Northwest Region
Butler County
Lake Arthur
Anglers are reporting nice-sized Yellow Perch being caught along the Old Rt. 422 road bed in 2-3 feet of water. Minnows are the ticket. Channel Catfish are still a good bet. Go deep in the old creek channels with chicken livers or a creek chub. Hybrid Stripers are going deep but can still be caught at night at the muddy flats near the dam. The water is only knee deep but the action is still good from approximately 10 p.m. until 2 a.m. Be sure your boat’s navigation lights are working properly.
Lake Oneida
Big Largemouth Bass are being caught in the deeper water. You will need a good casting rod to reach the old creek bed. A night crawler off of the bottom has yielded good results. Special property regulations apply to this impoundment. Please review regulations signs before fishing at this location.
Crawford County
Conneaut Lake
Great weather has brought out the boaters with high to moderate pressure on weekends and above average pressure during the week.
Pymatuning Reservoir
Walleyes are hot and heavy at night near Jamestown.
Erie County
Lake Erie
Yellow Perch fishing off the point has been very spotty this year. Walleye fishing has been good so you’ll see good results there. Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass fishing in Presque Isle Bay and Lake Erie is still producing good numbers.
Bow riding can only be done while the boat (any size of boat) is proceeding at Slow No Wake Speed. The exception to this is the boat has a manufactured seat up on the bow which is meant to be a seat.
Forest County
Tionesta Outflow
The Tionesta Outflow is still closed on the primitive camping side, it is accessible from the service campground side (walk in only).
Tionesta Lake
Anglers have reported catching Yellow Perch on Tionesta Lake and Channel Catfish at the Nebraska Bridge.
Allegheny River
The Allegheny River levels have been fluctuating which makes consistent fishing difficult. Anglers have been catching some Walleye and Smallmouth Bass.
Salmon Creek
Trout anglers using fly fishing gear have been catching some trout on Salmon Creek in the evening hours
Mercer County
Lake Wilhelm
Activity and fishing is up and continues to be good. Anglers are reporting catches of Walleye, crappie, and Largemouth Bass. The “Dead Sea” is once again alive with great catches and fisherman.
French Creek
Anglers are reporting Northern Pike are being caught with some Walleye mixed in. Water levels are on par for late summer. This coming weekend should be a great time to get out on the water to go fishing or kayaking.
Venango County
Allegheny River
The USGS depth gage in Franklin reflects a current water level of +/- 03’-01”. Water temperature is hovering at 78 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and 74 degrees Fahrenheit at night. Water levels have returned to seasonally average flows. Smallmouth Bass as well as Channel Catfish catches are starting to occur again.
Boaters using PFBC launch ramps (3rd Street in Franklin and Fisherman’s Cove) are reminded of the following regulations:
All watercraft are required to have current valid registration and/or launch permit.
Property users are not permitted to block or impede public launching and/or retrieving of watercraft from ramps or ramp entrances.
Move canoes and kayaks out of the main traffic way
Boat preparation and tie-down shall occur out of the main traffic way
French Creek
Fishing activity, interrupted during most of June and July, is beginning to rebound. Smallmouth Bass catches have been reported.
The USGS depth gage in Utica reflects a current water level of +/-01’-11”.
Canoeists and kayakers will experience no less than moderate flow difficulties at this level and portaging may be required within certain channels.
Oil Creek
The USGS depth gage in Rouseville reflects a current water level of +/- 2’-00”.
Fishing activity, interrupted during most of June and July, is beginning to rebound. Smallmouth Bass catches have been reported.
Canoeists and kayakers will experience moderate to heavy flow difficulties at this level, and portaging will be required along certain stream lengths.
Kahle Lake
Largemouth Bass, Yellow Perch, crappie, and Bluegill harvests were reported.
Justus Lake
Anglers are targeting trout towards the area of the dam in deeper water (+/-25’).
