Brecht Fishing

Pymatuning is a seventeen-thousand-acre reservoir and the water Captain Chuck Gisselbrecht fishes most. The boat is a 17-foot Crestliner 1750 with a single 20-horsepower Yamaha, matched to the lake’s horsepower limit rather than to open water, carrying up to three guests and rigged with GPS, sonar and downriggers. Walleye are the headline fish, with perch, bass and crappie taken through the season. Full days run eight hours starting at 6:30 in the morning or 3:00 in the afternoon; half days run four hours, morning or afternoon; and a two-hour one-to-one instructional session is sold for anglers who want to learn rather than fill a cooler. Rods, reels, tackle and live bait come with the trip, and guests bring weather-appropriate clothing, sunscreen and their own drinks.