This week’s Erie-area fishing report from Randy Leighton, deputy waterways conservation officer for the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission: The unusually mild winter continues for the area as it has in many areas. Little to no ice has left anglers with a wealth of other opportunities, from steelheading the tribs to shore fishing the lake, [...]

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The ice fishing contest scheduled for Saturday on Canadohta Lake has been postponed until Feb. 18. VanTassel’s Timberland Bait’s annual tournament is scheduled to award as much as $500 to anglers who catch the longest fish in a classification. Weather permitting, the rescheduled contest will run from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. A tournament scheduled [...]

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Erie native Kevin Pora, 35, caught a citation steelhead among the 18 he hooked while fishing Sunday in Erie County. Pora’s trophy, weighed and measured at Poor Richards Bait and Tackle, weighed 12 pounds 1 ounce, was 31 inches long, and had a girth of 17 3/4 inches. It was the largest steelhead he’s caught [...]

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Kevin Shaffer, left, and Marc Hammond,12 caught three steelhead near Albion on Feb. 4.
fishing fun

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Join the Erie PA Sport Fishing Association early this year and get in on every one of the organization’s major fishing tournaments. The first is the Spring Trout Challenge April 15.

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An ice fishing contest scheduled for Saturday on Conneaut Lake has been postponed until Feb. 25. VanTassel’s Timberland Bait’s annual event in Crawford County is scheduled to award as much as $500 to anglers who catch the longest fish in a classification. Weather permitting, the rescheduled contest will run from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. [...]

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Dave Lefebre gives us a tour of his new Ranger boat. He leaves Saturday for the first FLW Tour event of the season starting Feb. 9 on Lake Okeechobee.

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This week’s Erie-area fishing report from Randy Leighton, deputy waterways conservation officer for the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission: As has much of the country, Erie has enjoyed an unusually mild winter so far. Temps over the few weeks had been cold enough at times to cover Presque Isle Bay and most of the tribs [...]

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This’ll get you yearning for the balmier days of spring.
Backwoods Angler TV filmed a show on Lake Erie and Presque Isle Bay in 2011. Here’s a clip from that show:

Breaking sports news video. MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL highlights and more.

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Some of your favorite fishing sites in northwestern Pennsylvania might be due for a visit from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission’s winter stocking program in the coming weeks. In Ere County, the basin ponds at Presque Isle State Park, Lake Pleasant and the Upper Gravel Pit Pond will be stocked. Chapman Dam Reservoir in [...]

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VanTassel’s Timberland Bait Shop’s annual ice fishing tournaments at Conneaut Lake and Canadohta Lake will award as much as $500 to anglers who catch the longest fish in a classification. The Conneaut Lake tournament is Feb. 4 from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. starting at Fireman’s Beach. The Canadohta Lake tournament is Feb. 11 from [...]

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If you plan to fish on the ice this winter across the border in New York state, be aware that DEC regulations have changed. “In waters where ice fishing is permitted, anglers will be allowed to use up to three lines and five tip-ups except as noted in special regulations for specific waters. Previously, ice [...]

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Dave Morrison caught a 30 1/2-inch, 12-pound steelhead Dec. 11.
Beautiful Steelhead

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This week’s Erie-area fishing report from Randy Leighton, deputy waterways conservation officer for the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission: With daily temperatures in the high 30s and low 40s, Erieites are enjoying a very mild winter so far. Of course, things can change quickly here on Pennsylvania’s North Coast. Eager anglers have been capitalizing on [...]

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Never let it be said the anglers of Erie County aren’t appreciative of landowners who open their property to fishing on or access to Pennsylvania’s Lake Erie tributaries. A handful of conservation groups annually raise funds through the year in order to purchase fruit baskets that are then hand-delivered the week before Christmas to landowners [...]

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This week’s Erie-area fishing report from Randy Leighton, deputy waterways conservation officer for the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission: Blackened fish throughout the tribs. Area weather has been very mild for this time of year with only a few inches of snow so far. Fishing has been good at the Elk Creek Access this past weekend with very little [...]

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Joe Soliwoda outdid himself with a 51-inch muskie caught and released in French Creek.
51 Inch+ Musky

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Randy Leighton, deputy waterways conservation officer for the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, said burbot are coming into play for anglers on the North Pier: “Most burbot are accidentally hooked by unsuspecting perch anglers using minnows and perch rigs. However, more and more anglers are going after them. Anglers specifically targeting burbot will typically use [...]

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This week’s Erie-area fishing report from Randy Leighton, deputy waterways conservation officer for the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission: Heavy rains Tuesday sent the Erie tribs into blowout mode with with conditions high and muddy. The week’s forecasts seem to indicate that these levels should subside and again creating good to excellent conditions. Anglers had been having fair [...]

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Ask Joe Soliwoda for the location of his top muskie spot on French Creek at your own peril. First came a 36-inch muskie Dec. 2: December Musky Then a 40-inch fish Dec. 4: More December Muskys And, one cast later, he brought a 38-inch muskie to hand: Another December Musky This is the fish of [...]

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2012 licenses are available from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and its issuing agents starting today.Those who don’t have a 2011 license get a free month of fishing in December by buying now. Resident annual licenses are $22.70. A trout-salmon stamp or Lake Erie permit costs $9.70, or get a combo permit for $15.70. [...]

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Lake Erie Ultimate Angler and Presque Isle Downs & Casino are giving away $1,750 in cash, prizes, guided fishing outings, fly fishing equipment and more in their Fins & Photo photo and video fishing contest. Any angler 21 or over, not just fly fishers, is eligible to enter. Just record your fishing experience in Pennsylvania, [...]

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This week’s Erie-area fishing report from Randy Leighton, deputy waterways conservation officer for the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission: Off-and-on rain Monday and an all-day soaker Tuesday brought the the Lake Erie tributary levels up to fast and muddy conditions There is  rain and possible snow in the forecast which may help to which may spawn additional [...]

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On one of my days off last week, I decided that the sun was just right, so camera in hand, I headed to Presque Isle. I made two or three stops to photograph fall leaves before pulling into the Waterworks parking area. After using the East Pond as a sho…

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Sam Knox, 11, of Millcreek Township, caught his first-ever steelhead Nov. 13 on Walnut Creek. The fish measured 23½ inches and took a red beadhead nymph.

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Charles Allen, co-owner of Crowley’s with wife Ginger, caught a 28-inch steelhead from Elk Creek on a blood dot egg pattern.
28 inch Steelhead on Elk

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Walnut Creek Access Area made a Field & Stream blog — not for its fine steelhead fishing, or even its overcrowding, but as the centerpiece of an article on illegal snagging on the Erie-area tribs.  

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Joe Soliwoda pulled a 36-inch northern pike from French Creek Nov. 8 at sunset. The fish, which was released, was caught on a large jerkbait.
Fat Fall Pike

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Chris Norris, of Sharon, caught his first northern pike while fishing in Presque Isle Bay in October.
My first pike

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Thanks to Kirk Rudzinski at East End Angler for an important and long-awaited bit of steelhead fishing-related news: The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission threw open the new fish ladder and bypass on Four Mile Creek on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. Four Mile is the first creek anglers will hit when traveling east from Erie. [...]

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