Tioga County Lakes, Pine Creek, & Surrounding Waterways Report
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- By Don
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Fishing Reports and info for Tioga County, Pine Creek, & Surrounding Waterways
Welcome to the new fishing report blog from Tackle Shack. Bookmark this page to easily reference fishing reports, ice conditions, and fishing updates for Tioga County and the surrounding waterways.
10/27/2024
Little to update these past few weeks. Water temps are dropping and fishing has been steady. Bass, panfish, and a few muskies have been caught. Cowanesque spillway is still quite dirty, but muskies, walleye, and some smallies are being caught. Tioga spillway is clear and low. Small swimbaits continue to be most popular for walleyes and smallies. A few hybrid stripers and catfish were reported too. Live shiners and fatheads are also working.
Some perch and crappies are being caught at Tioga and Hammond. The bite's been tougher for many. Be patient and target deeper structures for the best results.
10/6/2024
The Lakes have been tougher this past week as temperatures stubbornly hold in the mid 60's. Anglers are catching a variety of fish, and the bite should improve as temperatures drop into the 50's. Pine has been fishing well, though trout have been particularly selective with low, clear conditions. Water temps on upper Pine are holding in the high 50's to low 60's.
9/1/2024
It's been a great holiday weekend of fishing with anglers catching bass, bluegills, and crappies on most of the lakes. Water temps are dropping and it looks like we're in for an early fall. Cowanesque is still under no-wake restrictions. See below update from last week. Spillway fishing has also been decent with plenty of smallmouth, a few largemouth, and various panfish being caught throughout the day on swimbaits, shiners, fatheads, and crawlers. Catfish and bullheads are being caught in the evenings with nightcrawlers and chicken livers. A few people were out on Pine Creek and the small streams this week too. Trout were fairly cooperative and anglers caught them on both flies and small spinners. Caddis patterns, beetles, and ants rigged on a dry dropper worked well.
8/24/2024 (9AM)
Cowanesque Lake is now open to boating under NO WAKE restrictions. From the USACE Facebook Page-
"Cowanesque Lake South Shore Recreation Area West Launch is open for boating access with Slow No Wake restrictions due to the flood debris and associated hazards from Tropical Storm Debby. No additional launches will be open at this time. Please be safe, and ensure your boat is properly equipped with the safety requirements per federal and state law regulations."
8/15/2024
Hammond Lake just reopened around 2PM today! The old day use launch (upped end of the lake) is still closed. The main ramp is open. Good luck and be safe out there.
8/9/2024
8/7/2024
Rainy conditions have persisted for much of the last week and anglers that have ventured out are finding a mixed bite. Bass fishing has been good overall with most of the action coming on offshore stucture and deeper points. Bluegills are biting well on most of the lakes too. Rain projected this week could muddy up the waters and will raise water levels some. At this time, everything is at good levels and plenty fishable.
7/30/2024
Lots of great reports these past few weeks for bass, catfish, and panfish. Water temps on Pine and other stocked streams are still high and unsuitable for trout in most places. A few anglers are hitting the small mountain streams and doing well with brookies and wild browns on terrestrial and caddis patterns. Of all of the local lakes, Tioga, Hammond, and Nessmuk have probably fished best with bass being caught in many different areas using a variety of techniques. Weeds are getting a little fuller finally on Cowanesque too. Water temps on the lakes have been fluctuating between the mid 70's and low 80s.
The annual Tackle Shack 3 Day 3 Lake Bass Tournament concluded on Sunday. Check out our facebook page for pictures and results from that event-
https://www.facebook.com/wellsborotackleshack/
Crappies are being caught in good numbers on Hammond and Tioga too. Live minnows, crappie magnets, b-vibes, flicker shads, and similar small crankbaits are all working. Many are being caught on offshore structure. Some are also being caught trolling with the small crankbaits.
7/13/2024
Little has changed since our last report, but fishing continues to be good through the first few weeks of July. Bass are being caught on all of the lakes. Of all of them, Cowanesque has been toughest, but some nice ones are being caught on plastics and topwaters near timber. Clarity is very good and weeds are starting to get better, but remain very sparse still here. Weed beds are much thicker on the other lakes. Nessmuk continues to be a favorite destination for bass and nice ones are being caught on topwater frogs, jigs, and plastics. Shoreline fishing is getting tougher with weeds getting thick, however this makes for fun frog action and many can be caught right from the dock or along the dam side.
