a day at kahle lake - pre bass opening day

Author
phishfearme
Avid Angler
  • Total Posts : 232
  • Reward points: 0
  • Joined: 2008/07/22 15:58:39
  • Location: Monroeville
  • Status: offline
2019/06/13 07:25:58 (permalink)

a day at kahle lake - pre bass opening day

My buddy and I spent yesterday (6/12) on Kahle Lake throwing fathead minnows, creek chubs and crawlers (usually cut in half).  My observations posted on this blog in the recent past has been that this lake's characteristics have TOTALLY changed - and yesterday provided more confirmation.  What previously was one of the best panfish lakes in the state (jumbo perch, slab crappies and huge bluegills) has been pretty much decimated.  Also, a day on Kahle would previously produce numerous bucket mouths well over the 15inch limit - now it seems there's none left - as soon as a bass gets to legal size it is caught and kept.
 
Yesterday we caught 60 largemouth bass - not one over 14.5 inches and the vast majority at about 12-13.  kinda fun but kinda disappointing also.  We also caught 5 blue gills (4 of which were very nice), one 8.5 inch perch and zero crappies.  VERY disappointing. 
 
This lake calls out loud and clear for panfish enhancement status - placing a 9 inch limit on perch, gills and crappie would at least prevent fishermen from keeping everything they catch that's legal and grinding them up into fish patties.
 
I plan to write a message to this effect to the fish commission and encourage all of you who loved Kahle in the past to do the same.
 
phish
#1

26 Replies Related Threads

    psu_fish
    Pro Angler
    • Total Posts : 3097
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2008/08/28 22:37:11
    • Location: PA
    • Status: offline
    Re: a day at kahle lake - pre bass opening day 2019/06/13 09:59:46 (permalink)
    Having spoken with the local WCO about Kahle, he is in favor or getting rid of the "Big Bass Regulations". IMO, the Largemouth bass are way over carry capacity. Lower the size limit to 12 and daily limit to 6, and thin the herd. Back when the lake was at full pool, PFBC was stocking other predatory fish like Tiger Musky and Walleyes, both stockings have been dropped, several years ago.
     
    The Amish over the past 5-8 years have bought a lot of farms in Beaver, Salem and Richland Townships, Clarion County, as well as Richland Township, Venango County. Whenever we get a good season of ice, the pan fish get hammered, and when its spring time, it a double whammy. Being only 251 acres, and with the current 3 foot drawdown, this lake simply cannot handle all the pressure.
     
     
    #2
    BeenThereDoneThat.
    Pro Angler
    • Total Posts : 11939
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2014/05/14 07:30:39
    • Location: A Field or A Float
    • Status: offline
    Re: a day at kahle lake - pre bass opening day 2019/06/13 10:54:26 (permalink)
    The key word being "BASS". Khale is no different from any other lake in PA that's been targeted as a "BASS" lake.

    Blame the the Amish or the Menonites all you want but they ain't the reason Wilhelm, Arthur, Shenanago, Pymy, Khale, etc has soured, just like many other lakes in Penn's Woods.

    Yes, limits should be imposed on certain waters for the time being but the 'key' to the depreciation of our fisheries as was once known, is the PennStateFishandBoatCommission misguided by BASS.

    That's my story annnnnd I'm stickin to it. šŸ»

    Give a man a fish and you will feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you will feed him for a life time. ~Anne Isabella Thackeray Ritchie (1837ā€“1919)~
     
     
     
      Old fisherman never die; we just smell that way. 
     
    #3
    phishfearme
    Avid Angler
    • Total Posts : 232
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2008/07/22 15:58:39
    • Location: Monroeville
    • Status: offline
    Re: a day at kahle lake - pre bass opening day 2019/06/13 14:35:31 (permalink)
    psu_fish
    with the current 3 foot drawdown, this lake simply cannot handle all the pressure.
     



    the lake is the highest I've seen it in years - are they letting it fill again?  we were able to launch at the south ramp easily.
     
    phish
    #4
    phishfearme
    Avid Angler
    • Total Posts : 232
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2008/07/22 15:58:39
    • Location: Monroeville
    • Status: offline
    Re: a day at kahle lake - pre bass opening day 2019/06/13 14:40:50 (permalink)
    BeenThereDoneThat.
    The key word being "BASS". Khale is no different from any other lake in PA that's been targeted as a "BASS" lake.

