Like most of Pennsylvania's stocked trout lakes, Cloe is small at just 30 acres. It was scheduled to be stocked Dec. 14 and again on Feb. 1

Quite often anglers use the same tactics at these small lakes that are fished primarily by local anglers. Word spreads quickly about the most successful fishing tactic. The trick to catching fish between stockings may be doing something different. For starters, fish in a different area or at a different depth. Use different jigs or different colors. Try different baits, maybe one of the artificial jar baits, and try baits of various colors.

TWIN LAKES
Lower Twin Lake was scheduled for stocking Dec. 13 and again on Feb. 7, the same day as the one stocking at Upper Twin Lake. These two narrowly separated lakes are in Twin Lakes Park, a Westmoreland County park near Greensburg. Take U.S. Route 30 toward Greensburg, turn onto Donohoe Road at the traffic light in front of Westmoreland, follow this to the right through a traffic light and two stop signs, and then turn left and follow the signs to Twin Lakes Park.

The total area of these two lakes is 52 acres.

Westmoreland County might arguably be the capital of Pennsylvania trout ice-fishing with six stocked lakes. In addition to the Twin lakes, Donegal Lake, Keystone Lake, Mammoth Dam and Northmoreland Lake are scheduled to be stocked on Feb. 7.

JUSTUS LAKE
Justus Lake was stocked with trout on Nov. 1, in plenty of time for open-water fishing. Another stocking is scheduled for Feb. 6, well into the ice-fishing season.

This is a relatively large stocked trout lake at 144 acres, and quite deep, so there is a good likelihood of trout holding over. In fact, the lake holds trout year 'round and occasionally 20-inch trout are taken. Anglers are much less subject to the ups and downs of ice-fishing activity related to stocking dates here than in most other western Pennsylvania lakes.

You can take a couple of different approaches to ice-fishing for trout here, going for the recently stocked fish or targeting the larger holdover trout.

Stocked trout tend to remain close to stocking points for a while. The larger holdover trout are more likely to be in deeper water, although not necessarily near the bottom. Certainly, they are more elusive. Using sonar gear to spot signs of suspended activity can help.

For starters, try tip-ups baited with 5-inch shiners set about 5 feet under the ice.

Justus Lake is in Twomile Run County Park off state routes 417 and 428 between Franklin, Oil City and Titusville.

CHAPMAN LAKE
Chapman Lake was stocked Dec. 13 and is scheduled for another stocking Feb. 6. This is consistently one of the best lakes in the Northwest Region for ice-fishing. It is a medium-sized stocked trout lake covering 66 acres with depths of less than 8 feet in most areas, except for one short, narrow channel near the water control device.

The better ice-fishing tends to be where the trout are stocked (in this case by a parking area at the head of the lake), along the steeper shoreline, and close to the breastwork of the dam.

From Route 6 between Warren and Kane at Clarendon, turn at the traffic light and go straight to Chapman State Park.