AnsweredOur last trip to Kahle?

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phishfearme
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2023/05/23 21:46:06 (permalink)

Our last trip to Kahle?

So - could catching 80 bass be a poor fishing day?  
 
it could be:
1 - if they were mostly around 10-11 inches and none over 14
2 - if you're fishing for perch, crappie and gills - and catch none of these
3 - if you were hoping for a fish fry that night
 
my buddy and I fished Kahle May 23 for about 6 hours and did indeed catch 80 small largemouths - they were everywhere in the lake.  we ran out of minnows and crawlers and it got boring as all there was to catch were these 10 inch bass - no variety - no perch - no crappies - two bluegills.
 
This may be our last trip to the lake - just not worth it - and I think the dam may be demolished some time soon.
 
please feel free to search for my previous reports for the last 7 years or so.  this once wonderful fishery has deteriorated to a stunted bass factory. the food base is now so small that these remaining sub-legal fish have nothing to eat and will now chase anything - and once they reach 15 they are removed.
 
RIP Kahle.
 
phish
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    Slabseeker
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    Re: Our last trip to Kahle? 2023/05/23 22:01:11 (permalink) ☄ Helpfulby rippinlip 2023/05/25 13:39:34
    I used to catch nice perch and some decent crappies there but not for a few years now. Last couple times over never had a bite from panfish. I don't think it's a coincidence that it went downhill fast after the Amish moved in over that way.
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    psu_fish
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    Re: Our last trip to Kahle? 2023/05/25 15:38:05 (permalink) ☼ Best Answerby phishfearme 2023/05/28 20:14:50
     
    I'm 37, lived near Kahle all my life, it was going down well before the Amish. The 15 inch rule is/was/and will always be dumb on a lake that small. With the amount of vegetation in that lake, and all the nutrients dumping into the lake from the surrounding dairy farms, there should be a ton of large bass, but the Big Bass regs sent the lake way over its carrying capacity. The original drawdown of 6 feet really choked the lake down as well. 
     
    The Amish do take alot of bluegills, but even in early 2000s, you started to see the bass stunting, slender cookie cutters, and there was hardly any straw hats on the lake 20 years ago. 
     
    Word of the street, come June 10th the PFBC is taking off all restrictions for harvest, since the fall draw down and fish salvage is looming. This lake needs a good hard reset. It will bounce back fast, good fishing to come. I will be communicating with the Region 2 biologist to push for non big bass regs when it refills. Hopefully the local Facebook group will be allowed to work with PFBC to add some structure into the lake as well. 
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    phishfearme
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    Re: Our last trip to Kahle? 2023/05/28 20:39:31 (permalink)
    PSU - if the 15 inch bass limit were reduced to the 12 inch limit Statewide limit, then I would predict that you would not be able to catch any bass over 12 inches - they will be removed by the straw hats.  since there's no limits at all on panfish (and even the smallest panfish makes nice ground up meat for patties.) they have dramatically reduced the forage fish base. A major contributor (maybe THE most important contributor) to stunting is lack of forage.
     
    I fished there 15-20+ years ago also and did not notice the stunting at all until the straw hats were around - maybe 10 years ago.  Stunting occurred along with a serious reduction in panfish.
     
    Unless a size limit of 9 inches for perch, crappie and bluegills is imposed the problems we see now will simply remain after the lake is refilled and re-stocked - only now you'll never catch any bass over 12inces (last week we did catch maybe a dozen in the 13-14 inch range but they would be gone with what you propose.)
     
    to me leaving the 15inch bass limit but also imposing 9 (or 10) inch limit on the panfish is the answer.  (The straw hats are VERY honest people and will follow the law.)  this should enable a much stronger forage base and as a result minimal stunted bass.
     
    It all depends on what kind of lake the biologist wants - but heavy removal of the forage base must be taken into account.
     
    are you sure about the schedule for draining and removal of fish?
     
    thanks
    phish
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    psu_fish
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    Re: Our last trip to Kahle? 2023/05/30 14:46:50 (permalink)
    I ve seen very few Amish at Kahle keep bass, but who knows, they are famous for grinding up fish. Personally, I dont see near as many Amish after the spring panfish spawn. 
     
    I would be ok with pan-fish enhancement regs, bluegills for sure. 
     
    Look for a June 10th announcement from PFBC and or the local state rep's office about restrictions being lifted in advance of the drawdown. Think alot of fish will be sent to Piney Reservoir, as well as Justus Lake and maybe the Allegheny. 
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    phishfearme
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    Re: Our last trip to Kahle? 2023/05/30 19:21:28 (permalink)
    We did not see any Amish wagons/boats when we were there last week - assuming they are as good or bad fishermen as we are there would be noting to keep.  
     
    Thanks for the heads up on the upcoming drain down and dam repair - it will be interesting to see what goes on in that lake after another few (many?) years.  Not sure if we're gonna be the ones to find out.
     
    phish
     
    p.s. this board is pretty much dead!
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    psu_fish
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    Re: Our last trip to Kahle? 2023/05/31 08:24:12 (permalink) ☄ Helpfulby phishfearme 2023/05/31 20:43:22
    If you look at PFBC restocking of Kyle Lake in Jefferson after repairs, PFBC first added fathead minnows and golden shiners. Then came the bluegills and largemouth bass. Tamarack in Crawford after its refill for the second time, followed same pattern. 
     
    Hopefully PFBC will also add pumpkin seeds, yellow perch, crappies and hopefully some bullhead cats. Those species are currently present in the lake. 
     
    Of course some idiot with a bucket will prolly ruin it and illegally stock carp or gizzard shad or even worse gobies. I see gobies have made it almost down to Utica in French Creek, so thats not ideal.
     
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