Pool 7 of the Allegheny River, which flows from Lock and Dam 8 near Mosgrove down to Lock and Dam 7 in Kittanning, provides seven miles of impounded water that supports a varied warmwater fishery. Major tributaries to Pool 7 are stocked trout waters, adding to the area’s attractiveness.

Featured species in Pool 7 include walleye, smallmouth bass and muskies. Crappies are present in small numbers and inhabit specific habitat within the pool, and though their numbers are low, individual fish tend to be quality in size.

Cowanshannock Creek and two forks of Pine Creek are stocked trout streams. Wild trout are present in the North Fork of Pine Creek as well as Bullock Run, one of its feeder streams. The North Fork and South Fork of Pine Creek join a short distance (about a half mile) before dumping into the Allegheny.

The Allegheny River has a history that includes extensive dredging of sand and gravel. The century old practice ceased in 2013, primarily due to environmental concerns that included impact on freshwater mussel species, shallow habitat removal, shoreline erosion, and others, and increasing governmental regulations related to such.

Still, many sections of the river are unnaturally deep due to past dredging, which is certainly the case of Pool 7. Main channel depths of 30-plus feet are common. In many cases finding fish means finding suitable shallow water habitat. As is common in most navigable rivers, key areas include the tailrace section of the upriver lock and dam as well as the habitat formed near incoming streams.

The tailrace below Lock and Dam 8 is no exception to this generalization. It’s especially significant at this time of year as walleye will be present in great numbers. And smallmouth bass, which also make uses of the rocky, well-oxygenated substrate found here, will also be present in good numbers this spring.

Lock and Dam 8 features a lock chamber on its east bank and a hydroelectric facility on the west. It’s important to note that a restricted area exists immediately below the dam in which boats are not permitted. Typically, warning buoys are in place. But if not, the boundary of the restricted area is formed at the down-river end of the inside approach wall of the lock chamber.

The mouth of the lock chamber forms a slackwater pool adjacent to the fast flow of the water coming over the dam. It’s common for walleyes to hold in this area, often along the current seam formed there.

Also, a shallow shoal is present to the west of the lock chamber mouth (but not in the restricted area) that both smallmouth bass and walleyes often use. The hydroelectric plant on the west side of the dam features a fishing pier for shore anglers. This area can be reached via SR 4023 (aka Tarrtown Road).

A large rock bar formed at the mouth of Pine Creek is another Pool 7 hotspot. Like the outflow areas, this spot is a walleye magnet now. Walleyes tend to disperse as water temperatures rise this spring, but this area will still be attractive to smallmouth bass.

Two smaller streams, Hays Run and Limestone Run, also feature good shallow water habitat near their mouths. Hays Run comes in from the east, down-river of Pine Creek. Limestone joins the river from the west.

Cowanshannock Creek also joins the Allegheny from the east side. The only public boat access to Pool 7 is the Fish and Boat Commission’s Cowanshannock facility, which is located a short distance up the creek from its mouth. The access area is found just off SR 1033 north of Kittanning.

A nice paved parking lot is provided, but the ramp can get mud-covered following high-water events. Sediment build up at the mouth of the creek can be a problem, particularly during low water, so it’s wise to tilt your motor up when idling out into the main river.

Across from Cowanshannock Creek is a large, dredged side channel known locally as the Tarrtown Cove. If you are going to catch any crappies from Pool 7, they will likely come from here, or along the main river bank just out from the mouth of the Cove. It’s also a good spot to cast for muskies.

Walleyes and smallmouth bass are both self-sustaining in Pool 7. Good populations of pure muskies also exist through maintenance stocking. Last year ,725 yearling-stage muskies were stocked in Pool 7.

Jeff Knapp is an outdoors columnist for the Butler Eagle