How's the fishing in and around Pittsburgh? (Penn, Ohiopyle: buy, pollution)

[jjs65]

eccotecc, I'm quite jealous of the fishing spots you live around. That must be one of the best places in the country to be! Regarding locations within an hour of downtown PGH, there's Lake Arthur in Moraine State Park (45 min simple drive). It is a great lake with a 20hp motor limit. I just sold my boat this year but it was fantastic for largemouth and good for walleye and muskie.

There's Beaver Run Reservoir out in Apollo, between Vandergrift and Delmont. Good for all types of bass and crappie as well.

For stream fishing, there's Buffalo creek about 45 minutes away in Worthington. Great for trout.
Unfortunately, I don't know much more within an hour of downtown. I lived 30 min north of the city, which changed the areas I was able to fish in the evening.

If you would like to extend your limits, here's some AMAZING fishing around:

Pymatuming (reservoir): 1 hr 45 min away.

All the creeks in Erie from Lake Erie: Some of the best Steelhead fishing in the country. No joke. The runs are unbelievable. Well worth the 2 hour 15 minute drive.

Allegheny National Forest: There's Cook Forest and Clear Creek. Perfect places for small stream trout fishing. I spend every 1st day of trout season there. Friends have a camp in Sigel. It's 1 hour 45 min drive. Just north 0f I 80.

State College: Spring Creek. Best trout fishing in Pennsylvania, hands down. Although 'fisherman's paradise' is not as it was many moons ago, every part of the creek has tons of natives. It's well worth the 2 hour 45 minute drive.

**Note: all driving times are from stanwix st / blvd of the allies for reference**

Any more questions, feel free to fire away!

[eccotecc]

jss65,

You sound like a person who shares my passion. I truly appreciate your reply.

I hope you still get a chance to get out fishing on a regular basis. It's a sport that nourishes the mind, body, and soul.
A person once told me," Rich folk go to a therapist when needed, while po-folk go fishing."

Thanks again....

[jjs65]

Fishing helps clear the mind for sure!

I'm actually living in State College now, going to Penn State University. I'm only a 5 minute drive to Spring Creek and love it. It'll be hard to move away haha. Hopefully you find a good location near at least one calm place to fish. The others can all be weekend / evening trips. Good luck with everything though!

[stevo6]

Originally Posted by eccotecc

jjs65,

Presently I'm fortunate to live close to river, lake, and stream fishing. I fish for trout in the Merced River as it flows out of Yosemite National Park. I also fish for trout in streams located in the Sierra National Forest. I fish for bass in lakes that are fed by rivers that flow out of the Sierras. All of these waters are easily within an hour drive.

When I lived in Pittsburgh I would fish for trout in Big Nashanick (sp) Creek in Volant and small mouth bass on the upper Allegheny near Oil City. I also tried fishing Raccoon Creek but was never very lucky there.

The Merced is beautiful, and so is the Trinity a bit north of you.

You might like fishing the Sandy Creek around Polk, PA, as well as Oil Creek in the park just north of Oil City. Mostly these are stocked fish and holdovers, but they are pretty streams and the feeder streams will have some natives. There is a book to get that is essential- called Trout Streams of Pennsylvania. I think the author is Landis. It will show you the streams and how to get access, as well as where to find the wild trout vs. the stocked trout.
BTW , Racoon Creek is not worth any effort in my view as it is highly polluted with mine drainage.

[eccotecc]

stevo6,

I'll be back in Pittsburgh the 19th of June. I was thinking of taking a drive up to Warren Pa. Warren seems to have rivers, lakes, streams, and forests. The only downside would be the snow. I get snow now where I live but being at the 3500 foot level, it's below the heavy snowline. When we get snow it's a novelty and never lasts for more than a day.

I have been to the Trinity. I've driven the length of it from Arcata to Redding. Whiskey Town Lake above Redding is Nice.

Thanks for the book reference.

Do you know anything about Volant these days. Shortly after I got my driver's license a friend and I would drive up there to fish and we would camp out along the creek next to the old dam. We used to have a great time catching trout and bass out of that stream. I caught a 5 lb trout out of that creek tossing soft crayfish under the spillway of the dam. To date, that was the biggest trout I've ever caught except for steelies.

Thanks again for the info...

[gg]

Originally Posted by eccotecc

stevo6,

I'll be back in Pittsburgh the 19th of June. I was thinking of taking a drive up to Warren Pa. Warren seems to have rivers, lakes, streams, and forests. The only downside would be the snow. I get snow now where I live but being at the 3500 foot level, it's below the heavy snowline. When we get snow it's a novelty and never lasts for more than a day.

The river sucks up in Warren because the dam dumps hot water up that way. It wasn't designed with fish in mine like the Hoover. They are opposite designs. I would fish Brokenstraw Creek or some of the native places. Also on route 666, there is a catch and release, down toward Tionesta.

[eccotecc]

h_curtis,

That's a big disappointment. The river up there looked perfect for trout and small mouth bass, from the pictures I saw. I also remembered seeing a lake close by. What's the fishing like there. It's hard to believe the river would be too warm for trout since the releases usually come from the bottom of the dam where the water is colder. But if it's a slow release and the river is shallow I can see where the water could be too warm in the summer. Thanks for the reply..

[gg]

Originally Posted by eccotecc

h_curtis,

That's a big disappointment. The river up there looked perfect for trout and small mouth bass, from the pictures I saw. I also remembered seeing a lake close by. What's the fishing like there. It's hard to believe the river would be too warm for trout since the releases usually come from the bottom of the dam where the water is colder. But if it's a slow release and the river is shallow I can see where the water could be too warm in the summer. Thanks for the reply..

Sadly that old damn releases from top water and it isn't good for trout. Are you looking for trout? If so, do you like to cut brush or have easy fishing or what are you looking for?

[eccotecc]

h_curtis,

I've done my share of bushwacking. I prefer walking a river or stream and looking for good drifts and holes. My favorite lure is a panther martin in a 1/8 or 1/16 oz weight. This time of year I'm fishing the Merced for native rainbows. Mid July into August I'll fish for smallies when the snow melt ceases and the trout are in hiding in deep inaccessible holes or I'll travel up to higher elevations, like 8,000+ feet
to fish for brookies. I hate to catch the brookies because they are so aggressive and many times it's hard not to injure them. Late winter and early spring I hit the lakes for pre-spawn large mouth bass and trout. In the fall I target german browns in the deep holes on the Merced up in Yosemite.

So as you can see I do fish year round. I'm not adverse to cold or rainy weather, actually I enjoy it. I do enjoy a challenge, and would prefer a variety of fishing options.

[stevo6]

Originally Posted by eccotecc

stevo6,

I'll be back in Pittsburgh the 19th of June. I was thinking of taking a drive up to Warren Pa. Warren seems to have rivers, lakes, streams, and forests. The only downside would be the snow. I get snow now where I live but being at the 3500 foot level, it's below the heavy snowline. When we get snow it's a novelty and never lasts for more than a day.

I have been to the Trinity. I've driven the length of it from Arcata to Redding. Whiskey Town Lake above Redding is Nice.

Thanks for the book reference.

Do you know anything about Volant these days. Shortly after I got my driver's license a friend and I would drive up there to fish and we would camp out along the creek next to the old dam. We used to have a great time catching trout and bass out of that stream. I caught a 5 lb trout out of that creek tossing soft crayfish under the spillway of the dam. To date, that was the biggest trout I've ever caught except for steelies.

Thanks again for the info...

I have fished the Neshannock a couple of times below Volant- very pretty area but gets warm and by mid or late June its usually finished for trout.