There will be no more updates this week. Please call the shop at 570-724-5138 and talk to Ryan and Mike to answer your fishing questions. We will also be attending ICAST. Check out our Facebook page for new and exciting product for this fall and 2025!
7/1/2024
Weedbeds are coming in strong on most of the lakes now and playing a big part of finding fish. Look towards deeper weed edges to find panfish roaming, or work a plastic or jig through the weeds for bass. Topwater action has been good on calmer days. High winds have been problematic most of this past week. Lighter winds and higher more stable temperatures are in the forecast for much of the week.
If you have a friend interested in fishing, remember this Thursday, July 4th is Fish For Free Day and no fihsing license is required. Tackle Shack is open normal hours for the holiday. 8am-6pm on Thursday. 6am-6pm Friday through Sunday.
6/24/2024
It's been a HOT week and anglers found a tough bite throughout the middle part of the day most everywhere. The mornings and evenings have fished best. Bass are holding tight to structure and weeds, while crappies and panfish are scattered. Offshore stucture is holding schools of crappies, but many are roaming the open water chasing bait too. Slow trolling with plastics and small crankbaits is an effective way to find these roamers.
Pine is low, very warm, and current temps are unsuitable for trout fishing. Smallies are biting though and they are being caught on small topwater lures and flies, as well as rebel crayfish, yo zuri pin minnows, and similar baits.
Spillway action has slowed some. Smallies and rockbass are being caught with occasional walleye catches too.
6/17/2024
Mixed reports most of this week with fish in limbo between the spawn and their summer dwellings. Bass are being caught in a variety of places and a few are on beds still. Crappies have mostly moved off shore and the best bite has been trolling or deep jigging around structure. Trout season is coming to an end until cooler weather returns. Expect to see trout pooled up in feeder creeks this week trying to survive the heat.
Tioga and Cowanesque Rivers have been fishing well with a mixed bag of walleye, panfish, and smallies being caught. Live shiners, swimbaits, shallow cranks and squarbills are all working for anglers.
6/11/2024
Bass Season is here and the CV Bass League tuesday night tournaments kick off tonight. Fishing has been good for most with a mix of shallow and deep fish. Cowanesque is lacking weeds and has remained off color all spring so far this year. Hammond and Tioga are clearer with decent vegetation. Nessmuk, Hamilton, Hills Creek, and Beechwood are all fishing well too. Weeds are starting to get thick on most of these too. As of 2 days ago, Hamilton was still very full and boat access was possible. That could change soon if we don't see much rain.
Bluegills, crappies, and perch are all being caught too. Slow trolling in deeper water with small crankbaits has been effective on most of the lakes. many bluegills and sunfish are still holding shallow and spawning. These guys are a blast with a fly rod or ultra light tackle.
Trout fishing is starting to slow down on the streams with temperatures warming. Pine is running low currently too. It's definitely a good time to turn the focus to warmwater species.
Walleyes, smallies, and some muskies are being caught in Cowanesque and Tioga Rivers. Three to Four Inch Keitech's continue to be the most popular, but Rapala x raps, shad raps, and original floaters have also been popular. Whopper ploppers are working too in the 60, 75, and 90 sizes.
6/3/2024
As we near the start of Bass season, fishing continues to be good across the county. Bluegills are on their beds in many of the lakes and anglers are catching them with a variety of flies, live baits, and small jigs. Bass are in the middle of the spawn and numerous large fish are holding up shallow too. Remember bass season does not open till June 8th. Walleyes, smallies, rockbass, and perch are being caught in the Tioga spillway using small swimbaits, twister tails, and live shiners. A few cats are being caught too with worms and chicken livers.
Trout fishing continues to be good in most streams. Water temps are in the low 60's and a ton of different spinners, spoons, and fly patterns are working. Pine is fishing exceptionally well throughout the upper stretches and fly hatches continue to be strong too. For live bait, butter worms and wax worms have been best.
Crappies are moving back to the deeper water as the spawn wraps up on most lakes. A few giants are still around and we weighed one here that weighed almost 2.5 lbs! Check out our facebook page for daily fishing content and pics of local fish.
