Fishing in Pennsylvania

PiscaMaps covers 1,611 public fishing venues across Pennsylvania in 6 regions — 991 lakes and reservoirs and 602 rivers. The largest is Lake Erie, at 400,000 acres. Susquehanna River is the longest mapped river, running 596 km. Northeast PA (Poconos) has the most venues on file, with 550. 685 venues are documented trout waters.

The most commonly recorded species across Pennsylvania's public waters are Smallmouth Bass, Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Yellow Perch, Chain Pickerel, Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout and Brook Trout — the exact mix varies by water type and region. 233 venues have a real boat ramp on file, 269 have nearby camping, and 805 have mapped parking — sourced from OpenStreetMap and recreation.gov's federal facilities database (RIDB) where available.

Fishing Regions in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania's public fishing venues are spread across 6 regions on PiscaMaps:

Northeast PA (Poconos) · 550 Southwest PA · 266 North Central PA (PA Wilds) · 248 South Central PA · 215 Northwest PA · 179 Southeast PA · 135

Species Recorded in Pennsylvania

The most frequently recorded species across Pennsylvania's public venues on PiscaMaps:

Smallmouth Bass · 1,055 Largemouth Bass · 951 Bluegill · 905 Yellow Perch · 803 Chain Pickerel · 706 Rainbow Trout · 530 Brown Trout · 528 Brook Trout · 520 Black Crappie · 401 Pumpkinseed Sunfish · 394

Fishing Licence in Pennsylvania

Anyone 16 or older needs a Pennsylvania fishing licence — the resident annual is about $28, the non-resident annual about $61. A Trout Permit (about $15) is required in addition to fish for or keep trout, and a Lake Erie Permit (about $11) — or a combo — for Lake Erie and its tributaries. Pennsylvania residents 65 and older can buy a discounted senior lifetime licence; under-16 fish free. Buy from the PFBC at HuntFish.pa.gov. A Pennsylvania fishing licence plus a Trout Permit covers this water — it's on the PFBC stocked-trout list.

Full access to public fishing venues in Pennsylvania

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many public fishing venues are there in Pennsylvania?+

PiscaMaps covers 1,611 public fishing venues across Pennsylvania in 6 regions — 991 lakes and reservoirs and 602 rivers. The largest is Lake Erie, at 400,000 acres. Susquehanna River is the longest mapped river, running 596 km. Northeast PA (Poconos) has the most venues on file, with 550. 685 venues are documented trout waters.
Do I need a fishing licence in Pennsylvania?+

Anyone 16 or older needs a Pennsylvania fishing licence — the resident annual is about $28, the non-resident annual about $61. A Trout Permit (about $15) is required in addition to fish for or keep trout, and a Lake Erie Permit (about $11) — or a combo — for Lake Erie and its tributaries. Pennsylvania residents 65 and older can buy a discounted senior lifetime licence; under-16 fish free. Buy from the PFBC at HuntFish.pa.gov. A Pennsylvania fishing licence plus a Trout Permit covers this water — it's on the PFBC stocked-trout list.
Are there boat ramps and camping near Pennsylvania's fishing lakes?+

233 venues have a mapped boat ramp and 269 have nearby camping on PiscaMaps, sourced from OpenStreetMap and the federal RIDB database.