Helpful ReplyKeystone Power Dam??

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phishfearme
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2021/06/30 14:09:25 (permalink)

Keystone Power Dam??

We've not been to this lake for years as it was heavily impacted by the straw hat crowd - but we're thinking about going back for a day next week (July 6-9 or so).  anybody have any recent experience there?  any fish left?  panfish also?
 
thanks,
phish
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    PAJAY
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    Re: Keystone Power Dam?? 2021/07/03 21:19:38 (permalink)
    was their maybe 2 months ago water is the lowest it has ever been i was told . actually was amazing to see fishing was horrible guys I talked to they  said they were lucky to get couple really small bass . 
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    Indiana Lou
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    Re: Keystone Power Dam?? 2021/07/04 14:09:51 (permalink) ☄ Helpfulby phishfearme 2021/07/05 21:04:40
    I was there back in mid-May and caught some fish. A small muskie 24" some small bass and a perch. But no crappies in which what I was after. I though the water was a little low but not nearly as bad as last summer. The one thing I did notice at that time there was very little weed growth. Maybe now it has returned. I think lasts years low water may have killed off a lot of the growth.   Lou
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    Eye For An Eye
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    Re: Keystone Power Dam?? 2021/07/05 08:48:49 (permalink) ☄ Helpfulby phishfearme 2021/07/05 21:04:36
    Used to do very well on bass and walleye there many years ago. Mainly late evenings till maybe 11 PM or so. Water is very clear, so never seemed to do well in daylight.
    Last time I was there (probably 6 or 7 years ago), the Atwood launch looked like the parking lot at an Amish wedding. Horses and buggies everywhere. Didn't catch squat.  Never went back. 
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    phishfearme
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    Re: Keystone Power Dam?? 2021/07/05 21:08:48 (permalink)
    yah - the last time we were there at least 10 years ago we were dodging horse crap all around the launch - then no fish.
     
    we bailed out one Amish boat with three guys in it when the wind kicked up and pushed them to the other end of the lake from their buggy.  they were pleasant guys and one stepped into our boat for the ride back to the dock.  he said they keep essentially everything legal and make fish patties out of the entire fish.  at least there was no waste - but now there's no fish.
     
    phish
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    Indiana Lou
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    Re: Keystone Power Dam?? 2021/07/06 09:12:24 (permalink)
    phish, That's why I think there needs to be a minimum size on all panfish on public waters. And there are some places that do have a min. particularly for crappies.  But of course that will only work if the law is enforced.   Lou
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    phishfearme
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    Re: Keystone Power Dam?? 2021/07/07 20:02:57 (permalink)
    Indiana Lou
    phish, That's why I think there needs to be a minimum size on all panfish on public waters. And there are some places that do have a min. particularly for crappies.  But of course that will only work if the law is enforced.   Lou




    Lou - there's a number of lakes in PA called "Panfish enhancement lakes" that impose 9 inch limits on gills, crappie and perch.  i asked a PAFC biologist about why not do this everywhere and simply got no real answer - something about stunting the growth but didn't make sense to me.  if you've been around a while you should remember that the state size limit for bass used to be 9 inches everywhere!!
     
    for the Amish, they will follow the laws without fail - it's just who they are.  imposing a 9 inch panfish limit would be followed by them without the need for enforcement.  but then you will be able to catch panfish up to 9 inches and nothing larger - once they reach 9 inches they are kept.  see my next post.
     
    phish
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    phishfearme
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    Re: Keystone Power Dam?? 2021/07/07 20:16:11 (permalink)
    we spent the day at Keystone today - hadn't been there for well over 10 years - we stopped going then due to the lack of fish.  not a lot has changed.
     
    first - like PAJAY mentioned above, the lake is recovering from VERY low water levels and the weed lines that used to be common on this lake are gone - the weeds probably died due to dry exposure.  so, the places/drop-offs where you could fish weed edges were gone - the structure was still there but no cover.
     
    - using worms and minnows we were able to catch about 15 largemouth - all of which were less than 15 inches - well less than 15.  a 15 inch bass in this lake will be harvested.
    - we also got maybe 8 gills to MAYBE 5 inches, 4 perch to MAYBE to 9 inches, 2 crappie to MAYBE 8 inches.  not very good panfish at all - and this lake used to produce excellent panfish.
    - there were 5 buggies on the rt210 lot - each carried a boat or canoe for two guys - i bet this happens everyday of every week as long as the weather permits.
     
    we will not be going to this lake anytime soon again.
     
    phish
     
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    Indiana Lou
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    Re: Keystone Power Dam?? 2021/07/09 15:32:24 (permalink)
    Phish, I likewise have fished this lake since the early seventies. I saw it at its "heyday" and I've experienced its decline. I agree the low waters last year had to affect the weed growth. Last year I found patches of weeds and they were loaded with crappies. And I do mean nice crappies! Hopefully there is enough of them that survived in the deeper water to bring back the population. Maybe a year of catch and release would help but that will never happen. Maybe Shennango Res. is calling!! I used to make several trips a spring there and did well. Good fishin'   Lou
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