| Allegheny County
This weekend’s angling success was best on the Monongahela River from the point up to Duck Hollow. Boat and shore anglers were catching catfish up to 10 lbs in this area. The water was slightly colored and had a surface temperature of 84 degrees.
Allegheny River - Anglers are reporting slow action for just about every species except catfish. Catfish, some large ones, are being caught at most popular fishing areas on the river. Best spots are at Lock 2 and Lock 3.
Ohio River - An angler got an interesting catch on Sunday on the Ohio River. Walter Amman was reeling in what he thought was a large turtle. The turtle turned out to be a very old and worn pair of steel toed boots. The boots hit on what appeared to be a large piece of chicken liver.
The Youghiogheny River has been spotty for bass of larger size, but usually everyone I speak to has at least caught some smaller ones.
Boaters are reminded to check their safety equipment for serviceability and presence. Boating pressure has not been as heavy as it has been in past years in the Pittsburgh Pool. We are still seeing plenty of designated drivers out there.
Armstrong County
Some largemouth bass are being caught in the backwaters of Crooked Creek Lake. Saturday morning smallmouth bass were being caught at the mouth of a tributary stream in pool 6 of the Allegheny River, possibly the activity picked up because of Friday’s heavy rains. One angler fishing pool 7 during the recent mayfly hatches reported catching channel cats up to 20”, by casting a night crawler suspended by a bobber into an area of rising fish. One fly fisherman has been doing well on Redbank Creek with smallmouth. He reports three over 20”, six 15-18”, and many fish in the 13-15”range.
As expected, catfish are being caught in greater numbers in the Allegheny; August is typically the best month for cats. Hot dogs, night crawlers, and chicken liver are working the best. One fisherman on Buffalo Creek below Worthington was having a good evening of smallmouth bass fishing. Most were in the 10-13” range. he also reported catching half a dozen rainbow trout during the previous week in the same area. Worms were his bait of choice.
Cambria County
Glendale Lake - Anglers are catching crappie and some bass. Anglers on boats are marking suspended panfish but catching few.
Wilmore Dam - Anglers are catching crappie and bass fishing has been fair.
Beaver Dam Reservoir - anglers are catching bass
Hinckston Run Reservoir - small bass are being caught
Colver Reservoir - Anglers have been catching numbers of good sized bass and perch.
Southern Somerset County
With the high temperatures and humidity along with the small amount of rain, the fishing has not been favorable. The trout streams are very low and the trout are very reluctant to hit anything thrown at them.
Youghiogheny River Lake - There are rumors of nice channel cats being caught. Two large snapping turtles were hooked in Jockey Hollow Access recently on worms. Anglers are catching a few walleyes and some largemouth bass.
High Point Lake - Northern pike, small perch, chain pickerel, as well as a few crappie and bull head catfish have been caught. A few bass have been caught but its been hit or miss on what days are best.
Lake Somerset - Anglers are catching largemouth bass and channel catfish. A few crappies are being caught in the evenings.
Quemahoning Reservoir - A few northern pike are being caught. Some nice sized smallmouth and largemouth bass are being caught. Anglers are catching some bullhead catfish.
Laurel Hill Lake - Anglers are catching a few trout and some nice blue gills.
Washington County Fishing on the Monongahela River has slowed quite a bit from what it was like earlier. Anglers are still catching a few smallmouth bass on soft plastic tube baits and some crank baits but the catch rate has slowed considerably. The water temperature has risen significantly and I suspect this has a lot to do with it.
All three of the locks and dams (Point Marion, Grays Landing and Maxwell) are still producing a few catches of white bass, sauger, walleye and channel catfish but the catch rate has slowed as well. The most productive times have been about an hour before dark and the first couple of hours at first light. As usual, the most productive bait has been live minnows.
Anglers are also catching channel catfish at the old lock wall at Rices Landing using night crawlers, shrimp and chicken skin. Again, the most productive times have been about an hour before dark and the first couple of hours at first light.
It has been an unpredictable boating season so far on the Monongahela River from Point Marion Lock and Dam to Maxwell Lock and Dam. I thought just about every boater would be out last weekend when the temperatures cooled, but traffic was moderate at best. However, current conditions on the Monongahela River are excellent for boating.
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