Fishing at Pymatuning Reservoir, Crawford County, Pennsylvania

• Overview

  Pymatuning Reservoir is one of the Crawford County listings for Pennsylvania. Height above sea level is 1,001 feet. At roughly 21.8 sq miles it ranks among the larger waters in the region. Of the waters listed here in Crawford County, this is the largest. Pymatuning Central is the closest place, 3.6 miles off. Further out sit Andover (6.5 miles) and Greenville (10 miles). A county line runs close by, so local bylaws can differ within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Pymatuning Reservoir

  Depth on file is 35 ft. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Built water gives depth close in, which suits a bank angler. Public occurrence data for Crawford County names common carp, largemouth bass and brown bullhead. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Treat Pymatuning Reservoir as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 69°F in July and bottoms out near 23°F in January. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Once it clears, about late March, the fishing comes on quickly. Climate averages put the opening at about late March and the closing near late December. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. Plan around that when you fish Pymatuning Reservoir.

• Tackle & Baits

  State or federal ownership covers this water. You can launch from a ramp around half a mile away. A carry of half a mile from the nearest parking is the price of fishing here. There are toilets half a mile off. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Mud Lake at 6.6 miles is the sensible second choice. Check the position on Pymatuning Reservoir before loading the car.