Fishing on ice: Frozen Lake Arthur gives locals a cold day activity
MUDDY CREEK TWP — Temperatures hadn’t been above freezing for at least a week, so Wyatt Mock and Kaden Kopp ventured out onto a frozen Lake Arthur near McDanel’s Launch at Moraine State Park on Wednesday, Jan. 15.
Mock, of Butler, said he has been ice fishing a few times this year already, and the lack of anything else to do Wednesday afternoon prompted him to visit the park with his trusty drill, fishing rods and bait. He said the lake, even when frozen over, is usually good for catching at least a few fish per session.
“It depends where you are,” Mock said. “You can’t see through the snow, so today we’re just winging it.”
Mock and Kopp walked onto the ice with a bin full of supplies in tow, including a tent and propane tank to keep warm on the 20-degree afternoon. Kopp, of Slippery Rock, said he caught a few bass and crappies during the few ice fishing excursions he has taken so far this year.
Kopp added that he and Mock went to McDanel’s to ice fish Wednesday because the 528 Boat Launch area is more crowded with ice fishers. Although they estimated the ice to be about 3 inches thick on average, Kopp and Mock’s footsteps made a crunching sound as they walked over the deepest parts of Lake Arthur, far from the shore.
“You don’t usually walk in slush,” Kopp said.
Mock estimated that there was about 3 inches of ice between him and the water as he was using a drill to manually cut a hole through the ice.
“I keep forgetting how much of a workout this is,” Mock said.
