Northwest Region
Butler County
Kahle Lake
Anglers are still reporting good numbers of nice Largemouth Bass and some Bluegills.
Upper Clarion River
Anglers are still reporting good numbers of Smallmouth Bass. All boats, including canoes & kayaks using the PFBC’s Gravel Lick Access Areas must be registered to use this facility.
Piney Dam
Anglers continue to report catching Channel Catfish in good numbers, some nice Walleyes and good numbers of Smallmouth Bass.
Allegheny River
Anglers continue to report nice Walleyes and Smallmouth Bass near Foxburg, the Parker islands and the mouth of the Clarion River. All boats, including canoes & kayaks, using the PFBC’s Parker & Brady’s Bend Access Areas must be registered to use these facilities.
Mercer County
Shenango Reservoir
Fishing has been slow around the reservoir. Water levels are back to average. The Blue/Green Algae bloom is still being treated as an advisory. Remember your first step in an emergency or to report on illegal activity is to call 9-1-1.
Shenango River
The Shenango Outflow down to the Walnut Street Bridge is designated as a year round trout fishery, so a current trout/salmon stamp is required to fish that area regardless of species of fish that you are targeting or harvesting.
Venango County
Allegheny River
The USGS depth gage in Franklin reflects a current water level of +/- 02’-11”. Water levels have returned to seasonally average flow and precipitation for August 2015 was indicated as average. Waters conditions are VERY clear! Floating weeds are beginning to cause their seasonal issues as clogged jet intakes are occurring. Smallmouth Bass are averaging in the 12” range and Walleye have been caught in the deeper holes. Anglers are targeting Smallmouth with spinners and tubes.
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
Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, and Channel Catfish harvests have been reported. Choice baits have been spinners and stick baits, live bait and artificial(s), as well as cut bait. Canoeists and kayakers will experience moderate flow difficulties at this level. Portaging will be required along certain stretches.
Oil Creek
Smallmouth Bass catches, as well as some Walleye in the lower reaches, have been reported. Canoeists and kayakers will experience moderate to heavy flow difficulties at this level. Portaging will be required along certain stream lengths.
Justus Lake
Please be aware, that due to maintenance, Justus Lake will experience temporarily drawn-down conditions of +/-6”. Boaters are reminded that only manually-powered, wind powered, and electric motor watercraft is permitted on Justus Lake. The use of internal combustion engines is PROHIBITED.
Northeast Region
Carbon County
Most of the approved trout waters in the district are receiving little to no fishing pressure with the exception of the Pohopoco Creek downstream of Beltzville Lake. This stream had received a trout stocking by a local Sportsman’s Club in recent weeks. Although the water temperature in the Pohopoco Creek is usually cooler than most streams in the district, it appears that most successful anglers are catching trout during the early morning hours or evenings. Anglers are also reporting good success catching catfish and a few walleye at the spillway area on the Pohopoco Creek.
Bass anglers fishing Beltzville Lake during the evening hours have been reporting good success. Anglers have reported good bass action near the south shore of the lake near the power lines and the upper reaches of the Pohopoco Creek bay area. Striped bass action has been slow in recent weeks.
Bass action still remains good at Mauch Chunk Lake although most of the bass are less than the minimum size of 15.” One angler was observed with a nice catch of bluegills, perch and a crappie during the weekend. Mealworms were the best choice of bait for panfish during recent weeks. Pickerel action also remains good at Mauch Chunk Lake with live minnow being the bait of choice.
Anglers fishing the Lehigh River in the area of the Lehigh Gorge State Park and downstream to Bowmanstown have been reporting catching trout and smallmouth bass. Whitewater rafting activities have been busy on the Lehigh River during the weekends.
Northcentral Region
Elk County
With water levels dropping across the County, fish are beginning to hold in the deeper pockets/holes within the streams/rivers.
East Branch Dam
Anglers are catching Smallmouth Bass using night cralwers.
NOTE: The boat ramp will be closed to motor boats in the near future; however canoes and kayaks will still have access.
Centre County
Bald Eagle Creek
Anglers are catching trout using a variety of nymphs (olive bird of prey caddis 14-16; caddis larvae 16-18; beadhead pheasant tail 12-16; stonefly nymphs 6-12) and dry flies (tan caddis 14-18; slate drake 10-12; BWOs 18-22) on the stretch of Bald Eagle Creek between Milesburg and Sayers Lake. Nymphing is working throughout the day. You might want to do a dry-dropper combination. Hatches are occurring early to late evening.
A few anglers are also catching bass.
Black Moshannon Lake
Anglers are catching bass and pickerel using rubber worms, minnows and night crawlers.
Unpowered kayak and canoe activity has been moderate to heavy with holiday traffic.
Foster Joseph Sayers Lake
Anglers are catching sunfish and bass near Hunter Run Cut. Most anglers are catching fish on worms and minnows. Crappies are hitting minnows and twistertails near the causeway and the fishing pier near Lower Greens Run.
Boating activity has been moderate.
NOTE: Upper Greens Access is closed and is expected to be closed for several weeks due to road construction inside the park.
Spring Creek
Anglers are catching trout using a variety of nymphs (pheasant tails 14-18; tan and olive bird of prey caddis 14-16; brown zebra midge 18-22; walt’s worm 14-16). Try a few unweighted nymphs and caddis emergers. Trico’s will be hatching early in the day. Look for spinners around 9-11a.m.
Late summer early fall is the perfect time to bring out those terrestrials! Give a beetle, grasshopper or a wet any a try.
If you are fishing in the early morning hours try using a streamer and target the banks and slack water areas.
Occasional cahill, tan caddis, midges and some BWO’s have been spotted. Trout are rising to them, but the majority of takes are subsurface.
Clinton County
Fishing Creek
Anglers are catching trout on bead head green weenies on lower and upper Fishing Creek. The water levels are low, but the deeper pools are holding willing trout! When approaching “prime” fishing areas be stealthy and fish from a distance. Target the shade lines, deeper holes and when possible get your nymphs to the bottom.
The evenings have good surface activity with trout coming up for caddis, slate drakes and cahills; however, nymphing seems to be great early morning and throughout the day.
Tioga/Lycoming County
Pine Creek
The water is very low and more vulnerable to the direct sun this time of year. Anglers are targeting deep pools and having luck catching trout on slate drakes, yellow sallys, yellow chaills, BWOs, sulphurs, stones and yellow midges. The rusty spinners are still working well. The dry dropper system has been working very well. Fishing is surprisingly good despite the low, warm water. Remember to get trout in, keep them in the water and release them quickly this time of year.
Southeastern Region
Bucks County
Anglers are catching Smallmouth Bass from the Point Pleasant, Lambertville and Morrisville sections of the Delaware River on shiners, grubs, poppers and crankbaits.
Smallmouth Bass have also been biting along the Neshaminy Creek. There is a parking lot owned by Tyler State Park on Newtown-Richboro Road across from the Langhorne Players theatre where anglers can park and access the creek. Try minnows, worms, small jigs with split-tail bodies and spinners for the Smallies, Rock Bass and other sunfish. There are some Largemouth Bass lurking in the slower pools as well, especially in the pool above the Boathouse area at Tyler Park.
Looking for a place to take a young child fishing in Central Bucks? Try the Borough Dam at Chapman Park in Doylestown. The pond is reserved to fishing for children under 16. It is stocked with trout in the spring, but it has a great population of Bluegills and some Brown Bullhead catfish that can be caught in the summer and fall. There are some smaller Largemouth Bass in the pond as well. The dam even has a ‘worm farm’ built on location where anglers can dig for their own free bait. Worms on a bobber will catch the Bluegills. Rig the rods for bottom fishing so the kids can get into the catfish and bass. The concrete path around the pond provides easy access.
Philadelphia County
Pennypack Creek is low, but anglers can still hook into Smallmouth Bass, Rock Bass and the other sunnies. Carry along small minnows, spinners, and small jigs in the park section between the Boulevard and Pine Road. Try chicken livers to catch catfish and small Striped Bass in the lower creek below State Road. The catfish have also been hitting on corn and nightcrawlers.