A Pennsylvania fishing experience will get you hooked! With 4,000 inland lakes and ponds and 85,000 miles of streams and rivers, the Keystone State has everything a freshwater angler dreams of. To top it all off, Pennsylvania features over 70 miles of coastline on Lake Erie, which means there’s plenty of opportunities to indulge in a Great Lakes fishing adventure.
Where to go
With endless streams, creeks, and lakes across the state, it’s hard to find a place where you can’t fish. To make your search for the perfect trip easier, we recommend river fishing at Harrisburg and lake fishing at Erie.
River Fishing
The Susquehanna River is the largest river on the East Coast, which connects many smaller rivers and creeks. The river is well-known for a great deal of Smallmouth Bass and is also filled with plenty of Walleye, Catfish, and smaller Panfish. Every serious fly fisherman knows that it can hardly get any better than targeting Trout in this area. Whether you’re out to get Brown, Lake, or Steelhead Trout, you only need to focus on streams and creeks that bring extra cold water.
If you’re a beginner, you can start with spots full of stocked Trout, since they’re easy to fool and will bite more often than wild Trout. If you’re interested in targeting Carp, visit in spring during their spawning season. For all night-owl anglers out there, catfishing is the best in early spring.
Lake Erie
You’ll find that winter and spring are slow on Lake Erie – the real action begins when it gets warmer. When the temperature rises, the fish move to deeper waters, and this happens to be the perfect time for targeting trophy Walleye. Salmon and Steelhead are usually caught with downriggers, while Perch is best to target by bottom fishing, using live minnows as bait. Lake Erie also has an incredible population of Smallmouth Bass, which is slowly becoming a very popular target for fly fishing.
Regulations
- All anglers 16 and older need a valid Pennsylvania fishing license. You can purchase your license online or at License Issuing Agents, County Treasurer offices, or Fish & Boat Commission offices.
- If you’re fishing in Lake Erie, you’ll also need a Lake Erie stamp.
- If you’re targeting Trout species, it’s necessary to get a Trout stamp. You may also use the combo Erie/Trout stamp.
Whether you prefer fishing in the lake or river, Pennsylvania will deliver. Choose your trip and get ready for an amazing freshwater adventure!