Boaters are reminded of the additional boat launch located just southward of the swim beach. Boaters are reminded that only manually-powered and electric motor watercraft is permitted on Justus Lake. The use of internal combustion engines is PROHIBITED.
Northeast Region
Southern Luzerne & Southern Columbia Counties
Fishing on Francis E. Walter Reservoir has been on fire recently. Anglers are doing well catching crappie, pickerel and trout. The trout are being caught in the cove by the power boat launch. Pickerel and crappie are being caught in the Lehigh River branch of the reservoir. The hot baits currently are worms and fathead minnows.
The Susquehanna River has returned to fishable levels and the Smallmouth Bass action has really picked up. Anglers are also reporting good catches of catfish at night, using shrimp and liver.
Lily Lake continues to produce nice bass and pickerel, but activity on local trout streams has been non-existent. As a reminder, Lake Irena and Lily Lake are both scheduled to receive fall stockings of trout the first week of October.
Carbon County
Anglers fishing the Pohopoco Creek downstream from the outlet at Beltzville Lake have been reporting good success catching trout. The Pohopoco Creek had recently received a trout stocking by a local sportsmen club. Also, one angler was also observed catching a 25” channel catfish at the outlet of Beltzville Lake during the evening hours using night crawler.
Most fishing activity on the district’s approved trout waters is light to no activity at all. Anglers fishing the Lehigh River along the Bowmanstown and Parryville sections of the river have reported doing well catching smallmouth bass. Whitewater rafting activity continues to be busy on the Lehigh River form the Lehigh Gorge State Park section downriver to Bowmanstown on the weekends.
Bass action still remains good at Mauch Chunk Lake. However, most bass are less than the minimum size of 15”. Mauch Chunk Lake is governed by the Big Bass Program Special Regulations. Boat anglers were observed catching nice size perch and bluegills during this past weekend. Meal worms or butter worms appeared to be the choice of bait.
Bass action at Beltzville Lake has been good near the power line area and the dam breast area of the lake. A few Striped Bass have been caught during the evenings at the lake near the Pine Run access area. Boat activity remains busy during the weekends.
Anglers, boaters and persons visiting Mauch Chunk Lake and Beltzville State Park are reminded that alcoholic beverages are prohibited on both the lands and the waters of the parks.
Northcentral Region
Tioga & Potter County
Pine Creek
Water levels are great for this time of year!
Trout anglers are targeting the water in the early morning and late evening. On cloudy days they are catching trout throughout the day. Fly patterns that are working right now are Slate Drake, Sulphur, Light Cahill, Yellow Sally, Yellow Stimulators, Adams and/or Royal Wulff, and Rusty Spinners. Caddis and White Millers are working in the early/late evening hours. Another fly that is working well is the “Psycho Ant”, the big pattern. Green Weenies are working when nothing else seems to work! A White Wulff at -and after- dark will work magic for those of you who like to venture out at that time.
Bass are hitting regularly throughout Pine Creek. Anglers are catching them on a variety of patterns and lures. They are very opportunistic and love it when you make a splash with your lure/fly.
Tioga Lake
Anglers are catching bass, crappies, and perch using live minnows and small shad colored crankbaits. Some very nice crappies, including a 16 inch giant black crappie, are being caught. Most of the bass are in the 1-2 lb range. Timber and weedbeds are holding most the fish. A few anglers also picked up walleyes trolling crawler harnesses and stickbaits.
Hammond Lake
Crappie fishing has been tough, but anglers are catching some by trolling small shad colored crankbaits and 1-3″ twister tails or tubes. Jigging artificial structure and timber piles has produced fish as well. Bass fishing is best in the mornings and evenings. Shallow weedbeds and dropoffs with access to deep water are good places to start. The topwater bite has been good in the evenings with frogs, buzzbaits, and poppers
Hills Creek
Bass fishing has been tough lately. Anglers are catching some on soft plastics and live shiners. Good numbers of bluegills are being caught using mealworms, wax worms, and pieces of nightcrawler.
