# PYMIE



## BassMagic (Oct 17, 2014)

Spent the last few days up at the cottage. Mostly mowing! But did manage to fish Sunday morning and Monday afternoon. Pretty quiet up there. Water temp still in the low 70's on the surface. Which is warm for this time of year! There's still lots of green weeds and I didn't see any baitfish balled up yet. The lake is still in a summer pattern. Water is at normal pool also. Good fishing everyone!


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## chaunc (Apr 11, 2004)

I haven’t wasted my time on Pymatuning this summer. After early June when they started spraying the weed killer, my favorite spots on the south end were void of fish. Spent my time on Erie and the other two lakes in the area.


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## UNCLEMIKE (Jul 23, 2014)

chaunc said:


> I haven’t wasted my time on Pymatuning this summer. After early June when they started spraying the weed killer, my favorite spots on the south end were void of fish. Spent my time on Erie and the other two lakes in the area.


Hey Chaunc, can you elaborate on the weed killer. I am in the dark on this as I bet many are. Thanks!


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## chaunc (Apr 11, 2004)

UNCLEMIKE said:


> Hey Chaunc, can you elaborate on the weed killer. I am in the dark on this as I bet many are. Thanks!


For the last two to three years, on the south end, they have been spraying the area in June, to try to halt the invasive weed growth. This in turn is removing the areas where smaller baitfish would use after the hatch. The crappies and other fish would use the brushpiles in the area close to the shallower weedbeds to hold up on. With the weeds being gone, no baitfish hatches in that area. No bait, the fish move out of those spots looking to find where the bait has moved too. I’ve scanned my favorite spots very thoroughly and they have been void of fish. The brush and stuff is still there but the fish just aren’t using it. Some guys have found where they’ve moved too but I’m not one of them. Even my friends that guide there have given up. Good luck searching for them. Those guys that have aren’t telling much.


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## GRW (Aug 31, 2006)

They buzz around the shoreline or wherever in an airboat. Makes a lot of noise.


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## Pymiewalleye (Oct 12, 2014)

I agree no weeds have made fishing difficult. Usually May and June walleye are hanging in the weeds chasing baitfish. But the last 2 years I’ve been getting eyes in 18-25 Ft in May and June trolling with leadcore and planner boards. The baitfish have been hanging in deeper water so I guess that’s why the eyes are there . I’ve caught a lot of nice size crappie trolling deep water also the last 2 years in May and June.


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## wetlander (Jul 12, 2012)

Fished there Monday and noticed a lack of weeds(coontail) that we usually see. What invasive weed are they treating. Launched this summer and had a young fella doing a survey about if I clean my boat after using it. Said you could be sited if you brought in any invasive plant, even unintentionally. They were concerned about Hydrilla getting established.


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## UNCLEMIKE (Jul 23, 2014)

chaunc said:


> For the last two to three years, on the south end, they have been spraying the area in June, to try to halt the invasive weed growth. This in turn is removing the areas where smaller baitfish would use after the hatch. The crappies and other fish would use the brushpiles in the area close to the shallower weedbeds to hold up on. With the weeds being gone, no baitfish hatches in that area. No bait, the fish move out of those spots looking to find where the bait has moved too. I’ve scanned my favorite spots very thoroughly and they have been void of fish. The brush and stuff is still there but the fish just aren’t using it. Some guys have found where they’ve moved too but I’m not one of them. Even my friends that guide there have given up. Good luck searching for them. Those guys that have aren’t telling much.


Thanks for taking the time to respond! Good info to have. Appreciate it.


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## ignantmike (Apr 30, 2005)

fished the south end yesterday with a friend....caught a few bass off the shoreline....in fallen tree's....nice day to be out....it got pretty choppy around 130pm...and that's when we left....fish were caught using pumpkin seed worms and white spinner bait....what a chore it was trying to trailer the boat with the wind.....I was laughing the whole time....and i'm sure the guy's fishing near the launch were too....hahaha...


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## stormfront (Feb 18, 2016)

wetlander said:


> Fished there Monday and noticed a lack of weeds(coontail) that we usually see. What invasive weed are they treating. Launched this summer and had a young fella doing a survey about if I clean my boat after using it. Said you could be sited if you brought in any invasive plant, even unintentionally. They were concerned about Hydrilla getting established.


These are choking out some of the bays on the north end. Bad stuff.

https://www.outdoornews.com/2015/10/12/nasty-invasive-threatens-fishing-hunting-at-pymatuning/


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## wetlander (Jul 12, 2012)

Good info. Didn't realize it was already present. Not good.


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## jjanda (Nov 11, 2018)

Could someone post a current water temperature or point me in the direction of where I could find up to date water temperature. Thanks in advance. 

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## $diesel$ (Aug 3, 2018)

No animosity intended, but i find that info heart breaking. I had no idea. 
I haven't fished Pymie much lately as per erie, but i basicly grew up on that lake fishing it the first time in roughly 1973.
I had no clue this was happening and it sickens me to the core. I love that old lake, the area around it and the very nice folks (for the most part) that one meets in those parts.
I only hope that our excellent DNR boys can come up with a solution. It'd be a damn sad day to see Pymie ruined.


