Pennsylvania's 2007 Fishing Calendar

October 05, 2010

Here's a sampling of 36 great fishing trips for Keystone State anglers to consider as they plan their 2007 angling vacation getaways. (February 2007)

By Sheila Grant

A whole new year of angling experiences lies ahead, and the Keystone State is a great place to explore!

From trophy trout on Pennsylvania's biggest lakes to plentiful river-dwelling smallmouth bass, hardwater action for pike, or brookies hooked in back woods summer streams, Pennsylvania has year-round angling action for everyone.

For a summary of Pennsylvania's 2007 fishing regulations, log onto www.sites.state.pa.us.

Hitting all of the fish-worthy waters listed below could take a lifetime, but here's a sneak peek at just some of the best places for anglers to consider in 2007:

JANUARY

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Walleyes

Frances Slocum Lake

This lake in Frances Slocum State Park offers good fishing for crappies, bluegill, perch, bullheads, muskies, pickerel and largemouth bass in addition to its thriving walleye population.

Lower Woods and Upper Woods ponds are 90-acre Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission-owned waters in Wayne County. Lower Woods is great for bass, pickerel and panfish, but Upper Woods is the place for experienced hardwater trout anglers. This is a Select Trout-Stocked Lake Program water, for rainbows and brown trout. Both lakes can be accessed off Route 371 between Cold Spring and Rileyville.

MARCH

Pike

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Allegheny Reservoir

This Warren County trophy pike area also offers up plenty of perch and walleye action. For those trophy northern pike, fish 25 to 40 feet down with cut bait! The Webbs Ferry access is on Scandia-Onoville Road and offers plenty of parking.

Crappies

Opossum Lake

The ice-fishing action holds out on this Cumberland County lake just as long as the ice does. In addition to good-sized crappies, the lake is home to bluegills, bass and trout. Opossum is a Big Bass water and a Select Trout Stocked Lake.

There are three PFBC access areas. Launch 1 is six miles northwest of Carlisle, off state Route 641 near Plainfield, and then take state Route 74 north. Turn left onto Easy Road. Drive to the end and turn right. The lake is on the left.

For Launch 2, drive past the first access, cross the bridge and turn left.

A third area with limited parking and a surfaced ramp is about 100 yards beyond the second access site.

Pickerel

Shohola Lake

This 1,100-acre lake in Pike County is Commission-owned and a great hardwater destination for trophy largemouths as well as big pickerel. Take U.S. Route 6 to Shohola Falls, or follow Route 6 to the commission's maintenance road. A second launch area here offers plenty of parking.

APRIL

White Perch

Ontelaunee Lake

This Berks County lake is better known for quantity than quality, so head here if you want plentiful perch action, but don't mind smaller fish.

Try small minnows or lures that mimic aquatic insects here. The lake is along Route 73 north of Reading.

Brook Trout

Logan Run

This northern Forest County brook is for walk-in anglers only. Fish for wild brookies from the headwaters near Coal Bed Run Road downstream to the mouth near Balltown -- about 1.8 miles. Logan flows through public lands owned by the Allegheny National Forest.

Rainbows

Rasler Run

Chase a wild rainbow along this southeastern Fayette County brook from the headwaters to its mouth, about 3.3 miles. The nearest town is Normalville, about 10 miles north of Fallingwater and 20 miles north of Ohiopyle State Park off Route 381.

MAY

Channel Cats

Harvey's Lake

This popular 658-ac

re lake in Luzerne County gives up record-class channel catfish. These fish usually feed at night, but will dine in murky areas of a lake during the day.

Harvey's is also a great spot for smallmouth bass, muskies, pike and walleyes. The lake is northwest of Wilkes-Barre, off Route 415.

Smallmouths

Susquehanna River

Fish this river in Lancaster County from York Haven Dam to Safe Harbor Dam. There are multiple access sites along the shore. In addition to great smallmouth bass fishing, the Susquehanna has a good population of walleyes and carp. Commission-owned access sites are available in Marietta, Falmouth or Columbia.

