Fishing Report For Pinchot Lake, PA

Current Fishing Report: Good To Very Good

Bass fishing is currently experiencing major changes in the way anglers are approaching the sport. The expanded use of high-tech fish finders is giving anglers, who fish from a boat, a distinct advantage. The fishing hasn't really changed, but the catch rate has increased considerably. The advent of new lures and equipment has improved success for anglers fishing from the bank as well. Savvy anglers, who study bass patterns, continue to catch nice fish, with or without the new gadgets.

The PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources has designated Pinchot Lake as a Big Bass Lake. Length and creel limits have improved chances for catching more quality bass, and an occasional trophy fish.

WINTER. The cold of Winter has isolated largemouth around deeper structure, flats, points and creek channels. Water temperatures are currently in the mid 30's, and bass can be found on the bottom, or suspending 12 to 20 feet deep, occasionally shallower on warm, sunny days. Often, some of the larger bass will isolate away from schools. They are currently being caught around the deepest central basin near the dam end of the lake. Here they hold, feeding less frequently, awaiting warmer water to return in Spring. Should ice become safe enough for ice fishing, most anglers stop fishing for bass, and pursue other species. Slow presentations with drop shots, jigs, finesse worms, or lipless crankbaits are often the key to getting bites, just before, during and after, ice fishing.

SPRING. Once water temperatures rise into the low 60's, largemouth will move from deep wintering holes, to shallower water near spawning areas. Anglers report good topwater action from mid Spring through Summer, especially early in the morning, and on cloudy days. Vibrating jigs, crankbaits, jerkbaits and spinnerbaits typically get bites just away from the shoreline. At this time they are feeding aggressively in about 8 to 12 feet of water, and preparing for the spawn. Once water warms into the mid to high 60's, they will move into 3 to 8 feet of water, and create nests, then lay their eggs. Immediately afterwards, females move to deeper water and males remain to guard the eggs, and then the fry. After a couple weeks, the males also move to slightly deeper water, around 10 to 15 feet deep. Deep-diving crankbaits, vibrating jigs, drop shots, plastic worms, jigs, spoons, and swimbaits catch bass during this period.

SUMMER. Water temperatures will warm considerably in Summer. Bass will feed shallow, early and late in the day, where they are typically caught in 3 to 8 feet of water, on topwater lures, square-bill crankbaits, spinnerbaits and a variety of other lures. During Summer, keep an eye on the thermocline to determine the maximum depth to fish, as there is very little oxygen below the thermocline. Largemouth bass here feed on shad, herring, small sunfish and crawfish. During the hotter parts of the day, they are being caught on points, channel edges, and ledges 8 to 15 feet deep. Wacky-rigged stick worms always catch finicky bass when the bite is slow. Some of the best reports typically come from anglers fishing around grass and weed beds along the southeast shoreline.

FALL. When Fall arrives, bass here will follow schools of baitfish into coves and shallow bays where crankbaits, swimbaits, and slow-rolled spinnerbaits have been successful in prior years. In Fall, anglers typically have success in 8 to 20 feet of water, around points and shallow flats leading to deeper water. Bass may feed on 3 to 8 feet deep flats during warmer days. As deeper water cools, bait and bass move out to ledges, channel edges, points and humps. Here flutter spoons are often the ideal bait in 15 feet of water, or deeper. Some of the larger bass will seclude themselves away from the school, often in slightly deeper water.

Current Fishing Report: Good To Very Good

Black crappie are being caught using new technologies, reducing the amount of time it takes to locate schools. Forward-facing sonar is allowing anglers, fishing from a boat, to locate schools and focus fishing time on areas with good numbers of crappie. Anglers fishing from the bank still have to search via test casting, until a school is located. Then, they are catching them as anglers have for many decades, before the new electronics became available.

