With concerns over trespassing and littering at one of Erie’s most popular steelhead creeks, anglers are being reminded to observe the signs if they want the area to remain open to fishing.
The Pennsylvania Steelhead Association and the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission shared concerns about anglers on Walnut Creek in the Manchester Hole area.
“The bottom line is people should respect landowner rights and they should treat other people’s property like it’s their own,” Chris Larson, president of the Steelhead Association , said Friday.
He spoke with the landowner of the area who has been having more issues with anglers than in other years. Incidents involved walking in areas where the public is not permitted, littering and disrespecting the landowner in conversations.
The association is working with the property owner in an attempt to keep access open.
Signs purchased by the landowner were posted advising anglers of the boundary limits to public access; one sign has already disappeared. Anglers are reminded they can only fish this section of stream from the west bank and they can only wade to mid-creek.