troutguy - a good point about the early fall stocking - i almost always hit that time for a week or so and also help the commission stock - it's only laurel hill lake though - and it's elbow to elbow at the two stocking points - i don't know of any streams that are stocked in the fall.  stocking streams in early oct would be iffy at best.
 
fishinguy and accountant - i totally agree it's best to focus on one or two lakes.  i focused on keystone for years (decades) and watched it deteriorate to the dead sea.  i know that lake very well and right now it's a waste of time.  high point lake was another focus area for me.  they've been screwing around with the levels so much for the last 5 years that you cannot get a boat in much of the time.  when we dragged the canoe in a few years ago we could only get two/three hammer handle pikes and one jumbo perch and one smallie and a few catfish.  not all that good.
 
i stand by my statement that i think it's best to save your money and go someplace real - and if anyone thinks western PA fishing is great, i would bet they've not been to northern ontario or montana.
 
phish

Yeah check out the stocking lists come fall.  Most special regs streams tend to get a fall stocking(except I don't the Slippery Rock is next fall?).  I believe there's a couple DHALO streams near Pittsburgh which should get a fall stocking, but I'd check the list first as they're not stocking as many streams as they used to in the fall.
 

phishfearme

i stand by my statement that i think it's best to save your money and go someplace real - and if anyone thinks western PA fishing is great, i would bet they've not been to northern ontario or montana.

phish

 
I used to think the fishing in W. PA is great(and still do to an extent), and although I never fished Ontario or Montana, I did make a trip to Colorado last year and I'd have to say, the worst trout stream I fished during my time out there was better than the best stream I've fished in PA, and I've fished some very good streams in PA.  So you make a point there, but still the fishing isn't all that bad in PA ;)
 
I actually live in Ohio, though only 15min from the border and I find myself doing most of my fishing in PA. Yeah, the fishing in Ohio is good, but I still think the non-resident license is well worth the money.  I can catch good numbers of trout, walleye, lmb, smb, white bass, hybrids, pike, catfish, panfish, and carp within an hour from home.  Good numbers(and often size) of each of those species.  And that's from shore/wading.  Anything over an hour add many more stocked and wild trout opportunities, steelhead, and more warmwater opportunities.  Yeah, it took me a while to figure them out and learn the waters, but I'm now successful because of it.  Many skunkings, but also many fantastic days.  Gotta know where, when, how, and how to adapt if the conditions aren't the best.

A good place right now for good no. of fish is Mosquito Lake in Ohio.
The eyes and crappie are biting really well. Launch by the dam and troll hot n tots. You will be happy....trust me!

The times I have fished Mosquito this year I did alright with bass and crappie, but no walleye for me.  I can catch walleye perfectly fine in rivers but can't figure them out on the lake to save my life.  Tried trolling a few times but don't think I'm doing it right and may not have the right equipment/setup. 
 
That said, before I call Mosquito a dead sea in regards to walleye(which it isn't), I should probably spend more time on it and try to figure it out before moving to Ontario lol JK

phishfearme

phishfearme

have walked many miles in waders chasing trout - only good for about 6 weeks in late april thru may.


phish

Say what now??

streams get too low and warm after about june 1 - why do you think the commission stops stocking after late may?  i've seen flocks of holdovers in laurel hill creek facing into small brook trout streams that enter LHC that will scatter as soon as anything approaches - these fish are next to impossible to catch and will no doubt die within a few weeks.

even the delayed harvest areas are near impossible to fish.  the yough dam outflow stays cold and good flow but the snot weed has totally fouled that area up.

you are welcome to spend your time in these low, warm water conditions - i prefer to do something else.

phish

I'm so glad there are people like you. 

mikastorm - thanks for the pointer - this lake is actually closer to me than pymy - i just never looked outta state before - i'll give it a try.  does anyone know off hand if one day non-resident ohio licenses are still available?  i got one for fishing lake erie out of ashtabula but is that the same license that would be used for non-lake erie lakes?
 
thanks,
phish

You can get a one day license for $11. You can also take that old license (if it's from this year) and use it as credit toward a year non-resident license.

slabdaddy

You can get a one day license for $11. You can also take that old license (if it's from this year) and use it as credit toward a year non-resident license.

 
thanks john - $11 is not bad for a one day license.  i don't think PA even offers this option for non-residents.
phish

And some of us just wish we had the time to fish anywhere.....

And Ohio doesn't have any Lake Erie or Trout Stamps, so that saves you money.