Pymy fish story.

ya looked it up white bass or striper

Where there are alewifes, there are Stripers

I caught an 8 pound striper out of there (south of casueway) a couple years ago while fishing for musky. 

When they go on a feeding frenzy, watch out!!! During the summer months,they'll school up and feed on minnows near the surface. All you see and hear is splashing. Great fun, they'll hit almost anything you throw at them.

I know they are in there, I've seen the photos. But where did they come from ? The state didn't stock them or they didnt publish it, did they ? If so, I missed it. Hybrids are sterile, so there is no natural repro in there for them. I can see someone putting in a fish or two, but to have mutiple anglers catching them over the last few years. The state or a private club had to put them in there. Anybody know ?

Guys I don't know how much truth there is to this so take it with a grain of salt....apparently years back there was discussion between Ohio and PA about putting them in there.  The idea was taken to a vote and denied.  And now these fish are turning up....my thoughts are they were put in anyways. 
 
I was there when my uncle caught that fish and it was every bit of 15 lbs.  I actually estimate it to be a little bit more but I didn't want to post that and have a ton of backlash from guys telling me I was out of my mind.
 
I wish I still had the pic on my blackberry but I don't.  I'll check the home computer tonight to see if I might have uploaded it to my computer at any point.  If I do I'll be sure to post.
 
On a similar not a few weeks after my uncle caught that fish I got wind of an old timer who's a local using chicken livers at night and caught 2 over 30 lbs in a 3 day stretch.  I was never told a location, name of guy, or anything like that so I just left it as a story rather than a fact.....who knows...it could be true.

Does the hatchery raise hybrids? I don't think so but if they do there could be some escapees......

Edit: Flying Fish and I must of posted at the same time.

Contacted the man at the Linesville Hatchery and received this email back.
Good man not afraid to answer questions in a very short time...Kudos to him...






Dear Mr. Crosby,

Yes, there have been some hybrid striped bass caught in Pymatuning Reservoir over the last couple of years. We believe the source of these fish was escapement from our Linesville Fish Hatchery. We get all of the hybrid striped bass we stock from other states. In the past, we would send a stocking truck or two to wherever we located these fish and would bring them back to Linesville to sort them and break them up into individual lots for stocking into the waters in the hybrid striped bass program. Occasionally, some would escape from the hatchery and make their way into the Pymatuning Sanctuary. Apparently, some made it over the spillway and into the main lake where they were caught by anglers. We no longer bring the hybrids to Linesville prior to stocking, so there is no more escapement occurring and the numbers of hybrids being caught by anglers is gradually declining.



Feel free to call or email if you have any further questions.



Tim Wilson

Fisheries Biologist

Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission

13240 Hartstown Rd.

Linesville, PA 16424

814-683-1036

bings, i couldn't agree more. those guys were always upfront and honest. nice to know there are a few big ones swimming around there.

tt, i have been fishing that lake for almost 40 years and have never heard of one being caught or even seen a pic of one except on here. maybe i am in the wrong place at the wrong time. which makes me wonder if the lake could sustain a fishable, though stocked, hybrid population or if they would be a threat to the walleye fry and fingerlings being stocked.

Beleive what you want. He is a no BS sort of fellow and has always been upfront with answering questions,

He happens to be a fisheries biologist and not one that forms his opinions on my cousins brothers uncle said.

He never stated when the last batch of hybrids were raised at the facility, may have been the last couple years and would account for some small ones. Beleive what you want.



I pray they never do stock them, don't need that "Arthur Circus" there too....

bings, i believe it was him that answered a pointed question about alewives in the lake honestly. i couldn't believe it, he was upfront as you can be. he will never make it as a politician .

Just for a reference this is a photo of a 15 lb. Hybrid Striper I took out of a local Pa. lake. These are awesome fighting fish especially when the get up and over the ten pound mark. This is the largest we have taken to date but have caught many in the double digits on the scale. I beleive there was a 20 lb. plus Striper caught in the 70's in upper Shenango River. I saw the picture years ago at the Hot Spot Bait Shop in Jamestown. For some reason I don't think the Fish Commission keeps records on Hybrid Stripers . Maybe I'm wrong on that.

Ive caught a few also of various sizes.I feel like mbings does I dont want to see them in pymatuning,Im just as happy as can be that pyma is coming back!!!!!!! I dont want anything screwing it up ect.Im a crappie,perch and walleye fisherman as far as im concerned hybrids are just a freshwater carp!!!!. No doubt they are there!!! Want hybrids go to authur or shenango!!!just my feelings!

icenut

I think you guys misread my post somehow. In no way was I calling this guy a liar by any means. What I was saying is that I don't believe that the fish in there are a result of fish slipping through. The man himself and I quote said "We believe the source of these fish was escapement from our Linesville Fish Hatchery", (meaning they aren't sure either).

What I was saying is I don't see how a few slipping over is what caused these fish to be in there. Once again, wasn't calling the man a liar. It seems that he's given honest answers in the past regardless of what they are, which is great.