Cowanesque
Bass fishermen are doing well in the evenings. Mornings and afternoons have been very tough for most. The bite is best a few hours before dark. Some are doing well after dark as well. Slow moving topwater baits are working for bass and stripers at night. A few muskies are being reported. Most have been incidental catches by bass fishermen; but a few were caught using live shiners and large bucktail patterns. Weedbeds around the campground are a good place to start.
Clinton County
Fishing Creek
Anglers are catching trout in the early morning and late afternoon hours on lower Fishing Creek (near Mill Hall, PA). Minnows are working in the early morning hours. Fly anglers are catching trout using streamers in the early morning hours then switching to nymphs later in the day with some success.
Anglers are catching trout on a variety of nymphs in upper Fishing Creek. Streamers are working in the early morning hours and late evening hours. Nymphs are working in the late morning and early evening hours.
Centre County
Spring Creek
Anglers are catching trout on a variety of nymph patterns on upper and lower Spring Creek. Target the shade lines on high sunny days. Early morning and late evening are great times to be on the water and catching fish.
Southeastern Region
Eastern Schuylkill County
Little Schuylkill River
The Little Schuylkill River has stayed cooler than normal this year with higher than average water levels. This cooler water has provided good trout fishing through the summer. Trout are being caught throughout the stocked areas on spinners, meal worms, and redworms. There has been little pressure on the stream lately, providing anglers with a peaceful fishing opportunity with plenty of quality trout fishing.
The Delayed Harvest Artificial Lures Only Area of the Little Schuylkill near New Ringgold has been excellent for trout fishing in the last month. Some very large trout have been caught recently on various lures and wooly buggers have worked well for fly fishermen.
Tuscarora Lake
Tuscarora Lake has not seen many anglers lately but has seen quite a bit of boat activity. Kayakers have been using the lake in large numbers probably due to the quiet calm atmosphere.
Locust Lake
Locust Lake has had moderate fishing pressure with some good largemouth bass hitting on spinnerbaits, jigs, and nightcrawlers. The occasional trout is still being caught by boaters in the deeper parts of the lake.
Northern Chester County
Marsh Creek
Marsh Creek Lake is a Big Bass Lake, which means your catch must be at least 15” to keep. Most bass are being caught in the deeper water. A few are also still being caught out of the weed beds. The weed beds are sparse right now and the ones you do find are small. If you do find some very large rubber worms and jigs are working best. Otherwise you’ll have better luck in 12′-20′ of water, as anything deeper the oxygen levels are very low and not suitable for the fish. Best baits to use right now are crankbaits and spinnerbaits. Best colors are large black or purple rubber worms with a lot of action to it. Blue gills and crappies are taking minnows as well as meal and wax worms. Fishermen have reported catching good numbers of musky this season. Several have been caught close to shore on bass spinner baits.
Streams
The French, Pickering, East Brandywine, Pickering and West Valley Creeks are in decent shape, although on the warm side. Best times to fish are early morning and late evening. Fly anglers using terrestrials are beginning to take some fish.
Schuylkill River
Black Rock Area bass fishing in Black Rock, Cromby Power Plant area down river to the Black Rock Dam area has been good for Smallmouth Bass this season. Most are being caught in the weedbeds and on artificial lures (rubber crayfish and worms). Flathead Catfish are being caught with the usual fare (live bluegills and night crawlers working best). One fisherman caught a 40-45 pound flathead below the Black Rock Dam last week on a live bluegill. Channel catfish are being caught on liver and other baits.
Note: Stay clear of the fish ladder at the Black Rock Dam. You may not fish within the fishway, fish ladder fish passage facility. It is unlawful for any person to fish within a radius of 100’ of the entrance, or exit points of the chute or fish ladder passage way, and you must stay 100’ below the boil below the dam when fishing there.
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