February 10th, 2010
West Erie County
DWCO Randy Leighton
Conditions:
Erie passed the snow storms to the rest of the state for a change but temperatures remain frigid around the area. Ice conditions around the area are good with most area reports indicating 8 to 12" plus of solid ice. Long term forecasts indicate we will have good ice for a while. Presque Isle Bay has been covered with ice huts and schools of fish are being located. The hottest spots on the Bay have been at the West end near the Erie Yacht Club (again, watch out for ice boats in this area), off the waterworks launch on the south side of the Bay and off the Condos on the South side of the Bay. Shiners are the bait of choice, although jigs tipped with wax worms or maggots have also done well. Good catches of perch were observed this past weekend with a good number in the 10" plus size. Anglers targeting steelhead at the Walnut Creek Marina basin and the channel are having some success, mostly on the West end of the basin near the entrance to Walnut Creek. Minnows and tipped jigs are the bait of choice in the basin. Reports have been fair to good for steelhead along the shore ice at Trout Run. Several ice huts were observed at the Fairview gravel pit pond, but there are no reports on the success rate at this time. Elk Valley Sportsmen Reverse Raffle..
Don't Miss It!
The annual Elk Valley Sportsmen Reverse Raffle is just around the corner. Your ticket gives you a chance at the $1,500 Main Prize, dinner, drinks, music, games of chance, & dancing. It is being held on Feb. 20th @ St. John's Social Hall / Girard with Happy Hour starting at 5:30 ... Dinner @ 7:00 ... Dancing from 9:00 to Midnight. At a bargain price of $60.00/couple, it is one of the best buys out there. Your ticket for two covers dinner, entertainment, and all legal beverages. This is the only Fund Raiser held by the Elk Valley Sportsmen Club for the year. This helps to fund the Annual Kid's Fishing Derby & improvements at the Girard Boro Pond as well as Turkey Feeding, Hunter's Safety Courses, and many other community projects. Tickets are available at McDonald's Meats on Route 20 in Girard (near the Overlake Golf Course) or by calling Lee Weaver at 922-3412 (area code 814 if needed) or any Club Officer. This is the sportsmen's social event of the season in Northwest Erie County. Tickets are limited to 150 couples so get yours now !!
Learn How to Ice Fish:
The S.O.N.S. of Lake Erie in cooperation with the PFBC and DCNR will be offering instruction and demonstration on ice fishing techniques on Saturday, February 13th. Conditions should be great. Interested anglers and observers should meet at the Rotary Pavilion near the Waterworks pond on Presque Isle. The Erie area offers some of the best ice fishing in the state and this is your chance to learn every thing you need to know from local experts. PFBC officers will be on hand to assist and answer questions regarding ice fishing regulations. Equipment will be provided for those in need. For more information and times, contact the S.O.N.S. of Lake Erie at 814-453-2270 or email sonslakeri@aol.com The SONS regular monthly membership meeting is scheduled for January 25th at 7:30 PM at at the Polish Falcon's Club, 431 East 3rd St.Erie, PA Cabin Fever:
Lately temperatures have been so cold that only the toughest anglers are venturing out in the frigid weather. Consider spending a cold weekend afternoon getting that gear in shape for the Spring season. It really isn't all that far away and its always nice to be prepared for that unexpected Spring thaw. Now is the time to thaw out the reels, lubricate and respool with fresh line. When was the last time you cleaned and waxed that $150.00 rod and checked for loose guides and damage. Updating that fly or tackle box is always fun. Do a little spring cleaning by discarding some of those unused items and especially those items that are unrecognizable. Make your wife happy by ridding your refrigerator of all those little plastic bottles of spoiled fish eggs, maggots, and wax worms. One of my favorite pastimes is going through all the pockets of my vest and wading jacket. It's amazing what you will find and how many lost items you will recover. Hooks can be finely honed and leaky waders can be repaired. Browsing the local sport and bait shops as well as the upcoming sports shows to see the latest in "must have" items is can be fun however, all too often a little expensive. Of course, those long winter afternoons are a great time to tie new flies and share what you learn with friends. Winter Stocking Schedules for the Erie Area: 1) Lake Pleasant is scheduled for February 3rd, 2010. Meeting time is 9:30 AM. 2) The East and West Basin Ponds at Presque Isle State Park is scheduled for February 10th, 2010. Meeting place will be just past the Park office at the Niagara boat launch at 10:00 AM. 3) The Fairview Gravel Pit Pond is scheduled for February 2nd, 2010. Meeting place will be the Fairview State Fish Hatchery on Route 5 in Fairview at 9:45 AM Stocking schedules are subject to change for more information or changes, go to Winter Stocking Schedule PFBC Basic Boating Class:
Area officers from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, will be conducting Basic Boating classes in March. These comprehensive, 8 hour classes are designed for the novice boater or boater to be, as well as the experienced boater who would like to refresh his knowledge and is especially recommended for the new boater and their families. The class covers basic boating safety, boating laws and regulations, and equipment. Successful completion of the course qualifies the individual for a Pennsylvania Boating Safety Certificate (card). There is no charge for the course or materials, although registration is required. Upon successful completion of the course , the Agency will require a processing fee for your Basic Boating Safety Card if one is desired. The first class will be held on March 10th and 11th from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM each evening at the
Tom Ridge Environmental Center , Room 112. For more information and registration contact Chad Foster at chfoster@state.pa.us or 814-683-5126. The second class will be held on March 27th from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM at the Dan Cliff Hose Co., 4th and High Street, Waterford, PA. For more information and registration for this class contact WCO Jim Smolko at jsmolko@state.pa.us or leave a message at 814-572-0078. For additional boating classes around the area go to Boating Courses Who Needs a Boating Safety Certificate:
Boating Safety Certificates (Actually a plastic card) are required for anyone operating a personal wate rcraft (jet ski) and anyone born on or after January 1st 1982 operating a boat powered by motors greater than 25 Horsepower. Local Weather: Wednesday Night...Snow showers likely. Additional snow accumulation around an inch. Lows around 20. Northwest winds 15 to 20 mph. Chance of snow 70 percent. Thursday...Snow showers likely. Highs in the mid 20s. West winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 60 percent. Thursday Night...Cloudy with scattered snow showers. Lows around 13. West winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 40 percent. Friday...Cloudy. Highs in the lower 20s. Friday Night...Mostly cloudy. Lows around 15. Saturday...Mostly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of snow showers. Highs in the mid 20s. Saturday Night...Mostly cloudy. Lows around 15. Sunday...Mostly cloudy. Highs in the upper 20s. Sunday Night...Mostly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of snow showers. Lows around 20. Presidents Day...Mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of snow showers. Highs in the upper 20s. Monday Night...Mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of snow showers. Lows 15 to 20. Tuesday...Mostly cloudy with a 40 percent chance of snow showers. Highs in the mid 20s
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