Woodcock Creek Lake

Woodcock Creek Lake

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Woodcock Creek Lake - 5/10/2008 9:08:15 PM

bingsbaits

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From: spartansburg,pa
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We went to Woodcock on Monday to try and get a few eyes for the skillet.This is what we found when we got there. Flooded up almost 5 feet.

We couldn't by an eye. Tried all the old jelly holes and nothing.Anyone been there and done any good??
Did get into a few nice smallies though. Here is one my fishing partner got.

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RE: Woodcock Creek Lake - 5/10/2008 9:54:06 PM

Bogeyjoker

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From: Corry, PA
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Bings,
I haven't been there yet this year, but in years past, right about now until mid june is when I usually slam the eyes at woodcock. Usually I have to sort through 3 or 4 little guys until I get a legal one, but is fun nonetheless. 2 years ago I hit it in early June and from 11am until about 1pm, I was catching an eye on every cast. I usually drift heavy jigs or crawler harnesses along the creek bed, but on that particular day there was no wind so I had to cast...was using a crawler harness with an egg sinker and just bounced it off the bottom.

(in reply to bingsbaits)

Post #: 2

RE: Woodcock Creek Lake - 5/10/2008 11:59:01 PM

gobyking

Posts: 288
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On a different note,I have seen some 20#+ Muskys in that lake along with some bumper size smallies like you have there in the picture.Nice little lake.Why have they held up the outflow?

(in reply to Bogeyjoker)

Post #: 3

RE: Woodcock Creek Lake - 5/11/2008 7:07:45 AM

bingsbaits

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From: spartansburg,pa
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Flood control we had some bad rain last week.

This used to be a nice little lake to go get a few eyes for the skillet. Like you say bogey the creek channel used to be the ticket. Been skunked on the eyes 3 trips there now. Don't know whats up. Used to do well trolling crawler harnesses and live creek chubs on a jig head.

There are some Lake Erie Smallies in there too. Some fellas were pounding Erie about 15 years ago and brought a couple dozen large Smallies and put them in Woodcock. So there are some excellent genes there. We've caught a couple that were 6+ pounds.

There are some big Muskys in Woodcock. Used to be a good numbers lake 10 years ago. But the Musky tournies kinda put a damper on the Musky fishing. Has gone down hill ever since.

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Post #: 4

RE: Woodcock Creek Lake - 5/12/2008 1:12:46 PM

muskefisher

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Joined: 11/23/2007
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I don't think the muskie tournaments have any to do with it. catch & release only. you have regular anglers keeping more muskies than the muskie anglers. the real blame is the constant drawdowns have killed the weeds and make fish harder to find. the pfbc surveyed the lake and caught 99 muskies, so they are there.

(in reply to bingsbaits)

Post #: 5

RE: Woodcock Creek Lake - 5/12/2008 4:38:39 PM

bassackwards

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Joined: 4/15/2008
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Oh boy - I have to chime in. I have fished Woodcock for 10 years now on a regular basis. Probably 2-3 a week (even in thunderstorms). It's a very tough lake to fish. I have people I take there that have fished it and never caught much, but with me we can usually find fish. Woodcock is not that great of a perch-crappie-catfish-bluegill, ect..... lake. But if you want smallies, there are some awesom places to find them. Most people I see fishing out there are fishing along the bank, expecially the coves and the shore with the timber. I prefer they do fish there, because it leaves the little known spots to me. Woodcock is pretty much a smooth bottom lake. Not many humps or rocks in the bottom. The only exception is the creek channel that runs through it. For people that have fished there, right off the island if drops from 3' to 20' - right. If you come back towards the oposing shoreline, it makes a sharp spike to 10' and back to 20'. If you want smallies in the deep summer, run a tube through that spot. Anyone that can cast a pole can catch a couple smallies this time of year while fishing the banks. The hog's are still deep. Secret to woodcock - they stay pretty deep all year. I have an underwater camera and suprise - suprise - it has GOBY'S on the bottom. What fish would go shallow (other than to spawn) if their main food is deep. I went Sunday (yes I had to launch in a flooded dock) and slammed them. I did not fish shallow (even though the dam end is still 20', but every fish caught was in 20-25 FOW. I fished a tourny there last year and saw some huge smallies caught. By the way, woodcock lake was stocked with smallies (not the lake erie strain) in 1975 - two years after it's completion. It was stocked anually untill 1984 when walleye took over PA. I have no doubt that lake erie fish have made there way there, but since 1998 I have had no trouble catching 4-5 # smallies there. I have some pictures from this weekend I wil post if I can ever figure out how ????

(in reply to muskefisher)

Post #: 6

RE: Woodcock Creek Lake - 5/12/2008 7:16:24 PM

bassackwards

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Joined: 4/15/2008
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It says I can only upload 1 pic per message. That sucks -

Attachment (1)

(in reply to bassackwards)

Post #: 7

RE: Woodcock Creek Lake - 5/12/2008 7:19:30 PM

bassackwards

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Hell with it - If you want to see pic's just E-mail me - fatboyjack1@gmail.com. I have about 20 of them, even one pissed off turtle I caught in the small creek outflow. A couple big LM too. If this many people have trouble putting a pic on here, why don't they make it a little more simple ? They must have went to college -

(in reply to bassackwards)

Post #: 8

RE: Woodcock Creek Lake - 5/12/2008 7:34:13 PM

spoonchucker

Posts: 5418
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I can do it. It can't be that hard.

