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

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 !   

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

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.  

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......

About time for you to retire and grab the rod and gun and toss away the watch and calendar Big T  ! ....lol 

Yea I know...lol My buddy is killing eyes and big crappie of Flicker shads on Mosquito...