The arrival of fall Monday means muskies to many anglers. The Allegheny River, along with several reservoirs on waters that directly feed the river, offers some of the best options in Western Pennsylvania.

Here's a look at three of them.

Warren County contains the upper portion of what's known as the middle Allegheny River, the free-flowing section that runs from the tailwaters of Kinzua Dam down to the start of the lower (navigable) river near East Brady.This portion of the river offers much for the muskie angler. Access is good for both bank and boat anglers. Regular stockings of muskies from the nearby hatchery in Tionesta have created a super muskie fishery that contains many year classes of fish, from hammer-handles all the way up to 50-inchers.Warren County's Allegheny has an excellent blend of habitats. Deep pools are present. Several islands break up the flow and provide the kind of cover river muskies like during the fall.Public boat accesses can be found in Tidioute, Bonnie Brae, Starbrick, Buckaloons, as well as just below the Kinzua tailrace.

About 100 miles downriver from the Warren County section, Armstrong County's Pool 6 provides one of the best venues on the lower river for muskies.The lower 70 miles of the river are impounded by eight navigational lock- and-dam systems. These low-head, fixed-crest dams create miniature impoundments, backwaters that exhibit characteristics of both river and reservoir.What separates Pool 6, the 11-mile river section between Clinton and Kittanning, from other pools is the abundance of shallow-water habitat. Three islands found within the pool provide a wealth of structure and cover options for the caster to chuck muskie baits.On the west side of the river, opposite the town of Manorville, is a complex of islands highlighted by Cogley's Island. Muskie anglers will find an abundance of casting options in this area and should concentrate on areas where the shallows quickly drop off into deeper water.Near Rosston is Ross Island. The river widens at this point, and the midriver humps and flats leading off the islands are top spots, particularly during years when the weed growth is significant.Just above Lock and Dam 6 is Nicholson Island, which has numerous points and fingers that extend to deeper water.The cover-structure options at creek mouths also attract muskies. Check out the mergers of Garrett's Run, Crooked Creek and Glade Run.Boat access to Pool 6 is from the municipal launch off Water Street in Kittanning and the Fish and Boat Commission's access at Rosston. Being impounded water, Pool 6 can handle larger boats. Pay heed to navigation buoys that mark shallow spots, though. There is no horsepower restriction.

Forest County is home to 530-acre Tionesta Lake, a federal flood control lake located just outside the town of the same name.Tionesta Lake's muskie population is comprised of a healthy spectrum of size classes. On the top end, fish in the 50-inch, 40-pound class have been showing up with increased regularity, in both angler's catches and Fish Commission surveys. A 2005 lake census that targeted muskies collected fish up to 50¾ inches long.An impoundment of Tionesta Creek, Tionesta Lake is a relatively steep sided reservoir that attains a maximum depth of about 40 feet. The creek channel is distinguishable in most areas of the lake, bottoming off in the 25-foot range in most places. During years when water levels are stable, some areas of weedgrowth are present. A scattering of rock shoals-points and woody shoreline cover is also present.There is no horsepower restriction. Access areas are found near the dam and uplake at Nebraska Bridge. Shore anglers catch muskies in the tailrace and in Tionesta Creek upstream of the lake section, near Kelletville.