Pennsylvania Fishing Report – August 5, 2021

Northwest Region

Get your fishing license ONLINE
2021 Fishing License went on sale December 1st. Click here to purchase

REMINDER: Mandatory Cold Weather Life Jacket Wear began on November 1, 2020 and runs through April 30, 2021 for anyone on boats less than 16 feet and in all canoes and kayaks.  Learn more here…

Crawford County

Woodcock Creek Lake

Anglers are catching Smallmouth Bass, panfish, Walleye. Reminder all people on a boat less than 16 feet and all canoes and kayaks must always wear a wearable personal floatation device.

Woodcock Creek

Anglers are catching Muskellunge, Walleye, and panfish below the dam.

French Creek

Reminder to boaters using the PFBC access to the creek, boats must be properly registered before using PFBC access areas. Also, be sure to have all required safety equipment on board prior to the start of your float.

Canadohta Lake

Anglers are catching Muskellunge, Walleye, and panfish. Reminder to all boaters launching from the PFBC access, boats must possess the correct and current registration or launch permit.

Sugar Lake

Anglers are catching panfish, Chain Pickerel, Bowfin, and Largemouth Bass. The dock is now in at the PFBC access.

Tamarack Lake

The lake is open to hunters, boaters, and anglers. Remember to have all required safety equipment and proper registration if going out on a boat, canoe, or kayak. Anglers remember the lake is still listed as catch and release only. Anglers are catching Largemouth Bass and panfish from the docks.

Venango County

Allegheny River

Boating traffic has been light, given the heavy precipitation experienced a couple weeks ago. Anglers are catching Smallmouth Bass using tubes and top-water lures.

Oil Creek

Anglers are catching Smallmouth Bass from Rynd Farm through the Allegheny confluence using minnows and soft plastic jerk baits. Low flow and increasing water temperatures are causing trout to stack in the cooler flows of the incoming tributaries.

ALLEGHENY RIVER NAVIGATION:

Throughout no less than the free-flowing section of the Allegheny River, WCO’s often receive inquiries regarding the best occurring “run of river” channels, especially for jet-powered navigation… in general, the side with the steeper bank and/or large shore boulders usually presents the preferred channels. That said, The Allegheny Pilot, first published in 1855 (2013 reprint) and authored by Edwin L. Babbitt, is an excellent resource. With limited exception, despite heavy flows, winter’s ice, and after 16-+years, we still run the same channels—

(SYNOPSIS: as taken from Google Books)… The Allegheny Pilot, first published in 1855, is an early travel guide to western Pennsylvania’s rivers and navigable waterways, complete with detailed maps, notes, and charts. Originally written for lumber raftsmen and even considered to be the “Lumberman’s Bible,” it remains an important document on the original path of the Allegheny and its tributaries, which have since been changed by the construction of the Kinzua Dam and other man-made alterations to the landscape. The book benefits not only from Babbitt’s own knowledge, experience, and research on the Allegheny, but also from his having “spent much time in conversing with many of the oldest settlers along the river, collecting from them, orally, many historical facts besides those pertaining to the navigation of the river.”

ISBN:9780271062112, 0271062118

Northcentral Region

Centre County

The Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission is offering two FREE Introduction to Kayak Fishing Programs at Bald Eagle State Park August 17th and 18th.

The Introduction to Kayak Fishing Program will introduce participants to the basic equipment needed to kayak fish, basic paddling skills and safety, and provide an opportunity for participants to test out their kayak fishing skills on the water!

Registration is required. See registration links and program times below.

August 17th, 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

August 18th, 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Clinton and Lycoming Counties

Anglers are currently having success targeting Bass, Musky and Walleye in the West Branch Susquehanna River. Anglers targeting both Bass and Walleye are having success using 1/8-ounce jigs tipped with a night crawler or natural colored twister tails. White is always a good choice this time of year. Anglers are also having success using streamers for Smallmouth Bass. Early mornings and late evenings are the most productive times of day. Anglers are having success targeting Trout in Bald Eagle Creek. It is important to watch the water temperatures this time of year to ensure you aren’t stressing fish. Some nice Smallmouth Bass are also being caught in some of the coldwater streams throughout the region as well. With the significant rain, the water temperatures are a bit cooler providing good conditions and opportunities for anglers.

Southeastern Region

Northern Lancaster

Boaters on Speedwell Forge Lake are reminded to always check posted signs before parking and launching boats. Canoeists, kayakers and paddleboarders must adhere to the life jacket, sound-producing device, and unpowered registration/launch permit requirements. Electric motors are allowed on the lake. Internal combustion motors on boats do not need to be removed but the operation of the engine is specifically prohibited.

Anglers are catching catfish upstream from the Falmouth Boat Access area on the Susquehanna River. Some anglers are using live bait and others swear by artificial bait. Anglers who used to fish from the York Haven Catwalk will be happy to hear that it’s been opened again since the summer, but no news on how long it will stay open to anglers.

Lehigh County

Despite the heat and low water levels, Fly anglers are using dry flies to catch trout in the evening on the Little Lehigh River. This is occurring in the FFO (fly-fishing only) section.