Your right on with the Pymy Stripers they are or were in the lake by accident. Not a bad thing just caused some confusion for fishermen there. I personally think Stripers (Wipers) are a fantastic introduction fish to our local waters. I think they should be stocked in all our lakes not just Shenango and Author. They are a hybrid and can be number controlled if needed. Bowfins in Pymy doesn't surprise me but I've never seen or heard of those either being caught there. Bowfins are probably the one fish on my list that I have never hooked into. I hear they too are decent fighters on lighter tackle. Some day I'll venture up to Geneva Swamp and try and hook a few. Speaking of odd things caught while fishing check this old photo out. This is Oak Orchard Creek N.Y. in 1989 ! We were the early pioneers of Trout fishing that got spoiled before the crowds knew about that creek. We had the best of the best in those days but it's still good fishing just a little too busy for me now. 
 

This tire on a rim came floating down the creek ! I had to get a photo for my buddies.

Hey hook if you want to hook up with a bowfin hit conneaut lake also they are all through back bays big ones to. And yes they fight like crazy I had a hard time reeling the one I caught in I thought I had a Huge walleye it would not come off the bottom when I finally saw it I was like its a carp then I saw the tail and it looks like a big eel then the head then I knew what I had I never even touched it put it in the net took pillars unhooked and dumped back in.

Fish warden saw me and came over and asked what it was and I told him he told me next one I catch keep it and take it home and throw it in my garden.lol!!! I guess they would like to see them out of there he said that is five he has heard of being caught over the last three years in the lake. Wish I had a picture but that thing was mean looking and worse then a cat fish for slime.

Do you happen to remember the warden's name??

Gotta chime in about the Bowfin at Pymie fellas and yes they are there and I believe the fish commission recommends putting them back.
 
The Bowfin resembles another invasive species that is said to create havoc in PA. waters and that is the Snakehead!  It is this fish that should be destroyed if caught!
 

Outdoors Notebook: Bowfin mystery in northwest counties

September 15, 2013 12:00 Am

   
By John Hayes Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

It could have been a musky, or maybe a big, big bass bowing the rod.
But Michelle Masley was surprised when she recently landed a 30-inch bowfin near Wilson's Launch at Pymatuning Reservoir. See the fish at www.post-gazette.com/fishphotos
.
Bob Wasser, manager of nearby Goddard State Park, said another bowfin was recently caught at Lake Wilhelm.
 
 
http://www.post-gazette.c...s/stories/201309150210
 
I tried the picture but, I get a note saying the page was taken down.

Yep. I was going to make a separate post about the subject, and still will.

Checking the trap net survey conducted by the PBFC in 2012 reveals four (4) bowfin taken at that time.
Sauger on the other hand, was not identified in either 2012 or 2014 surveys but, the walleye, crappie, gills and, cats............  OH MY!  Along with that other nuisance fish................  ummmmm............. oh yeah, the bass!  (just kidding)  
PA. did stock Sauger and Saugeye in some streams and reservoirs for a short time but, have since stopped.  Sauger can be caught in the Allegheny, Yough, Ohio, etc rivers and do well (according to the biologist) in reservoirs.  The PA. state record is four (4) pounds.
 
Ohio on the other hand continues to stock Sauger but I can't find anything that says they stock Pymie! 
 
 
Speaking of Pymie.............  would it worth the trip to bore some holes (safely) yet?

CAPTAIN HOOK
Just digging through some older fishing photos of mine and came across this oldie. It's my son holding what I thought was always a Walleye but now I'm not too sure. Looks more like a Sauger or maybe a Saugeye. Maybe it's just a dark phase Walleye at that. I'm almost sure it came from Pymatuning Lake at that time but my mind is a little rusty. We usually fished Pymy and Shenango in those days but I never heard of Sauger or seen any in either lake. I've never caught any Sauger around our area just wonder what you guys know. Are there Sauger in either of these lakes ? 

 

State record Sauger............. 4 pounds

Captain Hook if you could remember what the dorsal fin looked like that would solve your mystery.  The sauger has a heavily spotted dorsal fin and the Saugeye has few.  Also check the markings on the tail as there is a difference between the two fish,
 

I can't remember much about this fish just about positive it came out of Pymatuning. Found one other old photo but it's about the same just a vertical view.

 

The newer picture shows spots toward the front of the dorsal and extending to the top, also the tail does not appear to be as heavily marked with stripes as is on the Saugeye.
 
Now here's the confusing part; the PBFC list for the year 2015, creel limits for Saugeye taken on the Pymie but no mention of Sauger.  PA says they don't stock Saugeyes because the fish are produced when a Walleye and a Sauger mate thereby producing the Saugeye, a hybrid.   So, if Saugeye can be caught in Pymie  and their not stocked then, Sauger must be present to breed with the Walleye.    I aint even gonna see what Ohio does although, Ohio does stock Erie with Sauger.  Still there is no creel limit (I see) for the state of PA. with regard to Sauger.  Since the creel limit for Sauger and Saugeye is six combined would one be safe in assuming Sauger could be thrown into the combined limit? Or since Sauger is not mentioned Sauger is to be C/R only?I gotta go.............................