Johns believes that anglers' concerns might have been overblown, but that is a natural response to the sight of so many dead fish. The fishing had been declining, already, however.

"The trend has been to fewer but larger fish," Johns said. "That was a concern, because we didn't have small fish."

Fish and Boat Commission sampling last April found walleyes from 8.7 inches to 27.4 inches with a total of 1,059 walleyes caught. Legal walleyes, fish at least 15 inches in length, made up over 96 percent of the catch, with 66 percent of the walleyes over 18 inches and 26 percent of the walleyes over 20 inches.

Through 2005, according to Johns, anglers reported good walleye fishing.

Annual walleye stocking was as low as 2.5 million fish during the mid-1990s and fishing declined. In response, walleye stocking was increased.

"The spring of 2004 we put in 21 million fry," Johns said. "Last year, we stocked 13 million fry."

The base request is 13 million at Pymatuning Lake. Additional stockings come from surplus walleye fry. Our principle walleye hatchery is Linesville, which is situated along Pymatuning Lake. Johns hopes for a couple of surplus stockings this year.

Because a reciprocal agreement with Ohio, which shares Pymatuning Lake, walleye fishing is allowed year 'round here. Minimum size is 15 inches with a daily creel limit of six walleyes. Either a Pennsylvania or an Ohio fishing license is valid on the lake if you are fishing from a boat, but a corresponding fishing license is required when fishing from shore.

One of the best walleye-fishing patterns following ice-out is casting stick baits over shallow bars and points. This approach is best while walleyes are moving toward or from spawning areas.

Pymatuning Lake is west of Meadville in Crawford County. Exit from I-79 at Meadville and follow U.S. Route 6 west.

Allegheny Reservoir walleye fishing has also been down, although not drastically. The annual Disabled American Veterans Benefit Walleye Tournament, the season kick-off for the Kinzua Allegheny Walleye Association, was actually the best ever in its three-year history.

The annual report on the Allegheny Reservoir fishery from Bob Hoskin, a U.S. Corps of Engineers biologist, noted last year that the walleye catch rate is still dropping slightly and the number of walleyes over 20 inches is down. Walleye stocking was increased last year from the usual of 3 million to 6 million fry.

Walleye fishing at the Allegheny Reservoir is best a couple of weeks after the season opens. The better walleye fishing tends to be north of the New York border, where a fishing license from the Seneca Nation of Indians is required. On the Pennsylvania side, one of the best fishing patterns is using jigs tipped with a night crawler around fallen trees. Look for trees that extend into deeper water. These are not hard to find along the reservoir's steep banks.

Allegheny Reservoir is on state Route 59 east from Warren.