5 Top W. PA Crappie Waters

By Jeff Knapp

During the early spring, spurred by warming water and increasing levels of daylight, crappies make predictable movements to shallow water to feed.

Later in the spring, when the water has reached the 60-70 degree mark, these fish will stay shallow during the spawning period. Now is the time to enjoy some of the best crappie fishing of the year.

Several western Pennsylvania lakes offer excellent crappie fishing, including these five:

SHENANGO LAKE

"Shenango has its ups and downs as a crappie water," reported Craig Billingsley, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission’s Area 1 fisheries manager. "It can be good one year, then lousy the next."

According to Billingsley things should be on the upswing, crappie-wise, though.

"We have a couple good year classes, especially with black crappies," he noted.

The lake was sampled during the spring of 2003. The mid-April survey included a week of unseasonably cold weather, with nighttime temperatures dropping into the 20s. Still, impressive numbers of gamefish were collected in three trapnets, including both black and white crappies. Last season’s angler reports were outstanding, with many stories of good numbers of crappies, large ones included.

Shenango Lake is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Lake located on the Shenango River in western Mercer County. It covers 3,560 acres in a relatively lowland setting. The lake is fairly shallow, though it features a good amount of structure such as humps, submerged roadbeds and creek channels. As a flood control lake it is subjected to dramatic fluctuations of pool level. No weed growth is found in Shenango.

Boat access to the lake can be found at the Shenango Recreation Area, located off of Route 18. There are no horsepower restrictions on this lake.

LAKE WILHELM

Crappies appeared in excellent numbers when the lake was surveyed last spring. Impressive quantities of black crappies where collected, with good numbers of white crappies showing up as well. Black crappies up to 14 inches were collected, with white crappies topping out at 13 inches. The majority of the crappies, both black and white, were from the 2001-year class.

Lake Wilhelm is a relatively narrow, lengthy lake that covers approximately 1,500 acres. The waterway sits between gently rolling hillsides. The lake is fertile, fairly shallow and dark-colored, with a maximum depth of about 25 feet. Weed growth is limited to the shallow areas of the lake.

Over the years an abundance of woody cover has been placed in the lake to serve as fish attractors. These structures, particularly the ones found in deeper water, will attract panfish during the late fall.

Lake Wilhelm is located in Maurice Goddard State Park. The upper portion of the lake falls within the property of the Pennsylvania Game Commission and is restricted to the use of non-powered boats. This area, locally known as the stumps, is a consistent producer of panfish. Outside of the game lands area boats powered by outboards up to 20 horsepower are permitted.

CONNEAUT LAKE

"Angler feedback indicates a strong population of nice-sized crappies," said Al Woomer, Area 2 fisheries manager, speaking of Conneaut Lake.

In addition to the crappies, Conneaut contains some oversized white bass. The last two state record fish have come from its waters.

This lake has relatively clear water and features weed growth to depths of approximately 10-12 feet. Submergent weeds are of the milfoil/coontail variety. The abundance and depth of weed growth is dependent on several factors, including the weather of the year. The lake contains several complex structures -- humps and bars -- that attract panfish.

Conneaut’s shoreline is highly developed. It is a popular recreational boating lake, seeing intense use during the summer season. Serious fishing takes place early in the day and during inclement weather at that time. Conneaut’s early season crappie action takes place in the canals located off the main lake. Later in the spring expect to find crappies relating to developing weed beds. There is no horsepower restriction on Conneaut Lake. The Fish and Boat Commission has a ramp on the northwest corner of the lake off of Route 618.

LAKE ARTHUR

Butler County’s Lake Arthur can include crappies to the long list of attractions that pull anglers to its 3,200 acres. When surveyed last spring fisheries personnel collected both white and black crappies, the later up to 14 inches. Citation-sized crappies are commonly brought in to area bait shops.

Lake Arthur features a wealth of arms and bays that extend from its main lake basin. Relatively shallow and fertile, crappies make good use of the wood cover found throughout the lake. Early season hotspots include Portersville Bay, all three fingers found upstream of the Route 528 bridge, and the system of intricate coves near the dam, including Dutch Hollow.

Laydowns are common along shorelines, and various fish attractors have been placed in the lake over the years. Deeper brushpiles, those in the 12-15 foot range, tend to be crappie magnets from late spring through the summer.

Arthur is located in Moraine State Park. Numerous boat accesses are provided. Boats are limited to 20 hp.

LOYALHANNA LAKE

Westmoreland County’s Loyalhanna Lake contains a strong population of both white and black crappies. It’s a great lake for fast action, though the fish average a modest size.

Loyalhanna Lake was last surveyed in 1999. Fisheries personnel for Area 8 found crappies to be the most abundant gamefish in the lake. Though fish to 16 inches were discovered, most crappies ran on the small size. Angler reports from the lake indicate this is still the case.

The predominate crappie cover on Loyalhanna is laydowns. You can expect to catch crappies off pretty much any shoreline tree submerged in the water.

Loyalhanna is a federal flood control lake, and is subject to water level fluctuations. A three-lane ramp is located at the Bush Run Recreation Area, which is found just off of Route 981 between Saltsburg and New Alexandria. The lake covers 250 acres, and has no horsepower restrictions.