CROOKED CREEK LAKE
Armstrong County's Crooked Creek Lake is a federal flood control lake covering 350 acres.

Crooked Creek is best known as a lake for largemouth bass and crappies. But when the PFBC last surveyed the lake, channel catfish were the most abundant species present. Yellow and brown bullheads were also collected in good numbers.

The serpentine shape of this narrow waterway lends itself to several extended points that collect channel cats during the evening and provide key areas for boat anglers. Shore anglers will find the best access in the lower end of the lake, both uplake and downlake of the swimming area.

Crooked Creek has a thick population of gizzard shad, which helps fatten up its game fish. Die-offs of shad are typical, particularly during cold-water periods, and it's likely that channel cats make use of both live and dead shad.

There is no horsepower restriction on Crooked Creek Lake. During summertime weekends, boating activity can be intense. The U.S. Corps of Engineers provides a boat ramp and a soft-landing area.

Phone (724) 763-2764 for an updated message on lake conditions.

LAKE ARTHUR
Easy access, its proximity to population centers and a varied fishery keep the pressure on Butler County's Lake Arthur. Despite nearly round-the-clock attention from the angling community the year around, the lake still produces great catches of fish, channel cats included.

Last spring, PFBC personnel used trap nets to collect nearly 400 channel cats, making this species the most abundant game fish gathered during the survey. The longest forktail measured over 28 inches.

Though channel cats are well distributed throughout the 3,300-acre lake, two of the better areas to key in on are the bridges that carry routes 528 and 422 over the lake. These major structures provide necked-down areas that funnel food to waiting catfish and also furnish cover.

Channel cats also take up residence along the lake's submerged railroad bed. Numerous anglers trolling crankbaits for walleyes, myself included, can attest to that.

Lake Arthur is in Moraine State Park. A 20-horsepower motor restriction is in place. Boat access is available around the lake. There are a large parking lot and good ramp at the Route 528 bridge, as well as one called the "Church Ramp" across the lake. The Bear Run Access provides a good spot for folks wishing to fish the Route 422 bridge.

SHENANGO LAKE
This 3,500-acre lake in Mercer County contains a robust population of channel catfish. The PFBC's last trap-net survey, conducted in 2005, collected 750 forktails. Many of the fish ran in the 18- to 22-inch range, with the largest running to 28 inches.

A multi-use federal flood control lake, Shenango lies in a gently rolling hill setting. It's rich in points and humps as well as rocky causeways, and the necked-down areas they provide. Bridges carry Route 18, Route 846 and a railroad across the lake.

There's no horsepower restriction on Shenango. It, like Crooked Creek, can get crowded during nice summer days. The Shenango and Clark recreation areas provide boat ramps that are open 24 hours -- an important consideration for catfishing, which often takes place at night.

Call (724) 962-4384 for an undated message on lake conditions and recreation information.

SUSQUEHANNA RIVER
The mighty Susquehanna provides anglers in central and eastern Pennsylvania with excellent catfishing opportunities.