Allegheny River - Smallmouth bass Population Data

[Fishidiot]

The short version is that the Allegheny River, mainly in the free flowing section above the lock and dams.....is a world class SMB fishery with many good sized fish and fairly stable population statistics over the last several years. The section around Oil City has an especially good population of big fish.

If I lived in western PA, I'd be all over this river.

SMB Study

 

[greenghost]

Ah, geez, I hope the folks at BASSMASTER don't read this. We'll have jumpsuits scooting all over the water! I've been fishing that area every year for 20 years and catch many nice bass.

Despite what their survey says about years past, the fishing has always been solid to good . Though, imo, not near what the Susq. was in the 90's. That was surreal.

In fact, one of my biggest ever was taken right in Oil City where Oil Creek empties in. 22" about 5# on a popper!

Thanks for posting Dave.

 

[beerbyrnes]

This info has my wheels turning. Thanks for posting.

 

[Maurice]

I smell an Oil City warm water float this summer. Who is organizing?

 

[ocfisher]

This is obviously all nonsense The last few big tourneys in PGH have proven that the Allegheny is just a little fish hangout. But floating it is pretty fun. Might get weedy pretty fast though with the low flow high temp combo.

 

[greenghost]

ocfisher wrote:
This is obviously all nonsense The last few big tourneys in PGH have proven that the Allegheny is just a little fish hangout.

Agree 1000%! Such an overrated fishery!

 

[RLeeP]

Well, that certainly is encouraging...

I'd like to see some data for the Buckaloons to Tionesta section of the river. Some of the best wade fishing opportunities on the entire upper to mid river (above the end of navigation) were always in this section, especially the upper half of it. Before the dam went in, it was excellent bass water. Since the dam went in, my understanding is that it has been highly variable.

 

[turkey]

Nice post Dave. I will say that I by default fish the river below Freeport quite a bit. Last year, with the warm Spring, smallies on poppers in shallows was the rule not the exception. This year being more temp-ordinary the fish were (maybe still are) stacked below the dams in deeper water. If I only had a skiff...