Lake Erie is touted as the Walleye Capital of the World, but it is also home to an impressive smallmouth bass fishery.

Northern Pike

Foster J. Sayers Lake

In addition to excellent fishing for pike, this Centre County lake has big muskies and largemouth bass. Sayers Lake is managed under Panfish Enhancement regulations, so there are minimum length and creel limits in effect on sunfish and crappies.

Access may be had at the discharge of the lake near Blanchard, off Route 150 midway between Milesburg and Lock Haven.

JUNE

Striped Bass

Raystown Lake

This Huntingdon County lake is known for its record-class striped bass, including one whopper that weighed in at 37 pounds and was 41 inches long. Try live bait or white bucktail jigs here.

Take Snyder's Run Road south from U.S. Route 22 in Huntingdon for plenty of parking, shoreline access and a surfaced boat ramp. Or find the same amenities off state Route 26 by taking Seven Points Drive east from Hesston.

Smallmouths

Presque Isle Bay

Lake Erie is touted as the Walleye Capital of the World, but is also home to an impressive smallmouth bass fishery. Access can be had through Presque Isle State Park in Erie by taking I-79 north to Route 12 west to Peninsula Drive. Or try Dobbins or Perry's landings along the downtown waterfront by taking I-79 to Bayfront Highway.

Muskies

Tuscarora Lake

This Schuylkill County lake offers anglers a shot at the occasional monster walleye or muskie. This warmwater fishery also has bass, pickerel, catfish, yellow perch and sunfish.

Tuscarora State Park is two miles west of Tamaqua off state Route 309 south of Barnesville.

JULY

Walleyes

Lake Erie

It would be impossible to write about fishing in the Keystone State without giving a bow to Lake Erie's wonderful walleyes. Try trolling with Dipsey Divers. Larger walleyes will head for deeper waters, so try fishing over the trenches. There is a town-owned surfaced ramp at the foot of Wayne Avenue in Erie, another one off East Avenue and a third (unpaved) at Lawrence Park.

Brown Trout

Opossum Lake

This Cumberland County lake, another Select Trout Stocked water, receives stockings throughout the year. Shoreline anglers can easily catch trout.

There are three commission launches. Drive six miles northwest of Carlisle, off state Route 641 near Plainfield, and then take state Route 74 north. Turn left onto Easy Road. Drive to the end and turn right.

Largemouths

Lake Wilhelm

This Mercer County lake lies in M.K. Goddard State Park. Wilhelm is also known for its healthy population of muskies. Take state Route 358 off I-79. North of Sandy Lake, access via a surfaced ramp for boats up to 20 horsepower may be had on state Route 173 and Georgetown Road.

AUGUST

Muskies

Canadohta Lake

This Crawford County lake is home to good populations of muskies, walleyes and pike. Large live baits or lures that mimic them will work.

The lake is south of Union City off Route 8.

Largemouths

Lackawanna Lake

In Lackawanna State Park, this two-tiered fishery is fed by the south branch of Tunkhannock Creek and by Kennedy Creek. The 2.5-mile-long lake is also home to trout, muskies, walleyes, channel catfish, bullheads and pickerel.

Lackawanna Lake is 10 miles north of Scranton. Take Exit 60 off Route 81 and then travel three miles west on state Route 524.

Walleyes

Beltzville Lake

This 947-acre lake in Carbon County boasts plenty of whopper walleyes! Anglers are also reporting some success with muskies, which are stocked here.

Take the Northeast Extension to Mahoning City, Exit 34. Turn left and follow the signs to Beltzville's north side. Access to the southern shore is off Route 209.

SEPTEMBER

Steelhead

Walnut Creek

Steelies now make their migratory move in from Lake Erie and begin staging around the mouths of tributaries. Great Lakes steelhead grow big -- the state's largest (19-plus pounds) came from Erie.

