Three anglers walked away from the Youghiogheny River at West Newton with smiles and a little richer.
Daniel J. Packey of Herminie caught a 20-inch rainbow tagged for $100 by Angelo's Trout Farm in memory of Bud Carlson.
The rainbow of A.J. Matthews of West Newton only went 14 inches but it also was worth $100. It was tagged by West Newton Auxiliary Police in memory of John Macheska.
And Rick Getchey of Hutchinson caught an 18-inch rainbow tagged for $100 in memory of Joe Tamasy by his sons.
The trout caught by Rick Getchey above the bridge at West Newton and stocked by Smithton Sportsmen and Conservation Association was tagged for $10 by Letterio's Distributors. Getchey also caught a West Newton Sportsmen's Club 13-inch brown, tagged for a case of beer from Letterio.
And Chris Getchey checked in with a 16-inch rainbow tagged for $10 by the West Newton Auxiliary in memory of Macheska. Dan Parker picked up $10 for an 18-inch rainbow tagged in memory of Macheska by West Newton Auxiliary Police.
Rick Smith of West Newton brought in a 21-inch rainbow to Ben's Bait & Tackle. "It was tagged for $25 in memory of Mushy Bergman by his brother, Lester," said Ben Hryczyk.
Other prizes: Roger Boulet, Rillton, 20-inch rainbow, $20, in memory of Joe Kardos by family; Cecil Maughan, Madison, 20-inch rainbow, $10, in memory of Mary Elizabeth (Betsy) Lux, Lux family; Rose Hillen, Sutersville, 15-inch rainbow, $10, Meegan Ford; Tooch Amalonaga, Latrobe, 23-inch rainbow, case of beer, Letterio's Distributors; Ernie George, Gratztown, 21-inch rainbow, Dot's Family Restaurant, $10; Bob Borst, Pitcairn, 18-inch rainbow, $5, Jillian Satterfield, by his father; Janine Laird, Collinsburg, $5, Claudia Metts, by her father.
Tony Berarducci of Youghiogheny Canoe Outfitters & Bait of West Newton said, "The fish are still biting like crazy. One fellow caught three, including a 20-inch rainbow. Two other fellows released seven, including a 22-inch rainbow." Fishing picked up in the Yough at Dawson following a trout stocking spearheaded by Minnies & More. "The trout averaged 17-19 inches with the biggest being 22 inches," said Mike Adams. Becky Aaron of On The Fly, Smithton, said that Timmy Legazza had a fine outing last Sunday, catching 15 trout. "One was tagged by Espey's Meat Market," she said. Frank Gnieus' 19-inch rainbow was tagged for $10 by Smithton Sportsmen & Conservation Association. Don Davis also picked up a trout worth $10 stocked by the sportsmen's club. "Bob Aranos caught a trout tagged by Tackle Unlimited," Aaron said. Dan Boyle of Star Junction Sports Shop told of "a couple trout limits taken" at Whitsett on the Yough River. "One was a 191/2-inch rainbow," he said. "They're also getting a few white bass." Trout action at Virgin Run Dam remains strong.
Anglers received a surprise while fishing the Allegheny River below the Kinzua Dam: lake trout. "The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has a hatchery below the dam to raise lake trout for the Great Lakes and the high water washed some of the fish out," said Bill Martin, Warren County waterways conservation officer. "They're biting and some legal fish are being caught," he said. Since the lake trout are in the special regulations trout area, the daily creel limit is two with a minimum size of 14 inches during this time of the season. "I checked one last Monday that was 18 inches," Martin said. Brown trout and decent walleyes are being caught in the tailrace also. At Kinzua Reservoir, nice crappies are being taken in the Red Bridge area. Two paddlefish, 45 and 40 inches, perished while moving through the Kinzua Dam discharge during the high water. "The 45-incher weighed 18 pounds," Martin said. "We're in the process of checking out the tag numbers of the fish," Martin said. Cory Elder, 12, of Butler caught two 16-inch rainbows and a 15-inch brown fishing Connoquenessing Creek.
Tom Stanko of Latrobe stopped in the southwest region office with a dandy brown trout. "It was 6 pounds and he caught it in the Yough River in the Confluence area," said Michele Klein, secretary. "They're getting a lot of nice walleyes about 100 yards below where the Casselman River enters the Yough River," said Tom Qualters Jr., southwest region assistant supervisor. At Lake Somerset, Qualters told of muskies going 34 to 40 inches being caught and a 30-inch walleye. "They're fishing everywhere," said Dave Wass of Nicklow's Bait Shop. "Trout up to 14 inches are being caught in the Yough River from the tailraces to Ohiopyle," he said. "Yough Dam anglers are getting nice perch, 12-14 inches, and just legal-size walleyes." Richard Zoog of Orchard View Angling said, "Customers said they are still doing good on trout at Canonsburg Lake. " Earl Yingling of North Park Sport Shop said, "Some guys go out and get three to five trout every day at North Park Lake. On the other hand, some are looking for their first trout."
