It takes a hardy sort to walk out onto a frozen lake in January, drill a hole, drop a line, and wait for the fish to bite. But at the same time, ice fishing can be a lot of fun hanging out with your friends; or a good time to collect your thoughts if you prefer going it alone. In either case it’s always exciting when a fish from the unseen depths grabs your line. Before you know it, you’ll be hooked on the sport.
Several big lakes in our Great Outdoors regions ice over in the winter and provide good fishing for bluegills, trout, crappies, perch, muskies, largemouth bass, northern pike and walleyes.
The 142-acre George B. Stevenson Reservoir is located in Sinnemahoning State Park along the eastern edge of Cameron County. Conditions permitting, all areas of the lake are open for ice fishing except within 50 feet of the trash boom by the dam. The lake has trout, largemouth bass, bluegill, pickerel, perch, crappie, and muskie.
In the north region of Elk County you’ll find the waters of East Branch Lake. This 1,160-acrea lake is a cold water fishery that supports good populations of muskie, walleye, smallmouth bass, brook, rainbow, brown, and lake trout.
And ice fishing is permitted at Tionesta Lake, in Forest County where the waters have yielded many fine catches of trout, muskie, walleye, bass and perch.
For complete ice fishing information visit the PA Fish and Boat Commission website www.fish.state.pa.us. You’ll find several excellent articles on the sport covering tackle and techniques, plus get rules, regs, maps and safety information. Also check the DCNR’s Winter Activities Report at www.dcnr.state.pa.us for ice thickness listings.
