Fishing Report For Foster Joseph Sayers Reservoir, PA

Current Report: Good To Very Good

The minimum length for keeping crappie is 9 inches here, but there are plenty of 9" to 12" slabs to easily fill a limit of 20.

WINTER. The current water temperature is in the mid 30's. Now that the shallows have turned cold, crappie have migrated to deeper holding areas, mostly off shore. Currently they are being caught using a very slow presentation, in 15 to 30 feet of water. Most are caught around creek channel bends, submerged timber, artificial fish habitat, deep brush piles, and main-lake structure. Good reports are coming from anglers fishing around Hunter Run Cut, and along the causeway edges. Once there is safe ice, locals get out the ice fishing setups. When they suspend in open water, they often relate to some cover, or structure change, directly below them. During warming trends, especially warm afternoons, they are drawn into 10 to 14 feet of water to feed. Light tackle, with 4 lb to 8 lb line, is a popular choice.

SPRING. In early Spring, crappie begin staging in 8 to 15 feet of water, just outside spawning bays and shallow flats. Spring is prime time to be on the water, as both black crappie and white crappie have moved shallow to spawn. At that time, they are typically caught in 3 to 10 feet of water. Vegetation, docks, brush and wood are where most anglers catch crappie using small crappie jigs or live minnows. After the spawn, crappie typically move outside the spawning area and hold on cover close by, in slightly deeper water. Once they move deep, anglers report success using fish finders and forward facing sonar to locate schools of crappie, which tend to stack vertically around cover.

SUMMER. Water temperatures get quite warm, and crappie fishing is usually pretty good. They feed in 8 to 15 feet of water early and late in the day, until the hot Summer sun causes them to retreat to depths of 10 to 20 feet. Also, a few have embedded in the shade of slightly shallower vegetation. This is a good time to focus around brush piles, standing timber, deep lay downs, bridge pilings and deeper docks. Anglers are also locating schools of crappie hanging over deep structure and around creek channel edges, using fish-finder electronics.

FALL. As Fall begins warming the shallows, baitfish, move into shallow flats, coves and bays, which draws crappie into these areas. They will be feeding heavily in preparation for the cold Winter, in 8 to 15 feet of water. Minnows, hair jigs, and crappie jigs, are good options during this feeding marathon. Late Fall which turns the shallows cold, starts pushing crappie deeper, toward winter holding areas. Small flutter spoons, fished in 10 to 14 feet of water, are a good option during this transition. Good results typically come around points, creek channels, and brush piles. The points and channel bends near the I-26 bridge and Bald Eagle State Park are popular areas in Fall.

Current Report: Good To Very Good

Ice fishing was good for perch last winter, using minnows, mealworms, maggots, and nightcrawlers. Fat yellow perch here feed on gizzard shad, small fish and invertebrates.

WINTER. ICE The cold of winter drives perch deeper again in search of food and stable water conditions. Mid-depth flats are ideal Winter holding spots. Early in Winter, perch are being caught when they are feeding in weedy areas, in 12 to 22 of water. Fishing for them in Winter is good using minnows, mealworms, maggots, and nightcrawlers. As the lake begins to freeze over, they remain deep. These baits continue to work now, while ice fishing, and again once the ice is gone. Plenty of yellow perch were caught last winter through the ice, and there's no reason to expect anything different this year.

SPRING. Perch spawn in Spring when the water temperature warms to the mid 50's and mid 60's. Anglers will begin to catch them in 4 to 10 feet of water using spinners, small spinnerbaits, underspins, minnows, mealworms, maggots, and nightcrawlers. Docks, weed lines, drop offs all attract yellow perch searching for a meal. Later in Spring, they migrate toward shallow water to feed.

SUMMER. Fat yellow perch here feed primarily on small fish and invertebrates. Spinners, underspins, small crankbaits, mealworms, nightcrawlers and maggots are catching perch in 15 to 20 feet of water. In early Summer, plus the first and last hours of the day, seek them out in feeding zones, 6 to 12 feet deep. Drop-offs, standing timber, lay-down trees, shallow weed lines, and in areas with submerged vegetation, are key feeding spots.

FALL. Early Fall finds yellow perch feeding in 10 to 20 feet of water. Later in the Fall, they begin migrating toward Winter holding areas, often in the deeper sections, around the edges of weedbeds, drop offs along flats, channel edges, rock piles and humps. In late Fall focus on 14 to 18 feet deep cover. Minnows, spinners, spoons and small jigs are ideal this time of year.

Current Report: Good

Smallmouth and largemouth bass both reside here. Smallies are the more exciting species to catch, but most of the big bass tend to be largemouths. Recent tournament results reported a nearly 4-pound average for 5 fish, to win, and well over a 2 pound average to contend. Usually it's a mix of both species.

WINTER. Winter has isolated smallies around deeper structure, points, flats and creek channels, often suspending in open water above these features. Before, during and after ice fishing season, they can generally be found from 15 to 30 feet deep. Locals report catching nice fish around rock piles in the area of the dam. Jigging spoons, tube baits, drop-shot worms, jigs and Ned rigs are tempting smallmouth to bite in deep water. I like to work these deeper haunts very slowly, as the bass are somewhat sluggish. Here they hold, feeding less frequently, awaiting warmer water to return in Spring.

SPRING. After ice out, when water temperatures rise into the 50's, smallmouth move from deep wintering spots to shallower water, just outside spawning areas. They feed heavily in 8 to 15 feet of water at this time, and are typically caught on jerkbaits, crankbaits, tube baits, Ned rigs, and crayfish imitating plastics. Once water warms into the high 50's, they move into shallower water, 3 to 10 feet deep and create nests in gravel or sand areas, then lay their eggs. Some of the better spawning areas include protected, shallow flats and points. Females then move to deeper water and males remain to guard the eggs, and then the fry. After a couple weeks, the males also move into 10 to 15 feet deep, and feed aggressively. Crankbaits, tube baits, Ned rigs, plastic worms, spoons and swimbaits are catching smallies during this period.

SUMMER. Smallmouth bass typically feed shallow early and late in the day, in 3 to 8 feet of water. They are being caught on topwater, crankbaits, swimbaits, Ned rigs and tube baits. Smallmouth bass here feed on crawfish, gizzard shad, threadfin shad, and small sunfish. They prefer rocky or gravel bottom areas, as this is where crayfish live. Popular Summer holding areas include rip rap at the dam, as well as rocky points, humps and structure near the thermocline. During the hotter parts of the day, they are being caught on points, humps, and ledges around 8 to 18 feet deep. Often these deeper fish tend to school, so finding them can deliver some fast action.

FALL. Once Fall arrives smallmouth move into coves and bays 8 to 20 feet deep. Popular areas include rock piles and boulder fields adjacent to flats. They thrive in the cooler, shallow water, which is an ideal environment for them. Locals report that tube jigs, and drop shot rigs with small worms or shad shaped plastics, are popular in 10' water or deeper. Worms, jigs, deep-diving crankbaits, swimbaits, and slow-rolled spinnerbaits, are also successful, when bass are shallow to mid depth. Later in Fall, smallies move to slightly deeper water, around 10 to 35 feet deep.