Tom Evans.

It’s a good thing a new year is here, because the Keystone State has so many great fishing waters that anglers will need every one of those 365 days to fish them!

From Lake Erie’s excellent walleye, salmon, trout and yellow perch fishing; to the state’s many inland lakes loaded with trout, walleyes, saugers and bass; to endless rippling streams full of trout or the state’s big rivers teeming with bass, pike and muskies, Pennsylvania’s got it all!

Here’s a roundup of great month-by-month action for Keystone State anglers to consider in 2008:

JANUARY
Rainbow Trout
Canoe Creek Lake
This 155-acre lake lies in Canoe Creek State Park, 12 miles east of Altoona. Canoe Creek is stocked annually, and ice-anglers flock here to take advantage of the extended trout season.

To locate fish, cut holes in a straight line from the shallows out to where the water goes deep.

Canoe Creek Lake is also home to walleyes, muskies, pickerel, catfish, bass and panfish.

Access is off the Mattern Road, or take the William Penn Highway to state Route 1011.

Largemouth Bass
Lower Woods Pond
This 90-acre pond, owned by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, offers excellent ice-angling for largemouths, pickerel, panfish and bass. To get a rise out of hungry largemouths, fish large ice flies tipped with maggots.

Access to this Wayne County water may be had off Route 371 between Cold Spring and Rileyville.

Northern Pike
F. J. Sayers Dam
This Centre County water contains pike, muskellunge and pickerel. Ice- anglers may catch bass, walleyes and other popular species.

Panfish enhancement regulations are in place, so check current fishing rules before heading out.

Access is through Bald Eagle State Park off state Route 150, midway between Milesburg and Lock Haven.

FEBRUARY
Yellow Perch
Lake Erie
The Keystone State’s greatest lake offers up some of the Commonwealth’s best fishing for yellow perch, the species most sought by ice-anglers.

Tempt hungry perch with maggots or minnows. Erie anglers can also expect excellent fishing for walleyes, trout and salmon.

Stick to the bays and coves, since the center of the big lake is likely to be open water.

Access may be had in several locations. Check DeLorme’s Pennsylvania Atlas and Gazetteer, Map 26, for details. Tiger Muskellunge

Marsh Creek Lake
This Chester County lake freezes only during the deepest winter cold. As a result, the pressure on its healthy tiger muskellunge population is light during much of the season.

Marsh Creek is also home to largemouth bass and plenty of panfish.

Access is off Lyndell Road or through Marsh Creek State Park.

Walleyes
Rose Valley Lake
Rose Valley Lake in Lycoming County is home to big walleyes as well as muskies, pickerel, largemouth bass and plentiful panfish.

Big Bass Program regulations are in effect here, so be sure to check current fishing regulations before drilling your holes!

Access is off Route 15 north of Williamsport.

MARCH
Pickerel
Peck’s Pond
This 315-acre Pike County pond is an ice-angling hotspot for pickerel. An occasional lunker largemouth bass is taken through the ice, too!

For bigger fish, bait your tip-ups with larger minnows.

Peck’s Pond is 14 miles south of Route 6 off Route 402. Access is off Hemlock Farm Road, just past the picnic area.

Largemouth Bass
Lake Holman
Lake Holman, which is in Little Buffalo State Park in northern Perry County, is known for giving up big largemouth bass.

The lake is also home to trout, catfish, tiger muskies, walleyes and panfish.

Access is off Route 34.

Smallmouth Bass
High Point Lake
This Somerset County lake holds safe ice later into the season than do many Keystone State hardwater destinations. In addition to bronzebacks, High Point is home to muskies, walleyes, pike and plentiful panfish.

High Point got its name from its lofty location in Savage, near Mount Davis, the highest point in the state.

To get there, take Route 2004 off Route 219 at the north end of Meyersdale and drive about 10 miles southwest toward Summit Mills.

Or take Route 55008 out of Linstonburg northwest for seven miles.