Fishing Report For Melton Hill Lake, PA

Current Report: Good To Very Good

Crappie fishing continues to be good here at Melton Hill Lake. Limits of 15 have been easy to come by, year round.

WINTER. The current water temperature is in the 40's. Now that the shallows have turned cold, crappie have migrated to deeper holding areas, mostly off shore. Currently they are being caught using a very slow presentation, in 10 to 20 feet of water. Most are caught around creek channel bends, submerged timber, deep brush piles, and main-lake structure. When they suspend in open water, they often relate to some cover, or structure change, directly below them. During warming trends, especially warm afternoons, they are drawn into about 10 feet of water to feed.

SPRING. In early Spring, crappie begin staging in 6 to 12 feet of water, just outside spawning bays and shallow flats. The area around Bull Run Park to the back of the Fowler Branch, the Bearden Creek bays, the Walker Branch, the McKoy Branch and up the Clinch River are all good areas to fish when crappie are shallow. Spring is prime time to be on the water, as both black crappie and white crappie have moved shallow to spawn. At that time, they are typically caught in 2 to 8 feet of water. Vegetation, docks, brush and wood are where most anglers catch crappie using small crappie jigs or live minnows. After the spawn, crappie typically move outside the spawning area and hold on cover close by, in 8 to 12 feet of water. Early and late in the day they are being caught in 3 to 8 feet of water. Once they move deep, anglers report success using fish finders and forward facing sonar to locate schools of crappie, which tend to stack vertically around cover. Light tackle, with 4 lb to 8 lb line, is a popular choice.

SUMMER. Water temperatures get quite warm, and crappie fishing is usually pretty good. They feed in 8 to 15 feet of water early and late in the day, until the hot Summer sun causes them to retreat to depths of 12 to 25 feet. Also, a few have embedded in the shade of slightly shallower vegetation. This is a good time to focus around brush piles, standing timber, deep lay downs, bridge pilings and deeper docks. Anglers are also locating schools of crappie hanging over deep structure and around creek channel edges, using fish-finder electronics.

FALL. As Fall begins warming the shallows, baitfish, move into shallow flats, coves and bays, which draws crappie into these areas. They will be feeding heavily in preparation for the cold Winter, in 2 to 12 feet of water. Minnows, hair jigs, and crappie jigs, are good options during this feeding marathon. Late Fall which turns the shallows cold, starts pushing crappie deeper, toward winter holding areas. Small flutter spoons, fished in 10 to 20 feet of water, are a good option during this transition. Good results typically come around points, creek channels, and brush piles. Points and river channel bends, and the mouths of Beaver and Hope creeks, are popular areas in Fall.

Current Report: Good

Melton Hill Lake was home to the state record musky, well over 40 pounds. And, there are plenty of others well on their way to topping that. Big muskies are being caught on large, flashy baits, particularly if they make noise. Locals report using heavy braided line with strong, steel leaders.

WINTER. Current water temperatures are in the mid 40's, and dropping. Muskie have moved deeper and hold on structure in 6 to 15 feet of water. Good reports are coming from downstream of the warm-water discharge at Bull Run steam-plant, and standing and fallen timber in mid sections of the lake. Points, deep weedbeds, drop-offs, channel edges and corners around the mouths of rivers are good now. Muskie are being caught all through cold-winter season. Cold water causes muskie to be less active in winter, due to slowed metabolism. Slow moving, or motionless presentations are in order. Jigging spoons, ciscoes, shiners and suckers are favorites of muskie enthusiasts.

SPRING. Muskie move from their deep wintering habitat into shallow bays and flats for Spring spawning. They prowl 3 to 10 feet deep, once water temperatures get into the 50's. Shoreline flats and weedbeds, in creek mouths and shallow coves, in the upper reservoir, are popular spawning grounds. Noisy, flashy, and bright color lures are ideal during this time as they are very aggressive. After the spawn is over and water temperatures rise, concentrate on weed lines, and drop-offs along the edges of weedy flats, 8 to 15 feet deep. Big spinners, bass assassins, and Johnson spoons will all attract hungry muskie.

SUMMER. Early and late in the day, muskie cruise shallower cover in search of food in 8 to 12 feet of water. During mid day they prefer the cooler water 10 to 25 feet deep. Ledges, reefs, weedbeds, islands, channel edges, and deep brush piles and standing timber in upper creek arms, are the primary areas to find muskie during the warmer months of Summer. Some of the larger muskie may also suspend in open water, just outside these areas. Trolling or drift fishing reportedly produces some nice catches, using spoons, big spinners and deep diving crankbaits.

FALL. Cooling water moves these predators into shallower water to feed. They spend other times of the day on points and flats, from 6 to 15 feet deep, along drops into even deeper water. This is a good time to catch a trophy fish. Main lake channel edges, points around secondary creek inlets, mid-lake humps, and flats around creek mouths, are all popular areas in Fall. Later in Fall, they drop into 10 to 15 feet of water, often moving shallower for short periods of time, mostly in late afternoon when the shallows are the warmest.

Current Report: Good

WINTER. Now that Winter has set in, stripers are hanging out in deeper water. They usually feed close to the bottom, often as deep as 25 or 30 feet. Warm, sunny afternoons occasionally draw stripers shallower, to around 15 feet deep as they feed on roaming schools of gizzard shad, threadfin shad and blueback herring. The main lake basin, along deep channels is holding schools of stripers, especially in the section of lake downstream of the warm-water discharge at Bull Run steam-plant. Locate schools of bait, then look for stripers close by. Fish finders, and forward facing sonar, are a big help in locating these roaming schools. Nice stripers are caught while drift fishing with live bait or cut bait. Spoons, blade baits, and heavy hair jigs are also effective this time of year. Due to the stripers slower metabolism this time of year, anglers are triggering more strikes by working baits more slowly.

SPRING. Water temperatures are return to the mid 60's, and that's ideal for the stripers to spawn. In Spring, work the upper end of the lake, and the backs of coves, where there is inflowing water. If they spawn, this is where they will lay eggs in the moving water. They also move into transition zones on the main lake, in 6 to 18 feet of water, feeding on baitfish which are moving toward the shallows. Expect to locate them on mid-depth ledges, flats or points. The lake produces significant numbers of 30-pound plus fish, and many anglers believe there are giants yet to be caught.

SUMMER. Summer months are the ideal time to chase striped bass here. These stripers hang out in deeper water during the heat of the day, 15 to 30 feet deep, early in the season. Much of the time they are holding over deeper, open water. Morning often draws the stripers shallower, so look for them around the 10-foot range as they feed on roaming schools of baitfish. Being successful at fishing for stripers in Summer is a matter of locating schools of bait, and the wolf packs of stripers are likely to be nearby. Later in Summer, expect to locate schools 20 to 30 feet deep. Fish finders, and sonar electronics, are a big help in locating these roaming schools. Nice stripers are being caught while trolling or drift fishing. Spoons, blade baits, crankbaits, live bait and cut bait are all effective here.

FALL. In Fall, stripers return to shallower water. Early in the day stripers chase bait to the surface and feed aggressively, making this an excellent time for topwater action. They follow schools of bait, which are hanging out in 8 to 20 feet of water. Look for shallow water along wind-blown shorelines, nearby deeper river channels, and fish them thoroughly. Most any lure that resembles shad will catch striped bass at this time of year. Late Fall will find most of the stripers in 20 to 30 feet of water. Tailwaters from the Norris Dam often hold healthy concentrations of fish.