A trio of small lakes recovering from recent water drawdowns in Central Pennsylvania were given new fishing regulations by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission in a virtual meeting on Monday. For all 3 lakes the new regulations will take effect after they are published a second time in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.
The lakes are Opossum Lake near Carlisle in Cumberland County and lakes Perez and Whipple in Huntingdon County.
Opossum Lake, a 47-acre, state-owned impoundment about 6 miles northwest of Carlisle, was removed from Miscellaneous Special Regulations, which allowed for the harvest of trout under but only catch-and-release fishing for all other fish species.
With fish populations continuing to improve in the wake of the lake being refilled after dam and spillway repairs, the lake was added to the commission’s Big Bass program and Panfish Enhancement program for crappies. All other fish species will be managed under general statewide regulations.
Under Big Bass regulations, anglers at Opossum Lake will be permitted to harvest up to 4 bass with a minimum size of 15 inches year-round, except during the annual no-harvest period of mid-April through mid-June. On lakes managed under general statewide regulations, up to 6 bass measuring 12 inches or longer may be harvested daily from mid-June through the end of October and up to 4 bass measuring at least 15 inches each from the start of November through mid-April.
Under Panfish Enhancement regulations, they will be permitted to harvest 20 crappies at least 9 inches in length. Under general statewide panfish regulations, anglers may harvest 50 fish combined species - sunfish, yellow perch, white perch, crappies, catfish, rock bass, suckers, carp, white bass and bowfin.
Opossum Lake was drained in October 2008 to complete dam and spillway repairs and modifications to meet Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection dam safety standards. Following completion of the project, the lake was refilled by spring 2013 and the commission resumed annual adult trout stocking to provide immediate angling opportunities.
In addition, the commission stocked the lake from 2013-15 with select fish species to establish a high-quality, warmwater and coolwater fishery. Bass and panfish populations were evaluated from 2015-20 to monitor progress toward that goal, and sportfish abundance and population size structure have steadily improved to levels where populations can now sustain limited harvest.
Lake Perez, a 72-acre lake owned by Penn State in Barree Township, Huntingdon County, was added to the Panfish Enhancement program for sunfish and crappies. All other fish species will be managed under statewide regulations.
The reservoir was drained in late spring 2009 to complete dam and spillway repairs and modifications required by DEP dam safety standards. Following completion of the project, the lake was refilled in 2014 and the commission resumed annual adult trout stocking in 2015 to provide immediate angling opportunities.
The commission also stocked the lake from 2014-18 with select fish species to establish a self-sustaining, high-quality, warmwater and coolwater fishery.
The bass and panfish populations were evaluated in 2019 and 2020 to monitor progress toward that goal and sportfish abundance and population size structure have improved to levels where populations can now sustain limited harvest.
Under Panfish Enhancement regulations, anglers at Lake Perez will be permitted to harvest sunfish at least 7 inches in length and crappies at least 9 inches in length, each with a daily limit of 20. All other fish species will be covered by general statewide regulations.
For 17-acre Whipple Lake in Whipple Dam State Park, in Jackson Township, Huntingdon County, about 6 miles south of State College, commissioners imposed Miscellaneous Special Regulations that will allow for the harvest of trout but allow only catch-and-release fishing for all other fish species.
As the lake is restocked with fish under a multi-year restocking plan, those regulations will allow for the most rapid development of a balanced warmwater and coolwater fish community while offering some recreational angling opportunities.
Whipple Lake was drained in October 2019 to remove sediment and complete structural improvements to the dam. The improvements were completed last year, and refilling expected to begin this month. The commission plans to initiate stocking of the lake with catchable trout and fingerling plants of select other species this spring.
Contact Marcus Schneck at mschneck@comcast.net.
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