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## stormfront (Feb 18, 2016)

Bennett Bay, The Old Legion, and some of the bays on the far north end are getting choked off right now. The unstoppable siltation and introduction of Alewifes were bad enough but this is ominous to those who have spent a lifetime fishing that lake.


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## Krt1911 (Mar 30, 2014)

jjanda said:


> Could someone post a current water temperature or point me in the direction of where I could find up to date water temperature. Thanks in advance.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk


69.5 to 74.5 is what I got today. Surface temp on Lowrance.


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## jjanda (Nov 11, 2018)

Thank you for posting the temps krt1911.

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## bohio (May 25, 2009)

Had a great night there last night!! All catch n release!!


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## allwayzfishin (Apr 30, 2008)

bohio said:


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Yup! Great smallmouth lake. I’ve had 50 fish days with some huge 4+ pounders boated. Hopefully this lake can rebound from the current invasive species. Time will tell


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## stormfront (Feb 18, 2016)

Congrats, Bohio. It must have been one heck of a memory-making day. Those cannon balls sure can jump, eh?

Alwayz., my bud and I once hit 37 (my best) one evening on #5 floating Raps. Usually we fished larger baits but the fish were in to appetizers that day. After two hours of fishing our thumbs were both bloody.

The two biggest bass that I've ever caught were smallies while wading on the south end of the lake. They were absolute pigs. The lake has long been known as a walleye, crappie and muskie lake but the smallmouth population is really overlooked (for which I'm happy about). September and October have always been my best months too.


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## allwayzfishin (Apr 30, 2008)

stormfront said:


> Congrats, Bohio. It must have been one heck of a memory-making day. Those cannon balls sure can jump, eh?
> 
> Alwayz., my bud and I once hit 37 (my best) one evening on #5 floats Raps. Usually we fished larger baits but the fish were in to appetizers that day. After two hours of fishing our thumbs were both bloody.
> 
> The two biggest bass that I've ever caught were smallies while wading on the south end of the lake. They were absolute pigs. The lake has long been known as a walleye, crappie and muskie lake but the smallmouth population is really overlooked (for which I'm happy about). September and October have always been my best months too.


I was casting a 3” white jerkbait so yeah, these fish school up on the bait balls and just go crazy. I was hooking up as soon as the jerkbait hit the water! The bass would blow up on it and at times launch the bait into the air, hits the water again and another would grab it! It’s the most fun I’ve had had fishin softwater. I went through two jerks that day because the first one was chewed up so bad the lip broke of from viscous strikes. Average fish was like two pounds. I’d just use the trolling motor in the shallow rocks looking for fish feeding, cast into it and hold on. I seriously need to get out sometime soon and take a break from this home renovation. I fished maybe at best like 10x this year so far. Plus I have so much tackle to open and organize it’s insane. Lol.


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## Willyfield (Apr 1, 2007)

My son and I live about 4 minutes from the south end. We used to wade out to our favorite weed bed and catch a couple dozen crappies a night. Since we live so close that really adds up when you can go almost every evening. Even in the summer we would catch them if you could plunk your bait into the manhole sized voids in the emergent weed beds. All of that is gone now. I have been there when the airboat pulled into our little cove spraying the weeds. We do not even bother to crappie fish there anymore. There aren't any weeds to fish.


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## brad crappie (Sep 29, 2015)

Willyfield said:


> My son and I live about 4 minutes from the south end. We used to wade out to our favorite weed bed and catch a couple dozen crappies a night. Since we live so close that really adds up when you can go almost every evening. Even in the summer we would catch them if you could plunk your bait into the manhole sized voids in the emergent weed beds. All of that is gone now. I have been there when the airboat pulled into our little cove spraying the weeds. We do not even bother to crappie fish there anymore. There aren't any weeds to fish.


They are killing the foreign invading specie of milforia right? But they kill all the good weeds too right.


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## dwmikemx (Mar 22, 2008)

Well that explains things. I try and get over to Pyma once a week to bass fish. Saw an air boat just North of the causeway this spring/early summer, thought is was odd.. 

I have been wondering what happened to the good weeds. 3 or 4 years ago the weeds were really good and each year since not so good. Earlier this year I was fishing some good matted weed beds, week later they were completely gone. Wish they would leave them alone and maybe thin the Lilly pad fields some. Weeds=fish !


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## RipitHard (Sep 28, 2014)

I fished a Muskie tourn. a couple weeks ago at Pym. The weed beds were scarce on the south end. Found some nice beds on the North. (outside of Pandaram launch, leading up to Clark island) Lots a bait, clinging to the weeds in that area. No Muskie thou. Our club boated a dozen, but it was tough locating the fish, with the lack of weed structure. Pyma seemed to be rebounding well with Muskies. I hope that the weed-kill doesn't hurt the fishing for them. It's always been a tough lake to fish for them to begin with. With No weeds, it makes it much harder.


