Lake Erie: Creeks are low and clear but holding steelhead. The bigger tributaries such as Elk and Walnut on the west side, Twenty Mile and Sixteen Mile on the east side, and Conneaut in Ohio are the best bet in these conditions. Although fish tend cluster in the lower reaches, the larger streams also are holding fish in the deeper holes of the upper reaches, as a result of last week's rainfall. On Sixteen Mile, for instance, fish are as far as the falls by the sewer plant, although they have been heavily pressured. An angler landed an 11-pound 6-ouncer on a minnow Wednesday on Walnut. Spencer Truman, 11, of Butler released a 9-pound steelhead at Elk Creek's twin tunnels earlier this week. In low, clear conditions, single eggs, small jigs and sucker spawn in pale yellow, chartreuse and bright orange are good bets, as are scrambled egg patterns in the color combination of salmon egg and egg, according to Lake Erie Ultimate Angler. The shop also recommends its Diamond Spawn pattern (a take-off on Crystal Meth). Soft hackle patterns work as well as streamers and Wooly Buggers in tough conditions. Bait anglers are using maggots and minnows. At Chatauqua Creek, steelies are cruising the shoreline, waiting for runoff to open up some tributaries, and anglers are trolling for them as conditions allow. Anglers also have been trolling Presque Isle Bay for steelhead. As for other species, there are mixed results on perch from the south pier, with one angler catching up to a dozen over 9 inches. The marina in the bay is yielding a few crappies in 54-degree water temperatures, which is still a little warm.

Lake Arthur (Butler County): Anglers report good crappie fishing, although sizes are small with just an occasional 1-plus pounder reported. Perch also are hitting around brush piles and concrete pilings. A few smallmouth bass are reported and numbers of channel catfish.

Lake Wilhelm (Mercer County): A bounty of bluegills -- about 50 percent keepers -- and crappies up to 13 inches are hitting at Sheakleyville Bridge. Recent rains have helped to finally return water levels to normal, after repairs to the dam. As of yesterday, anglers are now allowed to fish from the docks. With local campgrounds closed for the year, fewer anglers are targeting largemouth bass.

Shenango Reservoir (Mercer County): Angling pressure has been low, although the crappie bite is improving, with catches coming more in shallow water. Catfish and smallmouth bass also are hitting.

Oil Creek, Little Sandy Creek (Venango County): Conditions are low and clear but both streams are fishable, and recently stocked trout are coming on subsurface flies.

Allegheny River: Tommy Lippert of Spring Garden caught 52 fish this year to win the Venture Outdoors Downtown TriAnglers' Angler of the Year at the final outing of the season Wednesday on the North Shore. Rob Walters of Bethel Park had the biggest fish of the year -- a 30-inch carp he landed on a fly rod fishing a corn-scented elk-hair fly. The group caught a total of 506 fish this year, representing 20 species. This week's big catches included Lippert's 18 1/2-inch channel cat. Also on the Allegheny, Myron K. Webb of Garfield caught a 19-inch smallmouth bass on a shiner Oct. 20 at the Highland Park Dam. Small saugers were boated in the same spot over the weekend. A few crappies also are reported.

Monongahela River: Paul Lazzari of Charleroi caught a 20-pound hybrid striper on a white bucktail jig yesterday at Lock 4 in Charleroi. The waters around New Eagle and Monongahela are yielding nice numbers of walleyes about 17 inches, and a few smallmouths. One angler has had consistent success jigging minnows at the mouths of creeks and around bridge piers.

Ohio River: Only a handful of anglers were on the water under bluebird skies Wednesday, but they caught a mixed bag of species in mostly small sizes. Last weekend, Yough Walleye Association tournament anglers did well around the Alcosan warm-water discharge, which produced a near 6-pound lunker. A noncontestant in a pontoon boat released a 30-inch walleye in the same spot.

High Point Lake (Somerset County): Anglers are catching average-size smallmouth bass from shore and some panfish.

Raystown Lake (Huntingdon County): Striped bass are hitting in 12 to 25 feet. Most are coming on live bait, including shad, trout and alewives, and are ranging from 10 to 25 pounds. Lake trout started hitting at the end of October in 30 to 40 feet. Anglers are catching them trolling flutter spoons, with chartreuse especially effective. Sizes are averaging 5 to 8 pounds.

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