Ice Fishing for Bass on Pennsylvania Lake Arthur

Ice Fishing for Bass on Pennsylvania Lake Arthur
By Jeff Knapp

It seems every waterway has its peaks and valleys. Just because one lake produces bass a certain time of year doesn’t mean similar waters will do the same. Savvy anglers take note of what waters kick out fish, and when. For the angler looking for an escape from the winter doldrums, a trip to Lake Arthur might well be the right answer.

Over the years, Butler County’s Lake Arthur has established a well-deserved reputation as a quality bass lake during the ice-fishing season. The numbers of bass registered each year in the Fish and Boat Commission’s annual Angler Recognition Program verifies this. An abundance of forage, diversity in habitat and physical characteristics that assist in the production of ice add up to a top-notch hardwater bass bite.
“The ice fishing for bass there is outstanding,” said John Kay, Butler County’s waterways conservation officer. “First ice is the best. That usually occurs around Christmas. The majority of the bass taken are largemouth, but smallmouth come from the ice, too.”

As with the open-water fishing, Kay noted there are serious ice anglers that have tweaked the Arthur ice-fishing thing down to a science. Ones new to the sport should not be discouraged, though, as inexperienced anglers typically learn in a hurry.
“The average angler will see where the success is occurring,” said Kay. “So long as you don’t crowd others, it’s pretty easy to get on good areas.”

While Lake Arthur is blessed with shallow bays and coves that offer early safe ice and largemouth bass, Kay said several key areas tend to produce the best. These are located in the upper portions of the lake.
The Big Run Arm of Lake Arthur lies just to the north of and parallel to Route 422. Several bays and coves are found within the Big Run Arm, ones typically productive during the hardwater season. Starting from the headwaters of the arm, secondary bays and coves include Goose Bay, Ducks Cove, Muskrat Cove, Beaver Cove, Pleasant Valley Ban and Whippoorwill Cove. The old Route 422 roadbed runs the length of the Big Run, and is visible in many places on sonar equipment. The average depth fished by ice anglers is 12 feet or less. Access is by way of the Route 422 launch area, and the cartop launch in Goose Bay.

The other area of the lake highly popular with ice anglers is the three major fingers found uplake of the Route 528 bridge. Muddy Creek, Swamp Run and Shannon Run form these bays. The submerged railroad bed that serves as a fish attractor in many areas of the lake runs through the Muddy Creek Arm. The upper portion of Swamp Run is a propagation area and closed to fishing. Like Big Run, the average depths focused in on runs about 12 feet or less.

Access to these arms is good, particularly for Shannon and Muddy Creek. Muddy Creek and Swamp Run can be accessed from the 528 launch area. Cartop launches found off of Route 528 offer two more access to Muddy Creek. Ice anglers can work their way onto Shannon Bay by way of the Mt. Lion Church access, as well as a cartop access found at the end of Election House Road.

WCO Kay said tip-ups are the favored tool of most Arthur ice anglers. Most folks use live chubs or shiners. Kay said to keep the bait about six inches off of the bottom.
“A typical setup would be to run a series of tip-ups perpendicular to the structure,” said Kay. He went on to explain that along a roadbed, for example, the angler might run a line of tip-ups from the deep side of the roadbed up to the top, then down the other side. Anglers are limited to five devices when ice fishing in Pennsylvania.

“If a certain depth is producing the best, move the other tip-ups to that same depth,” Kay noted.
Tip-ups are not the only approach. Some anglers will set up three or four tip-ups, then rig a jigging rod with a spoon or jig. They often work the jigging rod from the protection of a shelter.
Bass favor a live minnow, but Kay noted that each year some excellent northern pike catches are made on dead bait.

While some bass are released back into Arthur during the ice-fishing season, the reality is that a significant harvest does, in fact, take place, one that includes larger, breeding-size bass.
WCO Kay said that to the credit of Arthur’s bass fishery, it seems to bounce back each year despite the harvest. He sees big fish, both kept and released, each winter season.

Though the limit is four-bass, 15-inch minimum size, anglers should consider whether or not they need to consistently take home four-bass limits. As WCO Kay noted, it’s not a case of legality, but one of individual ethics. He said he encourages anglers to not take more than they can use, even if they can legally do so.
In the face of continued hard use and an increase in ice-fishing interest, the long-term quality of Arthur’s bass fishery may benefit from a more conservative approach.