Pymatuning Reservoir

The Pymatuning Reservoir of western PA is the ideal place to be. It’s family-friendly and offers quite a range of activities you’ll miss after leaving the site. From fishing to swimming, the feeding of ducks and carp, you cannot help but forget the beaches that make it the most beautiful place to visit in the state of Pennsylvania.

In reserve, you will find camping grounds and parks where you can engage in many activities, such as biking, walking, and playing games. 

Also, with modern institutions such as museums, you can learn about the history of the people and the reservoir itself. With more than enough to offer, it offers recreation and a wide variety of fishing opportunities. The state also uses Pymatuning Lake for power production and flood management.

Its Purpose

Pymatuning Lake primarily conserves water entering the Pymatuning Swamp and regulates water flow in the Shenango and Beaver rivers. In addition, Pymatuning Lake provides water supply to the Shenango and Beaver valleys and has lessened the damage from floods.

Where is Pymatuning Reservoir

Pymatuning Lake is in Crawford County, PA, and Ashtabula County, Ohio. This land covering the Ohio-Pennsylvania border was once a giant swamp. Most of Pymatuning Lake is incorporated into two Pymatuning state parks, one in Pennsylvania and one in Ohio.

Ohio and Pennsylvania share the reservoir, but Pennsylvania has the largest share and holds almost 80% of the credit. The journey takes nearly 3-5 hours, depending on your location on the Pennsylvania side.

Lake Temperature

Temperatures at Pymatuning Lake are usually around 49 degrees, but they can vary widely depending on the season and weather conditions.

The high temperatures in the summer cause the Pymatuning Lake fish to come above or near the water surface to cool off, and you should make a good catch here. In addition, anglers use this opportunity to capture species like crappies and bluegill from the reservoir.

The cold seasons between autumn and spring average 42 degrees, but fall to 19 degrees on extreme days. This temperature significantly affects walleye spawning, increasing the rate by a factor of to.

Pymatuning Reservoir Fishing

Being an artificial lake, it carries fresh water that attracts a variety of fish species, including largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, perch, bluegill, grass carp, channel catfish, flathead catfish, yellow perch, and black crappie. In addition, Pymatuning Lake attracts walleye, the most lucrative of all species. Fishing licenses issued by either Pennsylvania or Ohio are honored anywhere on the lake when fishing by boat.

Top Species

The Bluegill

May through June is when you’ll spot them above or near the water surface. They start spawning when the water temperatures rise to 67 degrees in August.

Bluegill are usually located in dark corners, and you are likely to find them hiding in the weed patches along the shores, docks, and ramps. Anglers mostly use live bait, crickets, larvae, and minnows when fishing. 

Nicknamed ‘blue joe’ by the natives, the gill is also available for prime fishing in the lakes of Shenango, Arthur, and Edinboro.

Walleye

The longest walleye fish measures almost 30 inches on average, with smaller ones stretching only 7 inches. As a result, they’ll come near the water’s surface in spring, when it’s ideal to catch them.

While summer and fall are the best seasons to catch fish, there’s plenty of food for them in the water, and you are likely to go home without a single catch. 

The walleye enjoy feeding on the alewives, gizzard shad, and the spotted tail shiners. With plenty of these prey in the reservoir, you should probably try fishing at night. However, night fishing is not easy and is recommended only for those with great patience. 

Black Crappie

This species has attracted the attention of most anglers in the reservoir due to its massive numbers. In the winter season, anglers come together to catch this species along with the bass and yellow perch.

They are located in channels and brush piles, and you can also find them hiding in stumps in waters almost 15 feet deep. If you want to see them in plenty, try fishing in the main lake. 

When fishing for crappie, you can trust live bait and jig heads to do the magic.

Lake Charter Captains

To see a complete list of great PA Fishing Guides, please click here!

Pymatuning Reservoir Spillway

The spillway is one of the main spots where you should be having fun. The beauty is just incredible, and its long stretch can accommodate many. The carp, fish, and ducks are fun to watch in the spillway as they scramble for bread.

The carp come in large numbers, and you’ll even find ducks just walking on top of them as they scramble for bread. Whether you’re a tourist or a local, you can’t resist the serenity and calm you’ll find here. 

Take your time and visit “where the ducks walk on fish.”

Pymatuning Lake Things To Do

Pymatuning Reservoir Boat Rental

You are likely to find pontoons, jet skis, and all other kinds of boats in the reservoir. Pontoons, however, are the most common boats used by both locals and tourists when boating in the Pymatuning Reservoir. 

The Jamestown Boat rental is always open from dawn to 8 pm. Linesville Marina, Espyville Marina, and the Pymatuning Boat Liveries also offer the exact charges and are close by, with the last boat leaving at 8:30 pm.

Pymatuning State Park

Pymatuning State Park is a large Pennsylvania park covering 16,892 acres, making it one of the largest and most visited state parks in the Commonwealth. Pymatuning State Park offers tons of recreational activities, including fishing, camping, swimming, and more. It’s also an excellent place for sightseeing plants, animals, and beautiful sunsets. The best part is that most of the shoreline of Pymatuning State Park is accessible for bank fishing. In addition, Pymatuning Lake is the only known spot in Pennsylvania where bald eagles nest continuously every year, even during their population decline.

Explore the Beaver Dam Trail

Beaver Dam Trail is a one-mile loop trail near Linesville, Pennsylvania, featuring a great forest setting for all skill and age levels to explore. In addition, the Beaver Dam Trail is a popular spot for walking, hiking, running, and bird watching.

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