Top Targeted Fish Species

Best Local Spot For Panfish

Lake Arthur

Lake Arthur sits north of Pittsburgh and is known for producing some of the largest bluegills and crappies in the region. Several of the state’s top record crappies were caught in Lake Arthur. The bluegills consistently push the 9-inch range in this lake. When fishing in Pittsburgh area the most effective method is to use panfish lures such as small jigs tipped with natural-looking soft plastics.

Best Local Spot for Giant Catfish

 Monogahela River

This river flows from West Virginia, joining into the Allegheny River, and produces some giant catfish. Although murky, these waters have the required quality to be the home for many different species. The remaining structures from the industrial era are convenient enough for angling along the river. People can catch the lurking fishes around the old docks and riverfront walls. Fishers will have a wide variety to catch, including bullhead catfish, rock bass, walleye, muskie, brown trout, brook, and rainbow trout.

Clean Water Act

This city’s waters used to be polluted in the industrial era; however, authorities took an initiative to cleanse the area’s contaminated waters. Today the rivers are exceptionally clean and are again home to species that died out in the past. The Clean Water Act in 1972 turned back the tide of pollution in the local waters. The Act had a remarkable effect on the water quality and created various regulatory and non-regulatory tools that dramatically reduced discharges into the waterways, managed polluted runoff, and financed municipal wastewater treatment facilities. Programs were set in place so that the state could support public recreation in and on the water. Today, Pittsburg possesses the second-highest number of pleasure boats in the United States.

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Area Things To Do

Pittsburg, Pa is known for its Gilded Age sites that speak to its history as an early 20th-century industrial capital, including the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, the Carnegie Museum of Art, and the Carnegie Museum of Natural History.

The city is full of family-oriented museums, performing arts, tours, shopping, authentic food, and sightseeing. Some of the most popular attractions include Duquesne Incline, Point State Park, North Park, and the Strip District.

Pay Lakes In Pittsburgh

A typical pay lake is a catfish-stocked small pond. Lake bait houses charge people who want to fish for a pre-determined set amount of time. Pay lakes also have big fish since several places put restrictions on keeping big fish. However, finding accessible fishing spots may sometimes be difficult, and pay lakes will always provide you with a place.

The fish here get pressured to smarten up pretty fast. For this reason, many of these places organize weekend tournaments and offer cash prizes to whoever catches the largest or highest number of fish.

Places that do not put restrictions on keeping big fish usually stock big channel catfish, blue catfish, and flathead catfish. This gives the fishers a chance to catch the blue catfish, which is rare fishing in Pittsburgh.

The best local pay lakes are:

• Laurel Hill Trout Farm – in Donegal, approximately an hour’s drive from Pittsburgh; here they raise brook, brown, palomino, and rainbow trout. This is a perfect place for kids and convenient for newbies.                                          
• Carnegie Lake – located in the city of Pittsburgh and is stocked with largemouth bass, channel catfish, bluegill, and so on;
• Panther Hollow Lake – in Schenley Park, Pittsburgh is an artificial pay lake. It is an ideal fishing place mainly stocked with black crappie, spotted gar, and channel catfish.

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Nearby Lake Destinations

We also have great deals available on the following lakes outside of fishing in Pittsburgh PA that matches your search criteria.