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## chaunc (Apr 11, 2004)

Since they’re killing all the weeds on the southern end of the lake’s shallow water, they should put some type of manmade cover in those areas to replace them. I’m pretty sure that would help that situation some. It has to be small enough and thick enough for the baitfish to use but not the predator fish to get into. Does anyone have any idea on what to build? We want something that will last longer than a couple seasons than tree branches do. We have to find a way to bring our favorite areas back to good fishing. Any ideas and pics of manmade cover, post here.


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## Shed Hunter 365 (Dec 3, 2007)

chaunc said:


> Since they’re killing all the weeds on the southern end of the lake’s shallow water, they should put some type of manmade cover in those areas to replace them. I’m pretty sure that would help that situation some. It has to be small enough and thick enough for the baitfish to use but not the predator fish to get into. Does anyone have any idea on what to build? We want something that will last longer than a couple seasons than tree branches do. We have to find a way to bring our favorite areas back to good fishing. Any ideas and pics of manmade cover, post here.


How about some type of PVC contraption like they use in ponds. I bet some if the pond guys could chime in on this one.


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## hailtothethief (Jan 18, 2017)

If pyma puts out a request for donated fake christmas trees i bet they can fill the lake with em after christmas. Ice gets thick in january some time they can pile em on the ice.


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## $diesel$ (Aug 3, 2018)

chaunc said:


> Since they’re killing all the weeds on the southern end of the lake’s shallow water, they should put some type of manmade cover in those areas to replace them. I’m pretty sure that would help that situation some. It has to be small enough and thick enough for the baitfish to use but not the predator fish to get into. Does anyone have any idea on what to build? We want something that will last longer than a couple seasons than tree branches do. We have to find a way to bring our favorite areas back to good fishing. Any ideas and pics of manmade cover, post here.



There are multiple ways to do this, Jim. Shed Hunter has the right idea with the pvc. It can be very inexpensive as well if you can find uncontaminated used pcv or any cylindrical plastic.

















A couple ideas as food for thought.


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## Willyfield (Apr 1, 2007)

brad crappie said:


> They are killing the foreign invading specie of milforia right? But they kill all the good weeds too right.


Yes, they are probably using SONAR. It kills all weeds and is SUPER expensive.


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## Willyfield (Apr 1, 2007)

Willyfield said:


> Yes, they are probably using SONAR. It kills all weeds and is SUPER expensive.


Those structures work great in ponds as I use something like those on mine, but it would take tens (maybe hundreds) of thousands of them to replace all of the weed bed structure that has been eliminated out of Pymatuning.


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## brad crappie (Sep 29, 2015)

They are ready put the crib structures in but it’s not weeds! Hopefully in a few years the good weeds will dominate sgain


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## chaunc (Apr 11, 2004)

Willyfield said:


> Yes, they are probably using SONAR. It kills all weeds and is SUPER expensive.


This is one of the buckets they used. I pulled it from the dumpster that day.


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## brad crappie (Sep 29, 2015)

Am sure it’s not good for us eating those fish!!


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## miked913 (Feb 29, 2008)

brad crappie said:


> Am sure it’s not good for us eating those fish!!


Ok for Potable water source use. It'll be fine until Tim Misney says it's not

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## johnboy111711 (Apr 7, 2004)

There is some ongoing issues with similar products in both florida and on the california delta

https://www.winknews.com/2019/01/24/florida-will-stop-spraying-weeds-in-lakes-for-now/

https://www.sacbee.com/latest-news/article214871805.html


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## CDUCK (Feb 7, 2012)

killing all the weeds is ok to get rid of the milfoil, but they should actually try to jump start the good weeds by replanting some


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## PymyBone (Jan 12, 2014)

I wish they could kill some of the bait while they are at fished there this weekend and there is so much bait in the lake. I don't understand why pymatuning always has this over abundance of bait. There was times on the side scan that the whole screen was bait from top to bottom. 

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## vanhln (May 18, 2018)

miked913 said:


> Ok for Potable water source use. It'll be fine until Tim Misney says it's not
> 
> Sent from my moto z3 using Tapatalk



He will MAKE them pay!


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## Pymiewalleye (Oct 12, 2014)

Fall bite might be starting. Got 3 last night casting Rapalas in 4-5 ft of water


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## Morrow (Jul 29, 2018)

I was out yesterday. Water temperatures have dropped to about 52°. Started on the north end in the morning and it was fairly choppy. Landed a single walleye and channel catfish then went for lunch. Water on the south side in the afternoon was like glass; honestly the perfect mix of weather for fishing. Lost another walleye but ended the day with 16 perch of which 5 were keepers above 12". I think I only saw 3 boats out on the water in total.

Noticed a lack on weeds in spots where I had marked them in summer. Also tried some bank fishing from the causeway for bluegill but did not find any. Spotted muskie several times in the evening.


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