    Blame the the Amish or the Menonites all you want but they ain't the reason Wilhelm, Arthur, Shenanago, Pymy, Khale, etc has soured, just like many other lakes in Penn's Woods.

    Yes, limits should be imposed on certain waters for the time being but the 'key' to the depreciation of our fisheries as was once known, is the PennStateFishandBoatCommission misguided by BASS.

    That's my story annnnnd I'm stickin to it. šŸ»



    you may want to reconsider your story!  Kahle has been a big bass lake for decades and for many many years there was a terrific mixture of jumbo panfish and jumbo bass.  what changed was the number of Amish moving into the area in the last 6-7 years and their daily harvesting of everything legal - by everyone in the boat - irrespective of size.
     
    that's my story and I would like to see evidence to the contrary.
     
    phish
    #5
    psu_fish
    Pro Angler
    • Total Posts : 3097
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2008/08/28 22:37:11
    • Location: PA
    • Status: offline
    Re: a day at kahle lake - pre bass opening day 2019/06/13 16:27:47 (permalink)
    phishfearme
    psu_fish
    with the current 3 foot drawdown, this lake simply cannot handle all the pressure.
     



    the lake is the highest I've seen it in years - are they letting it fill again?  we were able to launch at the south ramp easily.
     
    phish




    with all this rain we have gotten, the lake up. PFBC wants to keep lake at 3 feel below full pool. It was 6, but a local group of anglers and citizens, along with State Rep, got PFBC to reduce the drawdown amount.
    #6
    BeenThereDoneThat.
    Pro Angler
    • Total Posts : 11939
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2014/05/14 07:30:39
    • Location: A Field or A Float
    • Status: offline
    Re: a day at kahle lake - pre bass opening day 2019/06/13 16:45:33 (permalink)
    phishfearme




    you may want to reconsider your story!  Kahle has been a big bass lake for decades and for many many years there was a terrific mixture of jumbo panfish and jumbo bass.  what changed was the number of Amish moving into the area in the last 6-7 years and their daily harvesting of everything legal - by everyone in the boat - irrespective of size.
     
    that's my story and I would like to see evidence to the contrary.
     
    phish




     
    So has every lake that has suffered the same consequences from the PennStateFishandBoatCommission toying with the BASS programs and those lakes died well before the onslaught of Amish families to the areas.
     
    Now, that being said, I do not disagree that many lakes are being over fished.  I have myself spoken of changes I've seen not only in fishing but hunting as well, related to the "over harvesting" by Amish, as well as others.
     

    Give a man a fish and you will feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you will feed him for a life time. ~Anne Isabella Thackeray Ritchie (1837ā€“1919)~
     
     
     
      Old fisherman never die; we just smell that way. 
     
    #7
    ICE NUT
    Pro Angler
    • Total Posts : 1253
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2002/01/11 21:02:12
    • Status: offline
    Re: a day at kahle lake - pre bass opening day 2019/06/14 06:52:29 (permalink)
    Me thinks that if u caught 60 largemouth bass in a 251 acre lake and they are all stunted it screams there needs to be a thinning of the herd!!!!!!
    #8
    CAPTAIN HOOK
    Pro Angler
    • Total Posts : 2384
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2002/09/28 22:31:08
    • Location: N.W. Pa.
    • Status: offline
    Re: a day at kahle lake - pre bass opening day 2019/06/14 08:24:59 (permalink)
    I agree Ice it kind of makes sense if they seem stunted to thin some out. Funny thing about small lakes and ponds big fish can still be around , just have lots of smaller natural feed so they don't eat as often.
     
    Amish I've witnessed fishing don't just keep only big fish and toss small back ....they keep all ! So if they are keeping huge numbers of Blue Gill and smaller fish maybe that does hurt Bass populations but 60 fish in a day doesn't sound like a Bass shortage ! I highly doubt that Amish are tossing any Bass back.
     
