Early Season Trout-Stocked Program waters close at 12:01 a.m. April 1 and remain off-limits until opening day of trout season April 3 in the southeastern counties and April 17 in the rest of the state. The special regulations sections of streams are stocked and open to fishing year-round. Maryland's trout season opens April 3. Check southwest Pennsylvania stocking schedules by county weekdays in the Post-Gazette. Find full schedules at www.fishandboat.com.

Lake Erie: Steelheading was slow in the tributaries Thursday, with smaller jacks at the mouths and older fish farther upstream. Poor Richard's Bait and Tackle reports there hasn't been much of a spring run so far. Walnut Creek was low and clear, and Elk Creek had good color. Perch were hitting on the peninsula side of Presque Isle Bay.

Pymatuning Reservoir (Crawford County): Anglers were catching walleyes by wading the shallows in the evenings and from boats drifting minnows during the day. One boater caught a 28-inch walleye. The crappie bite was on in recent days with the shallow bays yielding both numbers and sizes. Some large perch up to 13, 14 inches were hitting in the bays. A number of muskies up to 44 inches were released.

Lake Wilhelm (Mercer County): Crappies and bluegills in mixed sizes were reported. About half the panfish were keepers. Perch also were reported. Anglers were catching largemouth bass up to 20 inches. The shallow bays were the best bet for all of these species.

Lake Arthur (Butler County): Jerry Osborne of Evans City caught a 1-pound, 20-ounce, 13??-inch crappie March 17, and other anglers reported big numbers of crappies, with the eastern bays especially productive in recent days. Crappies were schooling in about 8 feet on brush piles. Largemouth bass also were hitting. Shawn Beggs of Lindora caught a 13-pound, 2-ounce, 29-inch catfish Tuesday.

Glade Run Lake (Butler County): Trout were hitting on this Early Season Trout-Stocked Program water, which also was yielding crappies in recent days.

Oneida Reservoir (Butler County): Nice catches of crappies were reported last weekend.

Hereford Manor Lakes, Bradys Run Lake and Raccoon Lake (Beaver County): Anglers were catching stocked trout on a variety of lures in recent days.

Allegheny River: Water was about 3 feet over summer pool level, but not too dirty and beginning to come down Thursday. A good walleye bite was reported, with anglers releasing fish up to 21 inches from shore at the mouth of Deer Creek in the evening hours.

Yellow Creek Lake (Indiana County): Northern pike, crappies and perch were reported in recent days.

Lake Rowena, Duman Dam (Cambria County): Both of these Early Season Trout-Stocked Program lakes were yielding trout in recent days.

Wilmore Dam (Cambria County): This Panfish Enhancement Program water was yielding crappies in recent days.

Quemahoning Reservoir (Somerset County): Northern pike up to 29 inches were reported in recent days, along with brown bullhead catfish. A 27??-inch brown trout was released.

Laurel Hill Lake (Somerset County): Anglers are catching a trout on this Early Season Trout-Stocked Program water in recent days.

Loyalhanna Creek, Indian Creek (Westmoreland, Fayette counties): Fishing pressure was high on Loyalhanna's Delayed Harvest Artificial Lures Only section, but extremely light on Indian Creek's project waters last weekend.

Dunbar Creek (Fayette County): Saturday's state trout-stocking brought heavy pressure to the Delayed Harvest Artificial Lures Only section last weekend.

Report your catch to fishingreport@post-gazette.com. Include angler's name, age (for children), place of residence, species, size, body of water, date of catch and phone number (not for publication).

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