Dang.... just three fish weighing in at 6+ pounds wins. I knew darned well I should of signed up. Than there would have been 14 teams out of '97' weighing in.

Ummm, less there had to be two people, to make a team, then that there would caused me a problem.

Well anyway, congrats to the winners, the PLA, the volunteers and, to all who supported the
tournament.

Special thanks to Roygpa for his enthusiasm and, keeping us informed.

Hope you had a grand day Roy.

Thanks for the update Roy. I really wanted to make it over to chat with ya again this year, but have just way to many chores piled up this year to get done. Possibly one factor in the poor catch is the amount of bait in the water. last time over we saw enormous schools of alewives. There must not have been much of a winter kill this year. Just my 2 cents worth... 

roygpa
Fourteen teams weighed fish at the PLA walleye tourney today out of 96 that fished it. Winning weight for 3 fish just over 6 pounds, big fish was 5 pounds 11 ounces.

Me thinks the massive comeback of the Pymie walleye may have been a bit overexagerated 

http://webmail2.armstrong...mp;id=67160&part=2

FYI -7 teams place and win cash. 5 of the 7 were Amish/ Mennonites. 1 was a team that fishes the walleye circuit.  Hard for the average fisherman to compete. Back to the drawing board for me. We finished tied for 15th out of 96 teams - not bad! Except we tied with 82 other teams that did not weigh in any fish. LOL . One of the worst weigh ins in recent history, maybe ever?

JRSR: Did you catch oodles of cats? I ask only because an acquaintance of mine wrote the PAFBC inquiring about options that may be implemented to reduces the catfish population as it seems to have exploded the last few years. Long story short, a biologist named Timothy Wilson responded stating that netting samples revealed that there are more walleye in the lake than cats. I find that near impossible to believe as I have fished the lake 3 times this year and caught roughly 4 dozen cats without a single walleye. When the total fish caught by the three of us that fish the lake from a boat is totaled, it's roughly a gross of cats and ONE WALLEYE.
 
Dear Mr. Clarke,
Spring water temperatures in the mid-60s are within the preferred temperature ranges of almost every fish in the lake.  They are all at or near their peak activity levels having just completed spawning (Walleyes, Perch and Musky) or are about to spawn (Crappies, Bluegills, Bass and Catfish).

The Fish and Boat Commission has not stocked Channel Catfish in Pymatuning Reservoir since 1995.  Their abundance is determined through natural reproduction, natural mortality (predation, disease, etc. .) and angler mortality (harvest).   Our only methods of control are increasing the abundance of predators of juvenile Channel Catfish and promoting the harvest of Channel Catfish by anglers.   The predator population in Pymatuning is very dense, however, so are the prey populations of Alewives, Gizzard Shad and Spottail Shiners, so predation on juvenile Catfish isn't likely to change much.  We allow unlimited harvest of Catfish, we promote the fishery to anglers whenever possible and encourage them to harvest and eat Catfish.  Angler harvest is the best method of reducing Channel Catfish abundance.

We just completed our annual survey of Pymatuning Lake and yes, Channel Catfish are abundant.  However, each of the following species is more abundant than Catfish; Walleyes, Black Crappies, Yellow Perch, Bluegills and Largemouth Bass.

Finally, if you aren't catching your target species, I would recommend a change in fishing tactics.  A change in location, bait, depth, speed, etc.. will likely produce a change in the species you are catching.  Personally, my first fishing trip to Pymatuning was April 18th. Using minnows, I caught my limit of Crappies, a couple of Perch, a couple of Bluegills, a small Largemouth Bass and only 2 Catfish in 3 hours of fishing after work.   When fishing for Walleyes with night crawlers, I make sure the boat is drifting quickly (i.e. a Walleye chop on the water) or else I catch more Catfish, Bluegills and Perch than Walleye.

I'm sorry you don't like the Catfish fishery in Pymatuning Lake, but their abundance is determined through natural processes and we want them as part of the fishery because we have anglers that do like them.

Timothy A. Wilson
Fisheries Biologist
Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
Fisheries Management Area 1
13240 Hartstown Road
Linesville, PA 16424
814-683-1036
tiwilson@pa.gov

JRSR I hear you I do but it wouldn't matter, if I was the only angler competing in a tournament, I still would lose.
 
 
 
 
ANyways, registered and I hit the water again this past Friday and as might be expected, another great time was had. While not unbearable but still not my cup of tea, the NE wind finally began dying down, just before sundown which of course, was when we were loading the boats for the trip home.   Still, a good time fishing with Rob and of course there's nothing like a fresh batch of Crappie, on the ice, to fillet the next morning.
 
 

 
 
 
Now if I could just get my luck to change with the Walleye. 

Crappie Crushers scores again. How much do you charge on the Black Hawk charter service. lol Nice slabs, BTDT

Big Tuna
Crappie Crushers scores again. How much do you charge on the Black Hawk charter service. lol Nice slabs, BTDT

Ha haa, thank you but, it's all registered's fault Big Tuna.

As for a charge, never has and never will be for friends. Only problem, I don't 'spot burn😏' so friends have to be blindfolded.

If anybody is considering joining the PLA and wants to help out, we could use the help. I am one of the youngest members who volunteers and I am 57 years old. No offense to the older members. We are having a work day on June 14th where we pay for and create fish habitat. It's a fun day with local kids that help and they bust their butts and then eat a couple slices of pizza. Kind of renews your faith in the younger generation, if you know what I mean.
 
http://www.pymatuninglake.com/habitatcribs.html
 
All of the money that the club takes in is put back into the lake in the form of fish habitat.