Fishing Equipment Tips Needed (Pittsburgh, Erie: living in, store, to eat)

[bum100]

I've been living in Pittsburgh for a while, but just recently started to fish here. I'm originally from Erie, so I'm used to fishing the lake. I tried to go fish the river last summer, but I don't think I have quite the right hook, sinker, and bait combination for the conditions. My whole assembly continually dragged the riverbed, so I pulled in more seaweed than anything else.

I'm not hardcore into fishing, and I'm not really trying to fish for anything specific, I just enjoy my time. If anyone could give me some tips on what setup they use (hopefully with some success), that would be great.

[Honest Bob]

Depending on which type of bait you use, and what you are trying to catch, I would use a good old fashioned bobber and no sinker.

Here is a good online store with what you are looking for.
FISHING HOOKS. Over 800 styles*and sizes of fish hooks*online. Need a fish hook, go to BARLOWS FISHING TACKLE EXPRESS.

Weedless Hooks - Weedless Hooks, Mustad hooks, Gamakatsu hooks, Barlow's Fishing Tackle online store.

Depending on how you rig and what you use for bait, you can't go wrong with anything in their catalog. I use small hooks and bait for small fish and large hooks and bait for larger fish.

Some people use chicken livers to catch cat fish.

[hempfield mania]

Originally Posted by bum100

I've been living in Pittsburgh for a while, but just recently started to fish here. I'm originally from Erie, so I'm used to fishing the lake. I tried to go fish the river last summer, but I don't think I have quite the right hook, sinker, and bait combination for the conditions. My whole assembly continually dragged the riverbed, so I pulled in more seaweed than anything else.

I'm not hardcore into fishing, and I'm not really trying to fish for anything specific, I just enjoy my time. If anyone could give me some tips on what setup they use (hopefully with some success), that would be great.

If you want to eat what you catch, I'd head for some of the local lakes and skip the rivers but if you are doing C & R, the rivers will be fine. This time of the year and into late May, I'd be fishing from shore at creek mouths and at the bases of the various dams on the rivers. The walleye, sauger and white bass will congregate here during their spawning runs and are easier to catch. Cast shallow diving crank baits and stick baits or bounce a 1/4 oz *** with a 3" power bait twister off the bottom in the current. Cast up stream and let the bait bounce bottom and reel up the slack as the bait works its way downstream. Lock 3 on the Allegheny river near Harmarville is a good place to start and Lock 3 bait and tackle will have everything you need and give you some tips. You can fish minnies too but I'd put them on a *** or carolina rig them (small slip sinker above a swivel, 3' fluorocarbon leader and a 1/0 or 2/0 circle hook). Thread the minnie on the hook through the lips and fish this like you would the ***. You can try a half a nightcrawler on a *** or *** with a twister body but minnies work a little better this time of year.