< Message edited by spoonchucker -- 5/12/2008 7:35:26 PM >

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(in reply to bassackwards)

Post #: 9

RE: Woodcock Creek Lake - 5/12/2008 7:51:46 PM

bassackwards

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Joined: 4/15/2008
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I'll be damned. I must just be really computer illiterate ? By the way - Bings, I'm not arguing that some lake erie smallies are in there. Mixed with the regular stockies, this lake produces some killer smallmouth. Of all the magazines that mention smallie lakes, I think this one is overlooked. I'm happy that it is, but year after year I hear people bashing this lake because the walleye are overfished. If everyone keeps 3 - after a couple years it will not produce. Just like lake erie did in the 80's. Conservation brings them back. Your partner has a pretty nice smallie in that picture - hopefully many of the catch and release fish of the year. Have you fished woodcock much in the last few years ? The smallies have really come alive there. Walleye, there are still some hogs in there (I never catch any) , but most people lately have reported mostly 12-14 inch guy's. Didn't mean to come off strong earlier, just hate seeing such a good fishery bashed. It's not like most lakes - you have to work a bit for em' .

(in reply to spoonchucker)

Post #: 10

RE: Woodcock Creek Lake - 5/12/2008 7:57:40 PM

bassackwards

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Spoonchucker,
Why aren't you smilin' while holding that monster ? I would still be smilin' . Where did you catch it ? Could you please, in 4 simple words, explain how to get pic's on here. Every post I hear people complaining about this (and yet, I don't learn). HELP !!! I have some beautiful pic's of bronzebacks that the world needs to see. Best of all, I was by myself for most of them, so you only have to see smallies - NOT ME !

(in reply to bassackwards)

Post #: 11

RE: Woodcock Creek Lake - 5/12/2008 8:07:47 PM

spoonchucker

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I was smiling. Caught on Ontario, off Point Breeze.

Are your pictures stored on a hosting site, such as Photo Bucket?

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Post #: 12

RE: Woodcock Creek Lake - 5/12/2008 8:35:09 PM

bassackwards

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Spoonchucker -
No , they are stored on my computer. Apparently they should not be. I know I am doing something wrong - just don't know what it is ?

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Post #: 13

RE: Woodcock Creek Lake - 5/12/2008 8:54:41 PM

spoonchucker

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You can not transfer them directly from your files, to here. You need to store them on a web hosting site. Photbucket is free, and easy to use.

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Get Informed, Get Involved, And Make A Difference.

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Post #: 14

RE: Woodcock Creek Lake - 5/12/2008 9:34:40 PM

bingsbaits

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From: spartansburg,pa
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I have been fishing Woodcock for over 20 years. I have a 6+ lb smallie on the wall from there and a 16" Crappie.
My fishing partner and I took first place in the In-Fisherman Master Angler Program for 2 Smallies we released, in subsequent years , both got our names in the national mag. I saw one leave in a live well that was 24". Only reason I would ever keep a Smallies would be for the Taxidermy man.
Been catching large bass there for along time. Only reason I knew about the Erie Smallies being there is we saw them put 4 in one night and they said they had done more.

Monday when we fished it we saw probably 25 smallies along the shore. They just wouldn't bite. I have a chunk of shore line that will rival your deep spots. Always a large Smallie on it.

This used to be a good numbers lake for Musky. 12-15 years ago it got on the trail of one of the Musky clubs. I know its all C & R but the lake couldn't sustain the pressure. The Musky fishing is half what it used to be. I've released Musky up to 49". Never killed a sky there on purpose..

I don't keep a dozen eyes all year out of Woodcock even when they were more plentiful. The last 5-6 years they have gotten the hell pounded out of them. I have never left the lake with a full limit. So conservation on my part isn't gonna help much other than to deprive me of a couple eyes to eat. It just seems that some of the old jelly holes aren't producing like they used too. That's why I asked if anyone was doing any good on the eyes.

Seems like we know some good spots on the same lake. And you are right definitely not a big numbers lake for panfish.
If you see a 14' Princecraft Springbok with a 9.9 Mercury motor stop by and say hi. Will be spending a few evenings down there in the next week or two trying to figure out the eyes.

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RE: Woodcock Creek Lake - 5/12/2008 11:08:35 PM

creel

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smul dud

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RE: Woodcock Creek Lake - 5/13/2008 10:09:46 AM

spoonchucker

Posts: 5418
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"And you are right definitely not a big numbers lake for panfish."

Probabley a major factor in the Musky numbers. Woodcock saw a major boom in Musky fishing several years ago, when the majority of Muskies tranfered from the draining of Tamarack were put in there.

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Get Informed, Get Involved, And Make A Difference.

Step Up, or Step Aside

The next time you say "Somebody should do something", remember that YOU are somebody.

GL&TC

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Post #: 17

RE: Woodcock Creek Lake - 5/18/2008 11:40:58 AM

bingsbaits

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From: spartansburg,pa
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Fished it again on Tuesday. Caught 2 Muskies (16", 30")The 30"er rolled in my line at the boat and stole my new rapala.
Also caught 4 nice Smallies. The two biggest were 17" & 18" all on top water. Sorry no pictures. My fishing partners are all a bunch of DEAD BEATS THAT DON'T WANT TO FISH ANY MORE!!! Still can't buy an eye trolling though..

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......"Don't Piss down my back and tell me its raining!"....

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Post #: 18

RE: Woodcock Creek Lake - 5/18/2008 12:14:31 PM

ShutUpNFish

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I still normally get one or two muskies on just about every trip I go there....It has always been a majority mid thirties producing lake with the occasional 40+. The pressure, believe me, was worse about 10 to 15 years ago than today for muskies. I consider it a great starter lake for the novice who wants to get into muskie fishing. Both casting and trolling opportunities with casting being superior IMO. When I guided for muskies, this was my go to lake when I had a client that just wanted to catch a ski for the first time.

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Post #: 19

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