Reservoirs provide trout fishing options
The discharge areas of many of the state’s reservoirs provide early season trout fishing options, and are managed under a variety of regulations. One of the most notable of such spots is the outflow of Kinzua Dam as well as the Allegheny River between the outflow and the city of Warren.
Presently Kinzua is well above winter pool as the Corps of Engineers was holding back water collected during the heavy rain and snow melt experienced late last week. Heavy discharges are now under way to lower the lake back down. As such, currently fishing in the outflow area is not an option. But once the lake is back down, and discharges are scaled back to typical wintertime levels, Kinzua should again become an option.
Special regulations apply to the 8.75 miles of the Allegheny River that flow from the Kinzua Dam outflow downriver to the mouth of Conewango Creek in Warren. From opening day of trout season through Labor Day two trout, a minimum of 14 inches, may be creeled per day. From Labor Day to the start of the trout season the following year trout may be fished for on a catch and release basis. There are no tackle restrictions.
Kinzua Dam — a major impoundment of the Allegheny River — features a multilevel discharge which allows for more stable water temperatures in the river below throughout the year. During the winter months water temperatures remain slightly warmer than what they’d be without the presence of the dam, hence much of this area remains relatively ice free at this time.
Kinzua is a flood control dam, however, and is subject to wide variations is discharge levels. Flows can vary from as little as the 2,000 cubic feet/second range up to nearly 20,000 CFS. Naturally, high discharges most often occur following periods of substantial rain and snow melt-off, when operators are releasing excess water pooled in the reservoir. Current discharge rate — as well as the projected discharge for the next three days — can be heard by phoning the Corps of Engineers at 814-726-0164.
This portion of the Allegheny River, known officially by the Fish and Boat Commission as Section 7, is regularly stocked with fingerling-stage trout (two- to four-inches in length). Such stockings (both brown and rainbow trout), along with contributions from other sources like adult trout that migrate to the river from stocked tributaries, result in a quality fishery that boasts fish in the six to eight-pound range.
Route 59 runs along the east side of the river from Warren to Kinzua Dam; on the west side of the Allegheny take Hemlock Road out of Warren to access points along this bank town all the way up to the dam. A fisherman’s pier — which is handicapped-accessible — is found at the discharge on the Hemlock Road side of the river. A boat access is also located below the dam, off Route 59. The Allegheny is a shallow river, most suitable for cartoppers and jet-driven boats. Guide service for this section of the river is provided by Allegheny Guide Service (www.alleghenyguideservice.com).
During the wintertime the most popular stretch for trout is close to the dam — in the tailwaters section down to Dixon Island. Since the trout in this section are accustomed to feeding on injured/disoriented baitfish that pass through the dam’s outflows, many fish are taken with a rig that mimics this: threaded minnows. Suspending jerkbaits like Rapala’s Husky Jerk also score in this area.
This fishery is not limited to trout. Walleyes and muskies are also taken consistently from the Kinzua tailrace. Leadhead jigs account for many of the ‘eyes and muskies take many of these fish.
Jeff Knapp is an outdoors columnist for the Butler Eagle.
