WCO Report for Erie County 11/29/2006: Erie area, PA,
WCO Report Posted: November 29, 206

Conditions: Temperatures in the low 60s over the last week and the lack of precipitation have made steelhead angling tough but by no means impossible. Low and clear have been the buzz words in most reports, although we have seen much lower conditions at times over the past few years. A change in tactics can still produce fish and as most veterans know, this means ultra light lines and tippets with 4 LB line being the norm and tippets down to 2 LB. Fish are holding in the deeper pools making the Manchester Hole and the Mckean Hole on I-79 very popular over the last week. The Walnut Creek marina basin has been popular with anglers doing fair to good. Lake Erie has been for the most part, glass calm over the last week extending angling opportunities to shoreline anglers and the die hard boat anglers. Current Lake Erie Water temperature off Erie is 46 degrees. West County trib conditions as of this writing were low and clear with some flow.

Law Enforcement Info from WCO Tom Edwards, Assistant Region Manager, Northwest Region Office: Local PFBC law enforcement officers with assistance from officers from other districts have had a busy steelhead season working organized enforcement details. The details have run day and night and will continue through out the season.. These Special Enforcement Details have yielded the following composite of citations and warnings issued for the first 9 week period. As always, weather and fishing conditions have strong influence on the on the number of anglers that are out and the subsequent violations found.

150 Citations were issued during 9 weekly details.

374 Warnings were issued.

There were 2 violations for trespass written under the state Crimes Code

11 Notice of Violations were issued for not having License on or about the person.

31 of 150 citations were for snag fishing.

18 of 150 citations were written for possessing fish in excess of the daily creel limit

The remaining 65% of the citations issued included fishing with illegal devices (landing nets for example), nursery waters violations, litter, fishing without a license, altering, borrowing or lending a fishing license, guiding without a PA. guiding license, fleeing and eluding an officer, interference with officer in performing his duties, and a mixed variety of other violations. One suspect was turned over to the U.S. Border Patrol for a deportation hearing after being in the U.S. illegally for 5 years and one suspect was turned over to PSP for felony warrants in NY and VT. Although we may have not caught every violation, as you can see, we're working on it.

2006 License Alert: Anglers coming from out of town or out of state or anyone wanting to purchase a 1, 3 or 7 day licenses are advised that remaining 2006 licenses and Lake Erie stamps are in many cases sold out or have been returned to Harrisburg by local agents for year end auditing. Anglers wanting a 1 year license will likely want to wait for the issue of 2007 licenses. If you are coming from out of town it would be wise to make an "on line" license purchase if you are seeking a temporary license. Be sure to include both a trout stamp and a Lake Erie Stamp or the combo stamp if you will be targeting steelhead or any other trout species and want to fish the tribs, Lake Erie, or Presque Isle Bay. 2007 Licenses are scheduled to go on sale December 1st. Fishing licenses can be purchased online with a credit card, or by completing an application, either in PDF (complete online, then print) or HTML (print, then complete).

Wear Some Orange: We again want to emphasize that it is wise to wear at least some orange in the out lying areas of the tribs especially on Elk, Crooked and Conneaut Creeks. With the warm weather we had for opening day and the kill down (Tolbert and I got ours), many hunters will be out over the next two weeks as the colder weather and possible snow reaches our area. Don't put your self in their sights, wear some orange. If you are on State Game lands, wearing orange is a requirement during hunting season.

Local Weather: Wednesday Night Mostly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of showers. Lows in the lower 50s. South winds 15 to 20 mph.

Thursday Showers likely. Highs in the lower 60s. South winds 15 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60 percent.

Thursday Night Showers. Breezy and cooler with lows in the lower 40s. West winds 10 to 20 mph...Becoming north 15 to 25 mph after midnight. Chance of rain 80 percent.

Friday Rain showers. Snow showers in the afternoon. Windy and much cooler with highs in the lower 40s. Temperature falling into the mid 30s in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation 90 percent.

Friday Night Snow showers likely. Light snow accumulation. Cooler with lows in the lower 30s. Chance of snow 90 percent.

Saturday Mostly cloudy with a 40 percent chance of snow showers. Highs in the upper 30s.

Saturday Night Mostly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of snow showers. Cold with lows in the mid 20s.

Sunday Mostly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of snow showers. Highs in the mid 30s.

Sunday Night Mostly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of snow showers. Cold with lows in the upper 20s.

Monday Partly sunny. Highs in the mid 30s.

Monday Night Mostly cloudy. Cold with lows in the mid 20s.

Tuesday Partly sunny. Highs in the mid 30s