Hills Creek State Park on TV

[Thor]

WNEP-TV (channel 16 from Scranton) ran a segment about panfishing at Hills Creek State Park on Sunday, August 7th on their PA Outdoor Life show.  Did anyone see it?

It looked like the group of guys that were fishing were catching some really nice crappies, bluegills, perch and L.M. bass.  I don't recall seeing this lake, which is located in northern Tioga county, being talked about on Ice Shanty much, if at all.  Maybe because of its remote location.   The PA State Park website indicates that the lake has good ice fishing, and I think cabin rentals are available year-round.

It may be a good place for an Ice Shanty get-together.  Granted, it is probably pretty far out of the way, but making a weekend out of it by staying in the cabins could be a fun time.

[Icenutter]

You usually here about it early in the year since it is one of the first to freeze over.  I talked to a couple guys that fished it early last year, but didn't sound to productive. 

[water walker]

I didn't see that PA outdoor life, but Hill's Creek is a nice spot to fish.  I used to fish it when I was at Mansfield U. but haven't been back in over a year now.  When I would go, I heard there were nice crappies there, but never found them.  There was some nice gills and perch, though.

[Byron/PA]

I had some very good days there two years ago, through the ice.

[percheye]

i have fished hills creek for about 30+ yrs. usually it is the first lake to fish. this past year i was fishing on  the lake on dec. 29th and did well. paul swanson the guy that they highlighted is a very ,very good panfisherman. i fished with him many yrs ago and learned quite a bit about panfish. they said that he had written a book. i'm going to look for it. hills creek is very active in the early morning and late in the afternoon.

[PCB]

ive done well on hills creek on early ice for crappies by finding some of the old stump fields in the upper end... theyre either hittin or they arent, but when i thought i knew where to find em we dropped in an aqau view and sure enough there they were, stacked on one another...

[Fat Boy]

I don't recall seeing this lake, which is located in northern Tioga county, being talked about on Ice Shanty much, if at all. 

Thor, yer kiddin' me right?  Here, check the Archived Reports from last season (4 pages of activity and this was less than the year before):

http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=24706.0

This was one of the lakes that we voted on a few years ago to have the first rodeo on (it lost out to Sayers).

I've fished this lake several times and had a great time each time in mid January.  We found crappies pretty good with a mixed bag of perch and gills right out from the boat ramp in one of the deeper areas of the lake.  This is a lake that if you can't find the fish on the stumps you'll find them in the deeper water (and there's only a few areas like that).  The first time that I ever fished there was pretty funny, cuz I had no clue on where to cut a hole.  So, I walked out in a cove on the upper end and cut a hole right into 6" of water and dirt...yuk.  Moved out 20 more feet and cut a hole, put my flasher down, saw 3' and said what the...  Pulled the flasher out and decided to drop a jig and sight fish and wow, thumped the perch and gills for an hour straight, right in the middle of the day.  It was my first fresh water hot bite, where you set the hook and they tug then lift them out, one after the other, and you could see them move in and suck the lure right in.  Very cool.  The next year we went back and nothing in shallow, very frustrating, and we still didn't really know the deep spots.  After working hard cutting a lot of holes we found them and the fish.  This is one of my favorite lakes!  It's just so daggone far for me to travel.

[bufford220]

I have also fished Hills Creek both in the summer and winter. I put my 201 Stratos on the lake and get lots of looks. Picked up an 8 lb Largemouth a couple of years ago. I learned of this lake while in the Fisheries program at Mansfield. Now that I live in Elmira it is one of the closest lakes to fish. We have taken some very nice Crappie out of her. Ice fishing it typical hit and miss. I like the deeper sections towards the cove by the dam. I would think this lake should be ready to fish very soon.

Dan

[Thor]

FB,

You're right (as usual).  As you can see, I started this post back in August, and my Ice Shanty skills were rusty at the time.  I should've looked through the archives.  I guess I never noticed the Hills Creek thread because the lake never really hit my radar screen until I saw that TV show.

Anyway, I am renting a cabin there in Februaury, and I plan on taking my son and my dad along.  It should be a fun weekend.  The PA State Park website has a good interactive view of the  modern cabins, and they look great (electric heat, bathroom, kitchen, cathedral ceilings, etc.).

If anyone would like to give me any advice or suggestions, I would appreciate the input.

[bassman79]

i have a suggestion  let me know when u r gonna be there and ill show u some of my good spots bassman 79

[Fat Boy]

Thor, you'll love it up there.  IM me when you start prepping for your trip.  I've got some good info for you...

[Thor]

Thanks, Kevin.  I'll do that.  Maybe you can get up there that weekend (February 18,19,20) - President's Day weekend.

[MJK]

I worked there many years ago and it's where the ice fishing bug bit me.  After I moved away I wasn't into ice fishing much but still got up there for the odd open water trip.  Now that I am back into ice fishing I am thinking about hitting HC again, maybe around Martin Luther King Day.  It was a great lake and the perch were outstanding.  I can't wait to get back there on hardwater.