Anyone that fishes Pymatuning must read!

[Ivan]

Ok Guys...

Pymatuning, as a boundary water, used to be stocked with muskies by PA and OH. Pyma is on Ohio's surplus list for stocking, meaning they only stock it if they have extra muskies after their other lakes receive their quota. Ohio has not stocked any muskies in Pyma for the last 10 years! PA stocks about 7000 muskies a year in Pyma. As a comparison, Chautauqua (sames size lake as Pyma in terms of acreage), gets about 17,000 muskies in a year, and it has some natural reproduction on top of that.

Phil Hillman, who is the Fish Management Supervisor District #3 North East Ohio for the ODNR, would like to see OH start stocking Pyma on a regular basis. The trouble is that OH uses a "Muskie Angler Log" to keep track of the number of muskies being caught by anglers in their Lakes. There are very few muskies being recorded into this "MAL" from Pyma. I heard only 15 total fished were recorded in the "MAL" from Pyma last year. This is probably because most muskie anglers that fish Pyma don't know anything about it. I am guilty of this as well. We need to show OH that the lake is being fished for muskies and that muskies are being caught.

So, we need to spread the word about entering fish from Pyma into OH's "MAL" to try to get it back on their stocking list. Here is a link to the log: http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/muskielog/welcome.aspx
You will probably have to copy and paste it into your browser.

Personally, I can tell you that my success at Pyma has steadily decreased over the years. Years ago, when I started fishing Pyma in the spring for muskies, I could guarantee at least 3 or 4 muskies on per day. The last couple years, I can't even be confident about 1 per day. I can't help but think that some of that is related to no fish coming from OH in the last 10 years. Of course, there could be other factors at play too.

What do you guys think? Can we all take a little time to enter our fish from Pyma into OH's "MAL" to help improve the muskie fishery?

Adam Andresky

[ThreeRiversEsox]

I feel like they should increase the size limit to something greater than 30". And then give their share.

[Ivan]

I agree on the size limit, but Pyma is the only water in OH with any size limit for muskies. I know the OH guys try every year for a size limit and it just won't happen. The ODNR does not feel that a size limit helps in a lake with no natural reproduction. I'm not sure why OH has any say on the muskie size limit on Pyma, especially since they haven't stocked any for the last 10 yrs. In my opinion it should be 40" like the rest of PA...it certainly couldn't hurt.

So, T.R.E., does that mean you will or won't record you Pyma fish in the MAL?

[ppalko]

I find it ridiculous that two agencies can have such diverse conclusions about the same body of water. Seems as if the state fish guys from Ohio could have lunch with the state fish guys from PA and share some info. Seems to me that the Ohio fish guys are choosing to ignore Pymy (in terms of stocking) hoping PA does enough to satisfy all parties so they can save money. Too bad fish management is all about $$ and not always about making sense.

[allegheny river kid]

I would have no problem recording fish caught from pymy, especially if it will help with getting Ohio back in the game of stocking the lake.

[ThreeRiversEsox]

I have no problem logging the fish I catch there... but what difference is a +/- of 5 fish going to convince anyone? ( And I know, 30 guys with 5 fish each=150 more fish...but if the walleye guys don't log their catches, who fishes it???)

Of the lakes in the eastern part of the state:
Piedmont- at least 200/yr for last 5 years
Leesville- over 500 fish registered every year since '06
West Branch- last 3 years over 300 registered
Salt Fork- average of ~150/yr, last year: 34
Others:
Alum Creek Lake-2009/2010- over 800 fish registered BOTH years
Caesars Creek Lake- average ~100/year

Pymatuning in the last 6 years has averaged 41, with the last 2 years being 13 and 22 fish registered.

[Ivan]

Yes...I have looked at the reports from the other lakes. It's good to get other people's opinions. This is what is was hoping for.

At this point, after thinking about this for a couple days, learning more, and hearing other opinions, I'm not sure this MAL will make any difference for OH stocking fish in Pyma. I think if ODNR has the resources and ability to raise more muskies, they will probably put them in Pyma. But, the ODNR hasn't even been reaching their quotas for stockings in their regular program lakes recently, so when are they going to have extra fish to even be concerned about where to put them?

I guess maybe I jumped on this bandwagon a little too quickly. Call me unconvinced at this point.

[ThreeRiversEsox]

I wish we had a better idea of how the agencies work together. Is there some kind of trade off for the walleyes? They (OH) stock (x) amount of walleyes and therefore PA stocks less, but does the sole musky stocking? Obviously, if the norm is 1 fish per acre stocked, we're doing like 40%... somethings got to give!

[Ivan]

I'm going to find out more about this. From a conversation I had with somebody today, it sounds like OH does have the money,resources, and ability to raise more fish and put Pyma back on the regular program lake list. OH did this same thing for lake Milton 3 years ago. They just need verification that it is money well spent by showing that people are fishing the lake for muskies and catching them. The first year that OH would be able to stock again would be 2013. I also learned that Phil does have a relationship with the PAFBC guys at the Linesville Hatchery. At some point soon here, I plan on calling Phil Hillman from the ODNR, myself, to discuss the situation, get a better understanding, and see what type of expectations he has for the MAL in order to justify stocking Pyma on a regular basis.