Try Walnut Creek, which is four miles west of Erie off state Route 5 in Fairview Township or Elk Creek, about two miles west of the intersection of state routes 5 and 18 with access on the left bank, or Twentymile Creek between North East Marina and the New York border.

Largemouths

Stephen Foster Lake

This lake in Mt. Pisgah State Park is also home to perch, bass, bluegills and crappies. On the west shore there's an angler's area with plenty of parking and shoreline access.

The park is about two miles north of U.S. Route 6 in Bradford County. The park is four miles north of U.S. Route 6 at East Troy.

Rainbows

Piney Creek

This southeast Clarion County stream near Limestone is stocked with rainbow trout, brown trout and brookies. There is a Delayed Harvest Artificial Lures Only area from the state Route 2016 bridge downstream to .2 miles upstream of the state Route 66 bridge.

OCTOBER

Brown Trout

Lycoming Creek

This Lycoming County creek is stocked with browns and rainbow trout. Try the riffles upstream of Powys Curve downstream to the bridge on Old Route 15 near Haleeka. The creek is another Delayed Harvest Artificial Lures Only area.

Take Route 15 north from Williamsport. Exit at Cogan Station. Take Lycoming Creek Road (old Route 15) north to Route 14 north. Fish from Hepburnville to Trout Run.

Sauger

Monongahela River

The Monongahela has an excellent population of sauger, muskies and walleyes. Target warmwater discharges near power plants. Live bait takes the larger fish here.

For a map of the river, visit www.lrp.usace.army.mil.

Coho Salmon

Elk Creek

This Lake Erie tributary has big coho salmon, including a lunker caught in 2005 that weighed 9.15 pounds.

From Sept. 5 until opening day of trout season, all Lake Erie tributaries except for Walnut and Elk creeks north of Route 5 are closed to fishing from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission access is about two miles west of the intersection of state routes 5 and 18 on the left bank.

NOVEMBER

Northern Pike

Lake Marburg

This southwestern York County lake consistently produces note-worthy pike. Northern pike are loners that ambush fish, frogs, tadpoles, crayfish, leeches and large aquatic insects.

There is a 20-horsepower motor limit for outboards here. A marina is two miles east of Hanover on state Route 216 inside Codorus State Park.

Brown Trout

Youghiogheny Lake

This 2,800-acre lake is controlled by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The Youghiogheny and its tailwaters offer excellent trout fishing. Keep in mind that depths can change throughout the year.

Commission access may be found four miles west of Addison off U.S. Route 40 or one mile west of the U.S. Route 40 bridge.

Tiger Muskies

Lake Holman

This Perry County lake has all the typical game fish species, but tiger muskies offer anglers a change of pace. Only non-powered or electric-powered boats are allowed on Holman, which is off Route 34 in Little Buffalo State Park.

DECEMBER

Bluegills

Keystone Power Dam

The Keystone Power Company owns this 1,000-acre lake, but PFBC fishing regulations apply. The impoundment has a good population of bluegills and yielded the current state-record fish.

Try teardrop jigs with grubs or wax worms. Water levels on this lake change without warning -- so be careful on the ice! Several parking areas along Route 210 offer access for hardwater anglers.

Walleyes

Mauch Chunk Lake

This 330-acre flood-control lake in Carbon County is a hotspot for walleyes and perch. Bluegills and pickerel are also plentiful.

From Route 902 near Summit Hill, turn onto state Route 3012. Launch B is 1.3 miles from the intersection. The main park entrance is three miles away.

For Launch A, take PA Route 209 in Jim Thorpe, turn onto Broadway-Lentz Trail and keep on for 3.6 miles.

Northern Pike

Glendale Lake

This 1,640-acre lake lies in Prince Gallitzin State Park in Cambria County. There may be open water on the main body of the lake this month, but its secluded coves should provide good ice-fishing. Bass, muskies, crappies, bluegills and perch are also common here.

The park is north of Route 22 in Ebensburg. For current ice conditions, call the park office at (724) 428-4254.

Find more about Pennsylvania fishing and hunting at: PAgameandfish.com