RustyHooksFishing

How is everyone doing on the water so far this spring? Had a really good day last Wednesday on the Keystone Power Dam. Caught a lot of males up shallow getting ready to make some beds. A few females were found in the 8-12 ft of water range.

I was on the PA Fish and Boat website and found these really interesting lake improvement maps. The map will show you locations with gps coordinates of different nesting structures and other habitat related additions to the lake both past and future. Could be useful to the bass angler looking for some hot spots around the lake that bass will relate to. Lemme know what you guys think. https://www.fishandboat.com/Resource/Habitat/Pages/LakeImprovementPlans.aspx

Leave it on. Unless its tore up there is no sense in wasting it. Might cause cheap hooks to rust but won't bother any of the name brand companies that quickly.

Love seeing that! Gonna get my annual day of fly fishing in on Saturday then i'll be getting the Lowe out.

I would go with the ned rig with the Z-Man TRD (Coppertreuse is my favorite color). I have taken several first timers out and that is the best way to get them on fish. Also most people are able to cast a spinning setup pretty well so being able to use that will keep them from being frustrated with a baitcaster. I know if I want to wrench on some fish that is my go to 100% of the time now.

I agree completely. Our lakes just aren't very big and we don't have very many. I am not against tournament fishing at all, I have fished several before, I just think jamming 5 fish in a small box all day seems counter productive to making a better fishery. I love the whole BP Tour format. I hope some people try this format even on a small scale at some point. Much better for the fish. Of course you better have some trustworthy anglers if you go this route but I think it would be a really cool way to fish. Plus you can still hold lunker tournaments to allow guys to try and get the big fish. I also think maybe going down to a 3 fish limit for tournaments would be helpful on these smaller bodies of water.

Exactly. If you are dumb enough to keep a bass during that period of time you deserve whats coming to ya. They can't stop the fact that bass will eat the same things pike and panfish do so if you accidentally hook one that's not your fault. I like the current no harvest law during the spawn.

I understand what you are saying. I just don't see how an understaffed commission would keep guys from fishing for bass for 2 months. I know a lot of my local anglers would simply say they aren't fishing for them if questioned. Who's to judge and say you aren't out there for pike or crappie. So I as a law abiding angler who wants a healthier bass population would be stuck at home for 2 months while guys who don't care are out there doing their thing. I guess this is a perfect world scenario and I get that. But this is Pennsylvania, the wild west of the outdoor world.

How do you think they would regulate a closed bass season though? Its easier to close trout because they are located in areas with few other desirable game fish. I think another problem I have seen especially in my lakes is the abundance of predatory fish, mainly pike. The numbers of pike I have caught has been crazy the past few years. If you aren't stocking bass and the pike are eating them, the population is gonna struggle.

When you say "closed" what are you referring to? They have the voluntary bass permit now. Not that I believe any of that money goes to what they say it does.

I will say this, I fish two lakes the majority of the time. Yellow Creek which is a "big bass" lake and Glendale which is not. Yellow creek can be a freakin grind most days but the average fish size is a lot bigger than the fish I catch at Glendale and you can catch some pigs there. I go to Glendale when I want to absolutely feel like i'm fishing the BP Tour and catch 30 fish in a day with the slight possibility of a decent one here and there. Pressure on both lakes is pretty heavy. The term "meat fisherman" makes me cringe inside. To each his own, but I let them go so they can grow.

Dynamic Lures has their Hydralux Copolymer line in 4, 12, 15, and 17 lb for $1.95 each. Pretty good line for moving baits. https://dynamiclures.com/shop/fishing-line/dynamic-copolymer-fishing-line/

I have had some luck on my western pa state park lakes. I guess the fish commission labels my lake a "big bass" lake. Might be some truth to that haha. (Yes I realize I am good at holding fish closer to the camera, but what fisherman isn't good at that?)

Thanks! Starting to get some cabin fever and always wondered where the PA crowd hung out on here.