The diversity of fish in Pennsylvania, itself, is impressive. The kinds of waterways in which the fish thrive is equally as impressive. Unbeknownst to many, including anglers outside the Northeast, Pennsylvania is part of the Steelhead Triangle that is formed between the Chesapeake Bay at Baltimore, north to the St. Lawrence Seaway and west to past Cleveland Ohio. The lakes and other waterways are rife with various species of Pike, Muskie and Walleye -- three types of fish you don't hear about much. Many varieties of Trout, Bass, Sunfish and many other species are in abundance, both native and those that are routinely stocked. And the diversity of large rivers to small streams, lakes and ponds and the mouth of the Delaware River that opens into the Atlantic Ocean offer just about any kind of habitat to accommodate indigenous and stocked species. By far, the most sought fish is trout, which draws anglers by the droves so that on opening day in April fishermen stand almost elbow-to-elbow.
Northwest Pennsylvania and Trout
Different kinds of trout prefer different foods, different hiding places and can be found in the smallest of streams to the largest of lakes, where large lake trout are landed frequently. The lake areas often are in state parks which offer hiking and camping opportunities for friends and family. The native varieties of trout, like brook, rainbow and brown trout tend to spook the most easily. Those that are fishery-raised are a little less skittish. In the far northwest corner of the state, Kinzua Dam in Warren County is a trout paradise, though wade fishing is limited below the dam and best fished by boat. There are limited locations for wade-fishing on the sandbars below the dam. The most productive areas are on the Big Bend Access downstream through the city of Warren. Brokenstraw Creek is a medium-width stream that offers more than 10 miles of rural fishing through riffles and pools from the village of Spring Creek down to Youngsville, east of Warren. Oil Creek is a heavily fished stream in Venango County. The stream is stocked before opening day in April and twice more along a 25-mile stretch in late April and early May from Lincolnville downstream to Rouseville. Oil Creek park is one of the favorite spots.
Southwest Region
Laurel Hill Creek is a long creek that changes character at a number of locations, from riffles to shallows and pooling areas. It is well-stocked at three locations and flows into the Casselman River in Confluence, which then flows into the Youghiogheny River. The Little Mahoning Creek, Blacklegs Creek and Brush Creek are all highly stocked and fished for trout. All three are great streams but only the Little Mahoning is stocked.
Northcentral and Northeast
The Lycoming Creek is one of the most heavily stocked trout streams in the Northcentral part of the state located from Cogans Station to the confluence of the Roaring Branch in Lycoming and Tioga Counties. It ultimately empties into the West Branch of the Susquehanna River at Williamsport (home of the Little League World Series). In the Northeast, the Brodhead Creek is good for bait-, lure- and fly fishermen. The trout in the heavily stocked creek will take most any bait, any time. There are extensive caddisfly and mayfly hatches at various times of spring, making it a mecca for fly fishermen. Fly-fishing, as any fisherman knows, requires a high level of skill and practice learning to deliver flies to their quarry in such a way that the fish are tricked into taking the lure.
Southeast
The Bushkill Creek and Little Schuylkill Rivers serve anglers in the most heavily populated area of the state very well. Both are well-stocked. Along the Little Schuylkill, the best fishing spots are located near the borough of New Ringgold and north of Tamaqua, both in Schuylkill County. The Bushkill receives three stockings in April but the width, shallowness and slow-moving waters make the river a challenge for bank fishermen. In many areas a hike through thick underbrush and heavily wooded areas present a challenge just getting to the streams.
Major Rivers, Lakes and Shad
Above Kinzua Dam in the Northwest and Lake Wallenpaupak in the Poconos both offer quite a variety including Pike, Muskie, Walley, Crappies, Sunfish, and Lake Trout in the deeper and cooler waters. The Allegheny, Susquehanna and Delaware Rivers are the three largest rivers in the state and are all best fished by boat. Steelhead can be caught in each when they spawn upriver from the Atlantic. Shad deserves its own mention. There are Shad Festivals and Competitions up and down the Delaware Rivers in the spring, perhaps best known in Easton and the Lambertville-Frenchtown areas. They are a great fighting fish, which accounts for their popularity. But there is a standing joke among fishermen who insist on eating Shad. Shad is less-than desirable to eat, mostly because they contain so many small bones. The standing joke about how to prepare shad for a meal is to nail the fish to a cedar board, cook over a wood or charcoal fire until flaky and tender. Remove the shad, throw away the fish and eat the cedar board. The roe, however, are quite delectable.
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