Feb 27, 2016 4 min read

Thank goodness February is almost over. With March comes hope and, more often than not, a few nice days.

In my younger years, I didn’t mind putting up with those cold winter months but as the hair greys my dislike for the cold also grows. I have visited a few outdoor shows along with the local gun show, but my thoughts keep drifting along Little Chartiers Creek tossing tin and feathers into the stream trying to fool a trout.

But in some years, March offers some fishing. Depending on the weather, I will make a trip to the outflow of the big Youghiogheny Reservoir and fish the tailrace. The drive to Confluence takes about an hour and a half but offers good trout fishing until the end of the month.

Then it reopens for the normal trout opener.

The Yough tailrace offers what I call easy fishing. The parking is in a park and offers restrooms and a clear approach. There’s no fighting off trees and brush to reach the fishing. There also are paved walkways along parts of the river and elevated platforms made just for fishing.

Just writing about it makes me want to go fishing.

Bait doesn’t need to be more than a worm or minnow. Wax worms and maggots also work well. In the winter bait can be hard to acquire but on the way there the angler passes S&S Bait Shop on Chalk Hill. It is on the right side of Route 40 just before that left turn that goes into Ohiopyle. Actually, the tailrace water goes downstream to where Ramcat Creek enters the river. I would guess that to be about a half mile below the bridge that goes into Confluence.

Other fishing spots have to include Canonsburg Lake which is also open in March. I like to use Powerbait there. In truth much of my March fishing will be in Washington County. I also go to Cross Creek Lake for crappie.

Weather also enters the picture, not because I don’t want to get wet or cold, but because weather affects the movement of these panfish.

It is water temperature that control their spawning urge and movement into the shallow water. Most anglers know these fish are minnow eaters and minnows or lures that imitate them are the right bait.

I prefer artificial lures because when the crappie are hitting, you can catch them faster with metal and feathers. You just don’t have to mess with the live bait.

When fishing Cross Creek Lake remember the crappie has to be 9 inches and up to be killed and bluwgill must at least 7 inches.

Early on, it is the smaller crappie that move in and the larger ones follow later. Some years this migration to the shallows starts early, but in some years it is delayed by a sudden change in the weather.

They can be hitting well and a March cold front moves through and they shut down. It can be like turning on a light switch. Small jigs, spinners, plugs and flies work well at a given time.

There are other places that hold crappie like the No. 2 Waterdam off of Waterdam Road. This is the lake between North Strabane and Peters Township. While not as good a lake as Cross Creek, it is close to home and easy to fish. I have seen crappie as big as 16 inches caught there but not consistently.

There is a hiking trail completely around the lake, so access is no problem.

I couldn’t fish last spring because of a hip replacement but I intend to this year. It’s a case of trial to find if they are hitting but even days when they are not it’s better than working.

• I was in Johnson’s Sporting Goods Store on Brownlee Road in Eighty Four when a salesman came in with an interesting product. The company was Predator Tactics and the product was a light system. I couldn’t resist acquiring one and it seems like a good product.

The kit contains a light charger, rifle mount, extra bulb or LED of a different color. There is a piggy back to add an extra battery making the light brighter. Truthfully, I haven’t used it hunting but will in the next couple of weeks and let everyone know what I really think of it.

One of its appeals it is just over $200 while another major light maker is double the cost. I know Johnson’s has them but I don’t know about Ace, A.R.H. or others.

George H. Block writes a Sunday Outdoors column for the Observer-Reporter.