    Dump in about 10lbs. of fathead minnows in every year and get the baitfish breeding again.
    #9
    BeenThereDoneThat.
    Pro Angler
    • Total Posts : 11939
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2014/05/14 07:30:39
    • Location: A Field or A Float
    • Status: offline
    Re: a day at kahle lake - pre bass opening day 2019/06/14 09:34:35 (permalink)
    CAPTAIN HOOK

    Ā 
    Dump in about 10lbs. of fathead minnows inĀ every yearĀ and get the baitfish breeding again.


    Didn't the PennStateFish&BoatCommision try something similar using shad?

    Ohhhh, silly me after years of area lakes being vacant of any shad, it was the angler suddenly polluting the waterways with the little critters.

    Funny, how that happened following the "Trophy Bass" projects.

    Give a man a fish and you will feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you will feed him for a life time. ~Anne Isabella Thackeray Ritchie (1837ā€“1919)~
     
     
     
      Old fisherman never die; we just smell that way. 
     
    #10
    rippinlip
    Pro Angler
    • Total Posts : 2143
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2002/09/18 17:12:14
    • Status: online
    Re: a day at kahle lake - pre bass opening day 2019/06/14 10:19:23 (permalink)
    That used to be a "secret" lake. The interwebs fixed that.
     

    You should have been here yesterday.............. Streams are made for the wise man to contemplate and fools to pass by [Sir Izaak Walton]
    #11
    psu_fish
    Pro Angler
    • Total Posts : 3097
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2008/08/28 22:37:11
    • Location: PA
    • Status: offline
    Re: a day at kahle lake - pre bass opening day 2019/06/14 12:25:41 (permalink)
    rippinlip
    That used to be a "secret" lake. The interwebs fixed that.
     


    Nah. Kahle was known in the 80s and 90s and 2000s. Amish moved in big time.
    #12
    phishfearme
    Avid Angler
    • Total Posts : 232
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2008/07/22 15:58:39
    • Location: Monroeville
    • Status: offline
    Re: a day at kahle lake - pre bass opening day 2019/06/14 15:07:15 (permalink)
    ICE NUT
    Me thinks that if u caught 60 largemouth bass in a 251 acre lake and they are all stunted it screams there needs to be a thinning of the herd!!!!!!


    how do you distinguish between being stunted and being caught and harvested once they get to 15 inches??
     
    phish
    #13
    CAPTAIN HOOK
    Pro Angler
    • Total Posts : 2384
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2002/09/28 22:31:08
    • Location: N.W. Pa.
    • Status: offline
    Re: a day at kahle lake - pre bass opening day 2019/06/14 16:12:32 (permalink)
    Smaller ponds where I have seen stunted growth of bass the fish's head seems bigger as to the body portion size . Seems also to be an abundance of 8-10" fish (bass ) . If the 14" bass are all looking good then it appears the over 15"ers are being harvested steady, but one or two trips is not still enough to judge a lake or pond. Sometimes big bass just are that much smarter or finicky. Caught some big pond Bass on using live Bluegills for bait ...but with Amish around steady overharvesting can hurt !  
    #14
    phishfearme
    Avid Angler
    • Total Posts : 232
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2008/07/22 15:58:39
    • Location: Monroeville
    • Status: offline
    Re: a day at kahle lake - pre bass opening day 2019/06/14 21:02:42 (permalink)
    CAPTAIN HOOK
    If the 14" bass are all looking good then it appears the over 15"ers are being harvested steady, but one or two trips is not still enough to judge a lake or pond. 




    the bodies of ALL the bass we caught were of proper proportion to their heads. 
     
    one or two trips is defiantly not enough to judge - but we've watched this decline at kahle over the last 4-5 years (look at my previous posts) - and were not the only ones experiencing this - we chatted with a number of angler on the lake who all were catching bass - no one reported a legal one but all were catching them frequently.
     
    if a 12 inch limit on bass were imposed, I would bet that you'd only catch 11inchers and the panfish would still be missing.  I still think a 9 inch limit on perch, gills and crappie would definitely help.
     
    phish 
    #15
    BeenThereDoneThat.
    Pro Angler
    • Total Posts : 11939
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2014/05/14 07:30:39
    • Location: A Field or A Float
    • Status: offline
    Re: a day at kahle lake - pre bass opening day 2019/06/14 21:03:10 (permalink)
    psu_fish

    Nah. Kahle was known in the 80s and 90s and 2000s.Ā Amish moved in big time.


