The ice is finally gone from the lakes after a long and
productive ice fishing season and the open water fishing is heating up.
Just after ice out is a good time to target pre-spawned
and post-spawned northern pike. At this time of the year pike move into the shallows
near shore and the mouths of creeks entering lakes to search for spawning areas.
This lucky youngster took advantage of this pattern to catch
this 33-inch, 10lb. northern pike at the mouth of Spruce Run Creek in Spruce Run
Reservoir the first weekend of March. The
young angler was using a bobber and hook baited with a large shiner. It took him
15 minutes to play and land his trophy fish.
Another location that's heating up in early
spring is the Delaware River as American shad begin their annual migration up
river. You can follow the action in the Reports from the
Delaware River as the weather warms and the fishing begins to get hot.
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