pages/default.aspx
http://www.fishandboat.com
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022
Contents
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - Cover1
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - Cover2
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - Contents
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 4
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 5
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 6
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 7
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 8
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 9
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 10
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 11
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 12
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 13
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 14
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 15
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 16
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 17
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 18
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 19
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 20
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 21
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 22
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 23
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 24
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 25
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 26
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 27
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 28
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 29
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 30
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 31
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 32
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 33
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 34
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 35
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 36
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 37
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 38
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 39
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 40
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 41
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 42
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 43
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 44
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 45
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 46
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 47
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - 48
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 2022 - Cover3
Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - November/December 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