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Allegheny River Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Sep 4, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

Pennsylvania’s big river: the Allegheny runs smallmouth, walleye and muskie from the forest to Pittsburgh.

4/5
Good. Solid day ahead.Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.
Flow
37,900 cfs
Air / High
80 / 80 F
Wind
WNW 5 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 03049500, Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Friday
4
September 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

4/5Good. Solid day ahead.Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.

Allegheny River offers the kind of conditions this water was made for. The river is running 37,900 cfs, on the rise. Today brings cloud cover, wind WNW around 5 mph, rising pressure near 1013 hPa and a high of 80. Water sits around 73 F for the season (estimated). With the last quarter, the solunar majors run 5:39 AM-7:39 AM and 5:39 PM-7:39 PM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

Smallmouth bassExcellent

Peak season. Tubes, jerkbaits and swimbaits around gravel points, boulders and current seams.

WalleyeExcellent

Jig and minnow on rock reefs and points; the evening bite on wind-blown shores is the one to plan around.

MuskellungeExcellent

Bucktails and rubber over cabbage and rock bars; moon majors matter here more than anywhere.

Catfish (blue, channel)Excellent

Drift cut bait across flats near the river channel, or anchor on ledges at dusk.

Tomorrow: Similar at 77 F. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Sep 5, 6:30 AMHow this report is made →

Water and weather

Live readings from Allegheny River at Natrona.

Flow, last 30 days

USGS gauge 03049500.

12,47422,49032,50737,900 cfs08/0508/1508/2509/04

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp80 F
High / Low80 / 67 F
WindWNW 5-9 mph
Pressure1013.3 hPa, rising
Sky / Rain100% cloud, 41%
Sunrise / Sunset06:49 / 19:46
MoonLast Quarter, 50%
Water temp (seasonal)~73 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunsetPRIMEPRIME

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 4 · Showers, 80/67 F, wind 7 mph, rain 41%

Fair or better. Cloud and a rain chance can stretch the morning bite well past breakfast: keep moving baits tied on.

Species guide

The species that matter on Allegheny River: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Smallmouth bass illustration

Smallmouth bass

Best: May-Oct

Current and rock. Finds gravel flats, boulders and drop-offs, and fights far above its weight. Peak season. Tubes, jerkbaits and swimbaits around gravel points, boulders and current seams.

Walleye illustration

Walleye

Best: May-Jun, Oct

The glass-eyed prize of northern lakes. Low light, wind-blown structure and live bait. Jig and minnow on rock reefs and points; the evening bite on wind-blown shores is the one to plan around.

Muskellunge illustration

Muskellunge

Best: Sep-Nov

The fish of ten thousand casts. Weed edges, rock bars and big-water structure. Bucktails and rubber over cabbage and rock bars; moon majors matter here more than anywhere.

Catfish (blue, channel) illustration

Catfish (blue, channel)

Good year-round

The most reliable bite on most southern waters. Blues run big; channels fill the cooler. Drift cut bait across flats near the river channel, or anchor on ledges at dusk.

When to come: the Allegheny River calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Smallmouth bass
Walleye
Muskellunge
Catfish (blue, channel)
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 73 F (estimated, not a reading).

4050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~73 F now

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks Allegheny River today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 3

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Smallmouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 85 F, wind to 10 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Smallmouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 93 F, wind to 12 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Smallmouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 89 F, wind to 11 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
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Before you go

License

Pennsylvania requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

Pennsylvania license plus trout permit for the Kinzua tailwater. Smallmouth seasonal rules apply on big rivers: check current PFBC regulations.

Access

PFBC ramps and town parks along the river; Allegheny National Forest access upstream; Kinzua tailwater below the dam.

About this water

A 325-mile river from northern Pennsylvania to Pittsburgh, joining the Monongahela to form the Ohio.

Fishing Allegheny River: the full guide

A river of two characters

The Allegheny River runs 325 miles from northern Pennsylvania through the Allegheny National Forest and down to Pittsburgh, where it joins the Monongahela to form the Ohio. The upper river above and below Kinzua Dam holds trout and smallmouth in clear forest water; the middle and lower river is a broad smallmouth, walleye and muskie fishery through lock and dam pools.

Smallmouth and walleye

Smallmouth are the mainstay through the middle river: work the ledges, riffles and deeper holes with tubes, crankbaits and topwater by wading and floating. Walleye hold the deeper pools and below the dams, best at dawn, dusk and after dark. The tailwaters at each lock and dam concentrate fish and are consistently productive.

Muskie and the tailwater

The Allegheny holds a genuine muskellunge population, particularly in the middle river, taken by specialists throwing large baits in the deeper, slower water. Below Kinzua Dam, the cold release supports trout in a tailwater reach, a different fishery entirely within the same river system.

Access along the valley

Access is extensive: PFBC ramps, town parks and the Allegheny River Trail serve the length of the river, with the national forest providing wilder water upstream. Flows vary with rain and Kinzua releases: check gauges before floating. Pittsburgh, Kittanning and Warren frame the different reaches.

Common questions

Where are the best smallmouth?

The middle river through Armstrong and Clarion counties: ledges, riffles and deep holes, fished by wading or floating.

Is there trout fishing?

Yes: the cold tailwater below Kinzua Dam supports trout, a distinct fishery within the same river.

Are there muskie?

Yes: a genuine population in the middle river, targeted by specialists with large baits in slower water.

Is fishing good at Allegheny River right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.

Nearby waters

Lake Arthur30 miYoughiogheny River53 miCheat Lake64 miMosquito Lake72 miBerlin Lake73 miPymatuning Reservoir79 mi
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