    Yep, I will agree, in the 90s my betterhalf and I would drive from Franklin to fish the lake, on any given weekend, then a short drive down the road for a round of golf.

    Great times.

    Give a man a fish and you will feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you will feed him for a life time. ~Anne Isabella Thackeray Ritchie (1837ā€“1919)~
     
     
     
      Old fisherman never die; we just smell that way. 
     
    #16
    CAPTAIN HOOK
    Pro Angler
    • Total Posts : 2384
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2002/09/28 22:31:08
    • Location: N.W. Pa.
    • Status: offline
    Re: a day at kahle lake - pre bass opening day 2019/06/15 21:59:45 (permalink)
    phishfearmeI think a 9 inch limit on perch, gills and crappie would definitely help.
     
    phish 




    That may become a standard in all of Pa. some day soon....won't hurt that's for sure !
    #17
    Big Tuna
    Pro Angler
    • Total Posts : 1882
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2001/02/04 16:31:51
    • Status: offline
    Re: a day at kahle lake - pre bass opening day 2019/06/16 08:20:58 (permalink)
    Not that a 251 acre lake is small but I'd imagine it's pretty easy to over harvest Panfish.....they don't get big in a couple of years....I've seen the same results in other lakes,Moraine,Wilhelm use to be my favorite ice time lakes but that was before most of you experts fish biologists where born.....way more fishermen now....Wilhelm would produce 9" gills all day...Moraine had huge 9"-9.5 gills and 14" plus crappie.....Moraine had 5-7 lb plus bass,caught many on tip ups and released all.....hard to catch a 5lb fish there now.....you want big fish....big water.
    #18
    Slabseeker
    Novice Angler
    • Total Posts : 73
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2007/04/01 17:15:45
    • Status: offline
    Re: a day at kahle lake - pre bass opening day 2019/06/16 20:18:37 (permalink)
    I live not far from the lake and fish it a few times a year. I think a few things have led to it's decline. Even though this lake has been around awhile it started to get a lot of press after they began holding the ice fishing tournaments there. Reports of nice catches of crappie, perch, and bluegill brought more fisherman to check it out. Then the Amish started to move in and they hammer it. It's rare to go there and not see at least a group or two of them fishing it. They are noted for keeping nearly every fish they catch if legal and sometimes maybe not legal. The lake is just not big enough to handle the constant pressure it receives in my opinion. I used to be able to go there and catch nice sized perch and a few crappie but the last few times they are pretty scarce. Maybe size restrictions would help????
    #19
    bubbaman
    Avid Angler
    • Total Posts : 239
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2002/01/14 12:25:59
    • Location: western pa.
    • Status: offline
    Re: a day at kahle lake - pre bass opening day 2019/06/16 23:24:00 (permalink)
    back in the 80's it was a good walleye lake for ice season then wendel Watson from Pittsburgh press outdoors writer started running articles on the fishing there , the pressure ramped up quickly and the fish quality went down hill just as fast. 250 acres is not that big with constant pressure !
    #20
    Indiana Lou
    Avid Angler
    • Total Posts : 154
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2002/11/16 21:54:08
    • Status: offline
    Re: a day at kahle lake - pre bass opening day 2019/06/17 08:21:08 (permalink)
    Been following this particular post for some time and it sounds like a common theme for a lot of our "smaller" lakes in western Pa. The fish populations are going down due to a number of circumstances.  There are more people fishing today. I can't tell you the number of times I go to lakes during the week and ask myself the question, " doesn't anybody work anymore?" Once I retired I expected to have the lake to myself during the week. Well so did the other dozen fishermen that retired. Last week at a local lake I frequent had no parking spaces open on a Thursday! Yes, the Amish are famous for taking their share of the fish. I also give credit that fishermen on a whole are much more advanced with all the electronics so therefore the success rate has improved. I think a lot of lakes get hit hard during ice season with its increased popularity. And again many of these fish are often full of eggs being harvested.
    A couple suggestions I would make would be reduce daily possession limits to at least half of whatever they are  from Dec 1 through May 1st. That would leave additional fish during the spawning time. Secondly, a 9" minimum on panfish. And thirdly and probably most important, enforce these limits on everyone including the "Blue Army." Everyone should fall under the same regulations. Just a few thoughts on this rainy Monday morning. Good luck and have a safe year.   Lou
    #21
    CAPTAIN HOOK
    Pro Angler
    • Total Posts : 2384
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2002/09/28 22:31:08
    • Location: N.W. Pa.
    • Status: offline
    Re: a day at kahle lake - pre bass opening day 2019/06/17 08:44:18 (permalink)
    I agree fish tournaments and the internet have created many problems for most local lakes ramping up pressure from farther distances. Internet information and new equipment makes it easy to zero in on good areas. Remember the old days when a local bait shop was your information center...those days are long gone !   
    #22
    ICE NUT
    Pro Angler
    • Total Posts : 1253
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2002/01/11 21:02:12
    • Status: offline
    Re: a day at kahle lake - pre bass opening day 2019/06/17 08:56:00 (permalink)
    I fished pymatuning and Wilhelm a lot back in the 80's and you could literally walk from boat to boat and most were catching walleyes.The swimming area at Linesville was so packed with boat trailers it took forever to launch and load and u waited in line for bait!!!!! The steady stream of trucks and boat trailers coming up 79 was like a parade!!!!. The problem now is they don't put as many in as they used to for whatever reasons.
      As for ice fishing the local lakes should be loaded with fish for last 4 or 5 years the ice on most lakes has been very shakey or downright dangerous at best. even the bay at Presque isle hasn't had really good ice for last few winters. These are just my opinions im sure many will disagree
    #23
    CAPTAIN HOOK
    Pro Angler
    • Total Posts : 2384
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2002/09/28 22:31:08
    • Location: N.W. Pa.
    • Status: offline
    Re: a day at kahle lake - pre bass opening day 2019/06/17 16:12:15 (permalink)
    Just an old memory ....years ago the PFBC had surveys asking Trout fishermen if they would like to see the limit lowered from 8 fish to 5 fish if the fish were better quality (size ). They would stock less but better quality fish ....99% of Trout fishermen agreed back then. Slowly over the years the stockings got less and less and the quality now is about what it was then at the 8 fish limit. Very little noticeable difference now a days . .....and I've Trout fished over 50 years !
     