"Everyone seems happy and it's about time," said Lee Murray of Lock-3 Bait & Tackle, Cheswick, as the Allegheny River is yielding walleyes, sauger, muskies and catfish. Ken Hoyle checked in with a 35-inch, 18-pound, 9-ounce channel catfish. "It hit a dead shiner," Murray said. In addition to the walleye and sauger catches in the Allegheny River, "they're still getting trout in Bull and Buffalo creeks," said Ed Draho of Draho's Live Bait of Natrona Heights. "They're getting trout and crappies at Glade Run Lake." Rick DeMichele of Allegheny Bait & Tackle, Tarentum, weighed in a 27-pound flathead catfish caught by Ron Mangol of Natrona Heights in the Allegheny River on a fathead minnow, "It was 401/2 inches long with a girth of 263/4 inches. "They're also doing pretty good on walleyes," DeMichele said. Salvatore Invino of Wilkinsburg caught a 48-inch, 29-pound, 14-ounce musky at Highland Park, said John Ashburn of Sharpsburg Gun & Tackle. "They're catching lots of fish," Ashburn said.
"The Ohio River has really turned on," said Wayne Lykens of Island Firearms. "They getting walleyes weighing 8-10 pounds at night at the back channel dam." Hybrid bass, sauger, crappies and white bass also are being caught, "One fellow brought in a 4-pound hybrid bass," Lykens said. "They're catching a lot of fish and I'm happy for the fishermen," said D.R. Plants of Shad Lure & Tackle, West Elizabeth, about Monongahela River anglers. "They tell me this is the best walleye year ever." George Hartzer won the store's walleye contest with a 5-pounder from the Mon. Anglers are also getting white bass and crappies. Youthful Sky Brown tops the store's bass contest with a 3-pound smallmouth from Pymatuning Reservoir. Plant's son, Davey Plants, caught an 181/2-inch golden trout at Dutch Fork Lake. Kipp Finley of Sunset Marina, Millsboro, told of white bass and a few bass catches in Ten Mile Creek. "I also heard rumors of walleye catches in the creek." John Ozohonish of Ozzie's Sports Shop said that the Mon fishing has been fine. "They're getting walleyes and sauger at Grays Landing. "A lot of customers are fishing both branches of Ten Mile Creek and catching walleye, sauger and bass."
Martha Martino of Jimmy's Bait & Sporting Goods said that customer tells of catching rainbows going 18-22 inches at Mammoth Dam. "Jim Kowalsky took a 18-inch brown at Mammoth," Martino said. "It was real heavy." Rich Kacsuta of Loyalhanna Fishing Post said that Pete Stump and his son, Corry, and a friend caught 40 trout while night fishing from a boat at Donegal Lake using maggots and minnows. Ron Evancho, waterways conservation officer, said, "There were over 50 cars in the parking lot at Donegal Lake one night." "John Wessels of Ligonier caught a 11-inch native brook at Linn Run," Kacsuta said. Paul Volkmann of Pee Vee's Fishing Lures & Tackle said that Loyalhanna Creek "from Kingston Bridge down is loaded with trout." Many are in the 18-24-inch range, stocked by sportsmen. "One customer said he caught 150 crappies in one day at Donegal Lake," Volkmann said. John McAdams of The Fishing Post said that one customer had an excellent outing on the lower delayed-harvest area of Laurel Hill Creek on blue-wing olives and caddis.
"I didn't weigh in any citation fish, but they are getting a lot of crappies and hybrid bass," said Ron Anderson of BB Inc. about Lake Arthur anglers. "A few walleyes are being caught in the evening." Tom Reese of Reese's Bait Shop said that walleyes remain active at Pymatuning Reservoir. "My brother and son, Rick and Allen, took limits of walleyes going 16 to 22 inches." Jim Riddle of Riddle's Bait Shop reported the fishing as "great" at Yellow Creek Lake. "Darrin Mack of Brush Valley released three bass, the largest being 20 inches," Riddle said. "They're doing very well on bass." Northern pike are active, topping out at 28 inches. "One fellow caught a 24-inch walleye." Perch, in the 12-14-inch class, and crappies also are being caught. "They're getting some walleyes and panfish, but no one brought in any fish for pictures," said Bill Mlller of Keystone Bait & Tackle about anglers at Keystone Lake in Armstrong County. Crappies and bluegills continue to provide action at Cross Creek Lake, said a spokesman for Cross Creek Bait & Tackle.