5/20/2024
It's a great week to be on the water here in Tioga County! Crappie fishing has been excellent with a mix of spawning fish. Some are up shallow and some are out deeper. Eurotackle B-vibes, slider grubs, crappie magnets, and small shad imitations in minnow colors, white, and chartreuse are all working.
Bass are moving shallow and we're also seeing a mix of bedding fish.
Walleye fishing has been excellent in the spillways. Keitech swimbaits in perch and shad patterns are working best.
Trout fishing has been very good with many recent stockings. butterworms and waxworms continue to be our best sellers. Live minnows are also working.
5/8/2024
Fishing has been excellent across the board for a variety of species. Pine, and area stocked streams are fishing well with good catches on a variety of live baits, flies, and lures. Butterworms continue to be a favorite. Dace and trout patterns jerkbaits are working well too. For flies, March browns, Caddis, and BWOs are hatching.
Crappie fishing has picked up considerably and most everyone is reporting good catches at Tioga, Hammond, and Cowanesque. Fish are starting to move in shallow, but expect a little slower shoreline bite this weekend with cold weather moving in.
Walleye fishing in the Tioga River has been excellent. Live shiners and small swimbaits are working best. Shad, perch, and similar patterns have been most effective in the 3-4" varieties.
5/2/2024
Pine Creek and most of the trout waters are fishing great. The Creeks are running clear and Pine is at great levels with good action for both fly and spinning tackle. Some of the smaller streams are starting to get low. Lighter line and good presentations are a must.
Crappie fishing is getting better by the day with water temps creeping into the low 60's. Rain this weekend and cooler weather could soften the bite, but we expect plenty to be catchable for the next few weekw.
Walleye season opens Saturday and anglers are doing very well in the spillways with small swimbaits, fatheads, shiners, and Rapala stickbaits.
4/30/2024
Trout fishing continues to be excellent across the county. Similar reports as below. Crappie fishing is starting to turn on and by the weekend many should be starting to move in shallower on all of the lakes for the spring spawn. Water temps are in the mid to upper 50's.
4/23/2024
Trout fishing has been excellent these past few days with good water levels and plenty of fish. A number of waterways were stocked this past week too. Butterworms, waxworms, redworms, and garlic salmon eggs have all been working. Small stickbaits in dace (redfin) and orange-bellied patterns are all producing. (Try our NEW Challenger Micro Minnow Dace!).
Crappie action has been slow so far. Water temps are in the upper 40's to low 50's and cold nights are keeping water temperatures hovering in that range. Warmer weather this weekend should really get things fired up. If you're planning a trip, the 2nd week of May should be peak crappie time this year! Stay tuned for updates.
4/15/2024
High water had the Corps lakes closed again on Saturday/Sunday. As of this morning, all but Tioga lake are open. For info on closures, be sure to keep an eye on the army corps facebook page.
4/12/2024
The Corps lakes opened a few days ago and a few anglers have been out targetting crappies and perch. Some are being caught, but the bite has been slower for most. Live minnows were working best. Hills Creek fished well for perch and bass. Live minnows were the choice bait here too. Trout fishing across the county has been good, however we expect to see a tough bite this weekend with rain and cooler temps moving in. Pine Creek is rising and we expect to see dirtier water for a days until this system passes. Smaller streams will be in better shape.
Pine Creek USGS gauge- https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?site_no=01548500&legacy=1
For reference- 2-2.5ft is considered ideal conditions for most people. At 3-3.5 upper Pine Creek (From Ansonia west) is high but fishable with caution. This stretch tends to clear up quicker than through the canyon as well.
4/6/2024
The Corps lakes are still closed, but water levels are receding across the region. The trout season opener was a tough one, but good reports came in from some of the smaller streams and beechwood Lake. Hamilton is still very high and dirty. Plenty of people were fishing here too from the bank. Conditions should be ideal in just a few more days.
4/4/2024
Tioga County has been pounded with rain for the past few days and most all of the lakes and streams are very high. As of 11:30AM (4/4/2024) Tioga, Hammond, and Cowanesque Lakes are shut down due to high water. They expect to be closed through the weekend. Conditions should start to improve early next week. Expect tough conditions most everywhere for the trout season opener this Saturday.