    Yes they have no doubt cut way back on many stockings of species even though they have promised quality over quantity in many cases !  
     
    I kind of agree with you Ice ...years ago (70's ) we rented boats at the Linesville boat livery and if you didn't get there early enough you were out of luck ...and they had a lot of rentals . Pymy still does get a mother load of stockings each year but some days you have to wonder what's up.  
    #24
    Big Tuna
    Pro Angler
    • Total Posts : 1882
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2001/02/04 16:31:51
    • Status: offline
    Re: a day at kahle lake - pre bass opening day 2019/06/17 18:02:42 (permalink)
    Mosquito gets pounded but produces easy limits of eyes and some real slab crappie......if I didn't work,I'd be there all spring......
    #25
    CAPTAIN HOOK
    Pro Angler
    • Total Posts : 2384
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2002/09/28 22:31:08
    • Location: N.W. Pa.
    • Status: offline
    Re: a day at kahle lake - pre bass opening day 2019/06/17 20:53:01 (permalink)
    About time for you to retire and grab the rod and gun and toss away the watch and calendar Big T  ! ....lol 
    #26
    Big Tuna
    Pro Angler
    • Total Posts : 1882
    • Reward points: 0
    • Joined: 2001/02/04 16:31:51
    • Status: offline
    Re: a day at kahle lake - pre bass opening day 2019/06/17 23:33:26 (permalink)
    Yea I know...lol My buddy is killing eyes and big crappie of Flicker shads on Mosquito...
    #27
    Jump to: