Northwest Region
Mercer County
Shenango Reservoir
The temperatures are starting to get warmer and spring is finally upon us. Anglers are catching crappie, White Bass, and Hybrid Striped Bass. With Memorial Day right around the corner, it is a great time to double-check your boating equipment especially fire extinguishers before heading out on the water. Please click here to check for Boating Safety Courses in your area.
Trout Stocked Waters
Anglers are catching trout anglers throughout the county.
Warren County
Farnsworth Branch
Anglers are catching trout in the Farnsworth Branch. If you are going to fish at Chapman Dam, you will pass right by a great trout stream. The anglers are catching trout by using salted minnows.
Northcentral Region
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Tioga County
Good fishing continues for a variety of fish species across the County! The rain today may impact the bite a bit, but good weather returns over the next few days.
Pine Creek
Anglers are catching trout using caddis patterns on the surface. March Brown patterns are also working well. In the evening, rusty spinners #10-#14 are catching trout.
With the high water on Upper Pine, anglers are catching trout using live minnows, butterworms, crawlers and various spinners. Yellow, black and green roostertails are working well.
Hamilton Lake
Anglers are catching trout using live minnows and paste baits. Anglers are also catching trout using roostertails and kastmaster spoons.
Anglers are catching Crappie, Bluegill and Yellow Perch using live minnows, waxworms, roostertails and kastmasters.
Cowanesque Lake
Anglers are catching and releasing bass, using swimbaits, chatterbaits, squarebill cranks and a variety of plastics. Most of the action is in the shallow water.
Anglers are also catching Crappie near fallen trees. A few anglers are catching stripers and muskies!
Beechwood Lake
Anglers are catching freshly stocked trout, using paste baits. Spring green, salmon peach and chartreuse are colors working best.
Tioga Lake
Anglers are catching Crappies near downed trees, using live minnows, chartreuse grubs and chubby mini mites. A few anglers are hooking into hybrid stripers and catfish, using minnows and/or shiners.
Clearfield County
Tannery Dam (a.k.a. Juniata Lake)
Anglers are catching bass, Pumpkinseed and Bluegill using live minnows, worms, dry flies and small streamers.
Centre County
Foster Joseph Sayers Lake
Anglers are catching bass, Bluegill, Yellow Perch, Pumpkinseeds and Crappie along the shores. Target the habitat structures, downed trees, rocky areas.
Anglers are having success using twister tails, mini streamers (chartreuse and/or olive colors), live minnows, worms and waxworms.
Popular areas are Hunter Run Cut, Causeway, Upper Greens Run and the Marina.
Bald Eagle Creek
Anglers are catching Rainbow Trout using minnows, streamers, spinners and red worms.
Spring Creek
Water temperatures are in the mid-50s. Water up and off color due to recent rain events.
Sulphurs, tan caddis, blue wing olives, crane flies and midges are all hatching and trout are rising to them! Anglers are catching trout using dry flies (e.g. Sulphers #14-16; Tan Caddis #14-16; Blue Wing Olives #18-22; Crane Fly #14-16 and/or midges #22-26). To catch the sulphur hatch, plan to fish into the night hours!
Anglers are also catching trout using nymphs (e.g. Hot spot sow bug #14-16; Baetis emergers #18-22; olive scud #14-18; walt’s worm #12-16; sulphur patterns #12-14).
With rain in the forecast, make sure you bring along some streamers (olive/black #4-8). Target the stream banks and/or structure.
Northeastern Region
Carbon County
With the most recent trout stocking occurring on the Mahoning Creek, Mauch Chunk Creek, and the Lehigh Canal, Lock 7 the in-season trout stocking in the district are now complete. Fishing pressure remains light to moderate on most of the trout stocked waters even during the day of the actual in-season trout stocking. Most anglers are still reporting seeing and catching a good number of trout that were held over from the previous in-season trout stockings. Most successful anglers are catching trout using spinner, live bait such as minnow, wax worms and soft baits.
Most of the trout stocked waters such as the Aquashicola Creek, Buckwa Creek and the Lizard Creek are becoming warmer and a good number of fly anglers are reporting good success catching trout. With the recent rain event occurring some of the trout stocked waters are flowing higher than normal. Anglers fishing the Lehigh River are reporting good success catching trout from Glen Onko down river to the Bowmanstown area. Spinners and stick baits appear to be working the best.
Mauch Chunk Lake is providing good panfish action off the fishing pier at boat launch A. Catfish action appeared to be good off the area of boat launch B in recent weeks. Boat anglers fishing Beltzville Lake have reported catching a few Striped Bass and walleyes near the area of the dam breast. Anglers are reminded that during the period from April 14th to June 15th the harvesting of bass is not permitted and is catch & immediate release only. Additionally, anglers are reminded that it is unlawful during the closed season for an angler to repeatedly cast into a visible spawning nest or bed in an effort to catch or take bass.
With the warmer weather arriving, the boating activity has been increasing at Beltzville Lake and Mauch Chunk Lake during the weekends. Boaters are reminded to check all the required safety equipment on their boats before venturing out onto the water. In addition, please check to make sure your boat is properly registered. Motorboats and boats powered by an electric motor must display a proper motorboat registration. Unpowered boats such as canoes, kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, rowboats, etc. launching at Commission lakes or access areas including PA State Parks launch or access areas must display either a Commission launch use permit or a PA State Parks launch permit or mooring permit.
Remember, alcohol is not permitted at Beltzville Lake and Mauch Chunk Lake on both the water and shore areas. Laws pertaining to the possession and or use of alcoholic beverages are strictly enforced.
Western Bradford & Sullivan County
Southeastern Region
Northampton County
The trout stockings in the county have now been completed. The lower two sections of the Bushkill Creek (From the dam near Stockers collision service, down to Easton) and the lower section of the Little Bushkill Creek (From Gall Rd, down to Bushkill Creek) were the last to receive fish. There are many opportunities to catch adult trout in the streams throughout the county.
There are still some American Shad moving up the Delaware River as well, if you are up for the fight that these seasonally running fish provide. Anglers fishing the canals have started to catch some panfish as they wait for Bass season to open up.
Lastly, as the water warms up and people begin to grab their canoes and kayaks, we remind boaters to be aware of all required safety equipment, also when possible, notify others of your plans and best way to reach you in case an emergency arises.
Eastern Schuylkill County
Little Schuylkill
The Little Schuylkill has been excellent for trout fishing despite high water levels. The section upstream of Tamaqua was stocked on May 17 and has seen very little pressure. Those anglers fishing it have done well with mealworms and butterworms. Spinners and small jerkbaits have also done well throughout the river. Water levels are very high making the upper section an exciting place to kayak.
Little Schuylkill River
The Delayed Harvest Artificial Lures Only Area of the Little Schuylkill River was also stocked with trout on May 17 and has seen only a few anglers throughout the days. Anglers report catching fish on small jigs, as well as wooly buggers.
Tuscarora Lake
Tuscarora Lake has been good for panfish recently, especially Bluegills. Crappies, Yellow Perch, and Pickerel are also hitting on minnows.
Locust Lake
Locust Lake holds trout and was stocked again on May 18. Green Sunfish and Bluegills have appeared near the shoreline and are the most likely fish to be caught if fishing from land. Trolling with small flatfish or spinners through the deeper sections of the lake have produced the most trout.