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 10 to 15 feet of water. Most are caught around creek channel bends, submerged timber, deep brush piles, and main-lake structure. Good reports are coming from standing timber and brush piles, in the main basin. If safe ice develops, there is decent ice fishing around deeper structure and the deep side of weed beds drop offs. 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 12 feet of water, just outside spawning bays and shallow flats. Spring is prime time to be on the water, as crappie have moved shallow to spawn. At that time, they are typically caught in 3 to 6 feet of water. Vegetation, rip rap, 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 6 to 10 feet of 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 12 feet of water early and late in the day, until the hot Summer sun causes them to retreat to depths of 10 to 15 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 and drop-offs. 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 12 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.

Current Fishing Report: Fair To Good

Sterile wipers are stocked here by the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, so there is no spawning here. An on-going stocking program maintains a constant fishery.

Hybrid striped bass here tend to run in sizeable schools. The use of new fish-locating electronics is helping anglers catch more hybrid stripers. Forward-facing, and side scanning, sonar is currently one of the the best ways to locate schools of both wipers and baitfish. It is particularly helpful in deep water. Once located, hybrid striped bass are being caught by trolling, casting or jigging, depending on depth.

WINTER. Now that it's Winter, hybrid stripers hang out in deeper water and feed close to the bottom. They hold and feed 15 to 20 feet deep before, during and after ice over. Ice fishing only occurs when safe ice is present. Warm afternoons occasionally draw stripers shallower, so look for them around 12 feet deep as they feed on roaming schools of gizzard shad. In Winter, it is important to locate schools of bait, then look for wipers schooling below the bait. Hybrids concentrate along the main river channel, on deep channel ledges, and some of the deepest holes around the river channel. Fish finders, and forward facing sonar, are a big help in locating these roaming schools. Nice fish are being caught while trolling or drift fishing. Spoons, swimbaits, blade baits, crankbaits, live bait and cut bait are typically effective this time of year. Due to slower metabolism, anglers are triggering more strikes as deep as 22 feet, by making slower presentations.

SPRING. When water temperatures rise into the mid 60's now, it's the ideal time for hybrid stripers to spawn. Big hybrid stripers chase baitfish all over the lake. They are being caught up lake toward the incoming current as they feed and prepare to spawn. Expect to find hybrids in 10 to 15 feet of water early and late in the day, deeper during mid day. Most schools gather around the mouths creek-channels, channel bends, humps and points. They can be found in 5 to 10 feet of water on flats and points, or around 10 to 15 feet deep along channel edges. There are plenty of hybrids averaging 2 to 3 pounds, with some 5-pound plus fish being caught. In Spring, work wind-blown points, creeks, and the upper end of the lake, especially if there's inflowing water from Beaver Creek. Look for deeper holes in the river channels, as they are a good holding place for hybrid stripers

SUMMER. In Summer, these wipers typically hang out in 10 to 18 feet of water, as do schools of baitfish. They stay above the thermocline, in oxygenated water. Sometimes during the heat of the day they move close to the bottom. Morning often draws hybrid stripers to much shallower water, so look for them around 5 to 12 feet deep as they feed on shallow on roaming schools of shad. Channel ledges and humps in the main basin of the lake can be productive. Trolling with spoons, crankbaits, umbrella rigs or swimbaits produces a lot of nice catches in Summer. Live or cut bait can also be effective here. Being successful at fishing for stripers in Summer is often a matter of locating schools of bait, and the wolf packs of wipers are likely to be nearby. Fish finders, and sonar electronics, are a big help in locating these roaming schools.

FALL. In early Fall, baitfish and hybrid stripers return to shallow water preferring areas as shallow as 10 feet deep on points and flats, to 18 feet deep along channel edges. Some of the bigger fish may be slightly deeper than the average fish in the large schools. During Fall, hybrids are very aggressive when feeding. Most wipers concentrate from mid lake to the incoming-river end of the lake. Expect to find schooling activity around creek mouths, flats, main channel points, and humps. Early in the day wipers chase bait to the surface and feed aggressively, making this an excellent time for topwater action. Later in Fall wipers are generally found in 6 to 12 feet of water. Look for structure nearby deeper sections in channels, and fish them thoroughly. Most any lure that resembles shad will catch wipers at this time of year.