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WEST ERIE COUNTY, DWCO Randy Leighton Conditions:
Cool temperatures and rain have been the story here in Erie. The lake temperature is still in the mid to high 50s. Perch and Walleye fishing have been off to slow start with action picking up ever so slowly. A few good catches have been reported off the Point on Presque Isle and along the Ohio line in 40-45' of water. Anglers targeting perch are doing well out of Conneaut. Of course, Smallmouth bass fishing is flourishing along the lake shore in 20 to 30' of water. Some Walleye are being caught from shore at Godfrey and Trout Runs after dark. Trolling the shoreline in shallow water has been somewhat productive. Anglers are reminded that parking from the main road to the mouth at Godfrey Run is not permitted and is marked accordingly. This area is walk in only and vehicles can be cited for parking in this area. The area along the fenced nursery water area is a private road. There is parking along the main road at the top of the hill. Safety Reminder:
Two lucky anglers were pulled from Edinboro Lake by the Edinboro VFD this past weekend when their canoe and small motor were swamped. The lucky anglers had the proper PFDs with them and were able to swim to shore along with the swamped canoe. Fortunately, nothing was damaged and both anglers suffered no injuries. It is this type of accident in the spring that can be the most dangerous when water temperatures are still bone chilling and cold shock and hypothermia can occur quickly. Disposition of Fish and the Law:
Driving over Interstate 90 nearly every day, one comes to notice nearly every little detail along the road. Such was the case this past week when I notice what appeared to be a large fish lying along the road. Realizing it was probably not a "road kill" , I stopped to take a look this morning. Sure enough, here was a rather large rotting Carp carcass that someone decided to carelessly discard. Coincidentally, I was asked this past weekend, by a bow angler what is considered to be legal disposal of a fish. Fish that are caught and kept must be disposed of in a legal manner. This means they can be taken for consumption or given to someone else (who then becomes responsible for disposition). In some cases, an angler may not have kept his catch cold enough and does not want to keep it. In that case the fish can be disposed of in a proper trash container. Some folks will catch Carp for example, for no other reason than to bury them in the garden as fertilizer. All are legal methods of utilizing or disposing of the catch. Leaving a fish streamside, along the shoreline or in this case of all places, along the Interstate, is considered illegal disposition of a fish and does carry a fine. It would also, in this case, be considered littering and could carry additional penalties. Some anglers, during steelhead season, will belly gut a fish for it's eggs, and carelessly discard the carcass; a practice which triggered the ban on the sale of fish eggs in the Commonwealth. In short, use common sense in utilizing or when necessary, discarding your catch. Walnut Creek Access Update:
A considerable amount of work is being done in the East lot at the Walnut Creek Access area to improve boat trailer parking and traffic flow. 22 new lights are being installed and some of the islands and grass areas are being removed as part of the project. Boaters with trailers are encouraged to park in the East lot (near the lake) as much as possible until the improvements are completed. Progress has been good and work is scheduled to be finished by June 30th, weather permitting. Lake Erie Committe of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission:
Harvest quotas for the 2003 Lake Erie walleye and yellow perch fisheries have been set by the Lake Erie Committee of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission and will remain largely unchanged from the previous year. This year, the entire lake’s annual harvest quota of walleye is again set at 3.4 million fish, while the yellow perch quota is up slightly to 9.9 million pounds. The Lake Erie Committee is made up of fisheries managers representing Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York and Ontario. Each year this committee sets the Total Allowable Catch (TAC), which reflects the number of fish that can be taken from the lake without harming these populations. Each state is allotted a share of the total allowable catch, determined by a formula based on surface area within each jurisdiction. Ohio and Ontario receive the highest quotas because their waters encompass the highest percentage of the lake. Of the 2003 quota, Ohio's share is just over 1.7 million, about 51 percent of the total. Ontario's share is just under 1.5 million walleye, about 43 percent of the total allocation. The remainder is shared by New York, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.Ohio’s daily bag limit for walleye caught in Lake Last reminder for Fish for Free Day:
This Saturday June 7th is another Fish for Free Day. Anglers are permitted to fish the waters of the Commonwealth on this day with out having to purchase a license. All other fishing regulations still apply. Law Enforcement:
PFBC boats are now on the water help ensure boat safety. If you are stopped, consider the minor inconvenience, to be your assurance that officers in our area are doing their part to keep our shores and our boaters as safe as possible. Ryan Eugene Cappelletty, 23, of Chesterfield, Va., died Wednesday, May 28, 2003, at CJW Medical Center in Virginia of a gunshot wound received in the line of duty as a police officer. He has been a police officer with the Chesterfield County Police Department in Virginia since 2002. Officer Cappeletty graduated from McDowell High School here in Erie in 1998. He received a bachelor's degree from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania in 2002 and graduated from Chesterfield County's 39th Basic Police Academy. On behalf of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and it's Bureau of Law Enforcement we extend or deepest sympathies to Officer Cappelletty's family CENTRAL ERIE COUNTY, WCO Tom Edwards / DWCO Bryan Brendley PHD The US Fish and Wildlife Service recently announced the winners of a cooperative grants program between private landowners and the federal government. We offer our congradulations to the Western PA Conservancy for winning a $75,000 grant for the Muddy Creek project. The goal of this project is to "improve water quality and habitat for federally endangered freshwater mussels such as the clubshell mussel, and state listed freshwater mussels and fish species that include the creek heelsplitter mussel and the Ohio lamprey. The project will protect state listed riparian and wetland plant species through revegetation of riparian areas with native species; restoration of eroded streambanks using vegetative stabilization techniques; fencing of livestock from streams, riparian, and wetland areas; and wetland restoration." Some Perch are being caught off the point near the first buoy leaving the Erie Channel to the Lake. Bass anglers are having a great time in Presque Isle Bay with countless anglers coming to our area from out of state to take advantage of the prime Bass conditions.
Bucket angers are having success on the North pier along the channel with good catches of rock bass and some perch. Local Weather: Wednesday night
Rain likely. Lows in the lower 50s. East winds 5 to 15 mph becoming southwest late in the evening. Chance of rain 70 percent.
Thursday
Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain. Highs 60 to 65. Chance of rain 40 percent.
Thursday night
Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 50s.
Friday
Partly cloudy. Highs in the lower 70s.
Friday night
Mostly cloudy with a chance of showers. Lows in the lower 50s. Chance of rain 40 percent.
Saturday
Mostly cloudy. A chance of showers during the day. Highs in the lower 70s.
Sunday
Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 50s and highs in the mid 70s.
Monday
Mostly cloudy with a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the mid 50s and highs in the lower 70s.
Tuesday
A chance of showers during the day, otherwise partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 50s and highs in the lower 70s.
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