WCO Report for Erie County 06/01/2011: Erie area, PA,
WCO Report Posted: June 01, 2011

Brought to you by FishLakeErie.com


[FishLakeErie.com] [ PA Fish Reports ] [ News/Articles ] [ More WCO Reports & Photos ] [ Recent WCO ]

Posted by DWCO Randy Leighton on June 01, 2011 at 06:23:58:

June 1st, 2011

West Erie County, DWCO Randy Leighton, rglerie@msn.com

Conditions:
The holiday weekend brought the warm temperatures to the area, kicking off the unofficial start of the Erie area boating season. A scorcher this past Monday put a good number of boats on the Lake and the Bay. Anglers jumped at the chance take advantage of good wind and wave conditions on Lake Erie. The question all weekend was "where are the perch?" It is a bit early, and Perch catches were sporadic with anglers still looking for the large schools. A number of anglers are claimed to be marking sizable schools at times although they just aren't hitting hard yet. Bass anglers are still hitting them well both in the bay and out in the lake. Walleye catches have been fair at night along the Lake shore in 15 to 25 feet of water. Rising temperature forecasts over the next few week or so should quickly bring lake temperatures up and improve both the perch and walleye fishing. Bass fishing has been fair to good in the tribs especially in the deeper slow moving pools. The Fairview Gravel pit pond is still holding plenty of stocked trout.
Current Lake Erie water temperature as of this writing is an 56 degrees, relatively normal for early June.

Walnut Creek Access Alert: A fairly large "sink hole" has developed in the boat "ready area". The hole is temporally well marked and will be a focus for immediate repair. Boaters are advised to use caution in this area, especially at night.

Know Your Fire Extinguisher Before It's Needed:
As a boat owner, how well do you know you fire extinguisher? There is no question that in an emergency you'll have no better friend than a well-maintained, well-located U.S. fire extinguisher that meets Coast Guard regulations. Like any friend however, neglect it and your extinguisher may not be there for you when you need it most.
Staying on the best of terms with your fire extinguisher doesn't take a lot of effort. The most common type of fire extinguisher found on most family boats is the dry powder extinguisher. These extinguishers typically have an easy to read pressure gauge that you should check on a monthly basis.

When you check the pressure gauge also give the entire bottle a good look. Plastic nozzles can be easily damaged and may not function properly if they are blocked.

It is also recommended to give your dry powder extinguisher a thorough shaking at least twice a year because "the powder charge can settle and become compacted during long periods of disuse."

If you shake your extinguisher twice a year, then when you shake it for the tenth time it should be the last. The National Fire Protection Association recommends that non-rechargeable, powder-type extinguishers be routinely replaced after five years, even though they have not been used and appear to be in good shape."

For those boat owners with carbon dioxide or Halon type extinguishers, checking and shaking is not the way to go. These gaseous type extinguishers require periodic inspection and certification by trained and licensed service providers. "The tank must be weighed to ensure that it is still full. Those that have lost more than 10 percent of their charge must be recharged in order to be effective. Weighing should be a part of a semi-annual inspection.

Your fire extinguisher is required to be USCG approved for marine use and at least one extinguisher should be securely mounted within arms reach of the operator. Extinguishers are required on all boats with internal combustion engines with enclosed compartments for portable fuel tanks and boats with permanently mounted fuel tanks.

No matter what type of fire extinguishers you have aboard your boat, a little regularly scheduled TLC will go a long way to ensuring a long lasting friendship for you and your extinguisher. Ref. ICBM Inc.

Law Enforcement:
PFBC boats are now on the water help ensure boat safety for both you and for those around you. If you are stopped, consider the minor inconvenience to be your assurance that officers in our area are doing their part to keep our shores and our boaters as safe as possible.

Marker buoys are now in through out Presque Isle Bay to assist boaters in identifying minimum wake areas and swimming areas. These markers are the traffic signs on the water and citations can be issued if they are ignored. Boaters are advised that specific minimum wake areas in the area include the Erie channel to the lake, Marina Lake and its entrance channel, Misery Bay, and Horseshoe Pond, and areas with in the marker buoys around Dobbins Landing, Beach 11 outside the Erie Channel and the south side of Presque Isle.

Pennsylvania / Ohio Line:
Pennsylvania has no reciprocal laws with Ohio on Lake Erie regarding regulations and a resident license is required for the state's waters that you are fishing. If on the Pennsylvania side of the line you must have a valid Pennsylvania license and all PA regulations apply. If on the Ohio side of the line, you must have and Ohio license and Ohio regulations will apply. If fishing along or near the state line (GPS 80 degrees, 31.1 minutes West) be sure you have the proper license and know the regulations for the waters you are on. For example, if you are from Ohio and have drifted well over the PA line, you must have a PA license, and all PA regulations will apply. If one were to catch their limit of Perch in Ohio with an Ohio License (30 fish) and then move over the line to PA. and catch additional Perch in PA. with a PA license, the angler would be considered over his limit for PA. Remember, Pa regulations state catch, kill, or possess

Local Weather:

Wednesday Night...Mostly clear and breezy. Cooler with lows in the mid 50s. West winds 15 to 25 mph...diminishing to 10 to 15 mph after midnight.

Thursday...Mostly sunny. Highs in the upper 60s. West winds 10 to 15 mph.

Thursday Night...Partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 50s. West winds 10 to 15 mph...becoming southeast around 5 mph after midnight.

Friday...Partly sunny in the morning...then becoming mostly cloudy. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the lower 70s. Chance of rain 30 percent.

Friday Night...Partly cloudy with a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows around 60. Chance of rain 30 percent.

Saturday...Partly sunny. Highs in the lower 80s.

Saturday Night...Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 60s.

Sunday...Partly cloudy. Highs in the lower 70s.

Sunday Night...Partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 50s.

Monday...Partly sunny. Highs in the mid 70s.

Monday Night...Partly cloudy. Lows in the upper 50s.





[FishLakeErie.com] [ PA Fish Reports ] [ News/Articles ] [ More WCO Reports & Photos ] [ Recent WCO ]


(71.116.34.51)