3/31/2024
Many anglers were out yesterday enjoying Mentored Youth Trout Day! Great trout catches came in from Pine, Crooked Creek, Hamilton, Cowanesque River, and Mill Creek, among others. Butterworms, wax worms, and powerbait were working best. A few anglers were catching perch and bass at Hammond too. Live minnows fished off the bottom were working for the perch. The Keystone Select stretch on Pine Creek is also fishing well with anglers catching nice trout on Yo Zuri Pins minnows and similar hardbaits. Redfin patterns are also particularly popular. Fly anglers did well with a variety of nymphs and streamers.
3/25/2024
Cold weather has made for interesting conditions this past week with ice cover coming back to the coves and small ponds across the county. Things are finally shaping up to more normal weather as we near April and the trout season opener. Anglers are catching some panfish now at Hills Creek, Hamilton, and Hammond. Live minnows have been popular for crappies, plus a variety of small jigs. Chartruese, white, and white/red were the most popular colors
2/18/2024
As of yeserday, all of the lakes were still ice free. Across the county we got 3 inches or so of snow. Likely we will see a little skim ice on the lakes, but we will not be ice fishing again this county. Get the long rods out and enjoy the early start to the open water season!
2/14/24
Lakes have thawed out this, but cold weather is expected through the weekend. It is unlikely that we will ice fish again this season, but not entirely impossible. We will check back Friday. Remember trout season is closed on Feb 19th. This includes most stocked waters, except specially regulated waters. Hamilton, Beechwood Lake, and the Keystone Select stretch on Pine are all open to fishing year round.
2/8/24
Cold nights have been refreezing most of the smaller lakes, but highs in the mid 40's-50's all week will prevent any fishable ice from forming. The Beechwood Ice fishing tournament was cancelled. Anglers are doing well in the Tioga River for walleyes, smallmouth, and perch. A few people have been fishing Hamilton Lake and catching trout near the boat launch too. Pine is at a nice level and a few people are fishing. Stickbaits, streamers, and nymphs have been best.
**2/2/2024 Tioga County ICE Update***
1/24/24 A few people have been fishing Beechwood these past few days. Ice is variable, but anglers were finding 4-5 inches along the roadside shoreline. Perch, crappies, and trout are being caught. Ice conditions on the other lakes have not been suitable for fishing. Warmer weather is expected for the remainder of the week. We will post ice updates again late Friday.
***1/19/2024 Tioga County Ice Update***
1/17/2024 Roughly 5-6 inches of snow fell yesterday across the county. Ice conditions reports will be posted on Friday. A few anglers were venturing onto some farm ponds today.
1/13/2024 We opted to wait a few more days to post ice conditions. These past few days have been warm and more snow/rain came through last night. The smaller lakes are holding some ice and should refreeze quickly with the cold temps moving in!
1/10/2024 Snow and heavy rain came through yesterday, but the smaller lakes and many farm ponds are holding their ice caps. With frigid weather moving in this weekend, we expect to be ice fishing sometime next week. We will be posting initial ice reports on Facebook, Ice Shanty, and here on Friday. We will update again next week too. Things are shaping up nicely to almost definitely have fishable conidtions late next week. Tioga, Hammond, and Cowanesque Lakes could take some time yet. Snowmelt and rain has raised the lakes considerably. We will update again as they come down.
1/7/2024 A heavy snow moved through the region last night and blanketted the county with about 3-5 inches. Most of the smaller lakes have capped over and this snow should turn to slush and refreeze into a layer of white ice on top. We will be ice fishing very soon! Some rain is expected mid-week, but temps look excellent past that.
1/1/2024 - We are off to a slow start for winter and it will likely be another couple weeks until we see fishable ice. However, anglers are doing well catching trout in many of the small wild trout streams as well as in the stocked waters. Hamilton, Lyman Run, and Beechwood Lakes were all restocked this fall, as was the Keystone Select stretch of Pine Creek. Small streamers and nymphs have been most popular.
Tioga and Cowanesque rivers are fishing well with anglers catching good numbers of walleyes, smallmouth, perch, and crappies at both spillways. Fatheads, Medium Shiners, and small swimbaits have been the best baits.
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