best place to fish for 30 plus pounders???

[fish N ski]

Will take anyones input on where the best chance of catching a muskie over 30 pounds in PA. Not looking for numbers, just size. I have off monday thru friday every week and am willing to put in the time. Been pounding Lake Arthur since it is close to home. I know Kinzua, But anywhere else? How about presque isle bay or erie? Heading out in a couple hours. Thanks - Fish N ski

[Red Childress]

There have been a few caught in the Allegheny River. :)

[Joe M]

I agree with Red the Mighty Allegheny river or Pymy lake gives up some very fat fish. Pymy would be the best shot plus you still will catch the bonus skis while your searching for the pig!!

[Ivan]

I agree with Joe that Pyma has some pigs but from my experience and I think most would agree that Pyma's average size fish is small. Besides that, Pyma has been tougher this year for some reason.

Arthur has a very good average size fish. Most of the fish we've caught at Arthur over the years have been over 40" and Dad and I both got 50's out of there in 1998. (don't fish there nearly as much as I used to) Most 47"+ fish out of Arthur will be close to 30lbs unless they are out of the norm for that lake.

I've only fished them once but the pics of fish I've seen out of Mahoning are very nice. Same thing goes for East Branch.

I think fishing Presque sle is as bad or worse than Kinzua. Needle in a haystack kind of thing.

Unfortunately, the bottom line is that a 30lber in PA is not very common. Need pretty close to a 50" fish. A lot of guys have not caught 50"ers anywhere, let alone PA.

If it were me, lived close to Arthur, only wanted big fish, didn't care about going longer periods of time between fish, would stick with Arthur. No doubt.
Good Luck.

[allegheny river kid]

I'll throw a vote in for the allegheny river also but throw the curveball in too... IMO would say your best time of year to get one in the 30lb range would be fall threw early to mid winter when they have there egg weight and bellys full. Not saying you can't catch them in the heat of the summer(many have been) or even spring but if timing is a factor and i was a trophy hunter i'd hit it when the water temps are falling in the fall and big girls start to show themselves a little more. Good Luck!!

[Red Childress]

Maybe do a historical search of where the largest muskies have been REPORTEDLY caught on the PFBC's web site.

Click below:

http://www.fish.state.pa.us/bigfish.htm

[fish N ski]

2 more days on lake arthur. and nothing. Got a chub watching a few muskies feeding. threw everthing at them except my 9.9 Going to try pymatuming next week. Wife has vacation, and I can get 4 rods out while she reads her books. Thanks for the input guys. Week after that going back up to Kinzua for a 50 plus pounder for three days. Staying at dewdrop campground. Will troll the same big baits. No numbers, Looking for size.

[Larry Jones]

Now I would try Lake Arthur trolling at night with Wiley Kowalski's Jtd.in Black with Silver Glitter Belly.
July & August I would take a Night Trip with Red on the Allegheny River!
In Late November I would go to Presque Isle out by the last set of boueys going out into Lake Erie and troll Legend Plows in Gold Sucker color close to bottom near channel edges at 2.5 mph.
In January I would go near the Waren Power PLant on the Allegheny River,wade out and bounce silver dollar jigs with white grubtail along the bottom.
April I would go to Prymatuning Reservior in Bay 441 and troll 5" Tuf Shad in Black & Silver.

[Red Childress]

The Warren Power Plant no longer has a warm water discharge flowing from it.....Reliant Energy bought the plant and it is now idle.

[Larry Jones]

Ok if the Warren Power Plant is now down and there is no more warm water discharge,then I'll give up the 2nd best spot on the Allegheny River in January.
Allegheny River at French Creek using the same silver dollar jig with a white grubtail.