Woodcock Creek Lake

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.

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.

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 ????

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 ****ed 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 -

I'll be ****ed. 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' .

I was smiling. Caught on Ontario, off Point Breeze.
 
Are your pictures stored on a hosting site, such as Photo Bucket?

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.

smul dud

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..