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Lehigh River Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Oct 23, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

The Lehigh River through Lehigh Gorge State Park: stocked approved trout water from Francis E. Walter Dam to Sandy Run, with trail access at White Haven, Rockport and Glen Onoko.

3/5
Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.
Flow
601 cfs
Air / High
60 / 61 F
Wind
E 6 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 01449000, Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Friday
23
October 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.

3/5Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Lehigh River is in its winter mode: slow, deep and deliberate. The river is running 601 cfs, dropping and clearing. Today brings clear skies, wind E around 6 mph, steady pressure near 1027 hPa and a high of 61. Water sits around 47 F for the season (estimated). With the waxing gibbous, the solunar majors run 9:36 AM-11:36 AM and 10:06 PM-12:06 AM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

Rainbow troutExcellent

In cold water rainbows use the deepest pools in rivers (Vermont), so slow, deep drifts there are the usual approach; Michigan DNR notes lake rainbows are also taken with bait or by jigging through the ice.

Brown troutExcellent

Below 50Β°F, fish slowly through the deeper pools; in early spring on the Great Lakes, Michigan DNR notes browns are often caught inshore before other species start biting.

Tomorrow: Similar at 60 F. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Oct 24, 6:30 AMHow this report is made β†’

Before you go

Pennsylvania requires a fishing licence from age 16, from $27.97 for residents. What a Pennsylvania licence costs and where to buy it β†’

Chasing rainbow trout here? Check the size and bag limits with PFBC before you keep anything. The season dates for Pennsylvania, read off the agency, are on the Pennsylvania seasons page.

Water and weather

Live readings from Lehigh River at Lehighton.

Flow, last 30 days

USGS gauge 01449000.

8311,7252,619601 cfs09/2310/0310/1310/23

Today’s flow against 44 years of October 23

At 601 cfs, the flow at USGS gauge 01449000 (Lehigh River at Lehighton) is at the 47th percentile for the date: normal. In half of the 44 years of approved record the daily mean on October 23 was below 639 cfs; the highest was 4,940 cfs and the lowest 170 cfs.

p10 255median 639p90 2,615

Percentiles of the daily mean flow for this date, from the USGS Water Data Statistics API for gauge 01449000; today’s reading is the latest instantaneous value. Classes follow the ones the USGS used on its WaterWatch maps (retired at the end of 2025): below 10th, much below normal; 10th–24th, below; 25th–75th, normal; 76th–90th, above; over 90th, much above.

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp60 F
High / Low61 / 44 F
WindE 6-8 mph
Pressure1026.5 hPa, steady
Sky / Rain1% cloud, 0%
Sunrise / Sunset07:23 / 18:10
MoonWaxing Gibbous, 91%
Water temp (seasonal)~47 F est.

Bite planner

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

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunsetPRIMEPRIME

Which day to fish Lehigh River this week

The best day on Lehigh River this week looks like Sunday Oct 25, at 4 out of 5, against 3 today.

Best day this week: Sunday, Oct 25 β€” good at 4/5, falling pressure, usually the best window of a week.

Today, Oct 23 β€” Fair

A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Solunar majors
9:36 AM-11:36 AM and 10:06 PM-12:06 AM
Minor period
3:58 AM-4:58 AM
Sun
07:23 to 18:10
Moon
Waxing Gibbous, 91% lit
Sky and wind
Overcast, 8 mph
Rain chance
0%

Forecast-based scores, less reliable further out: how the score is built.

Species guide

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

Rainbow trout illustration

Rainbow trout

Spring and fall in most lakes; rivers fish year-round while the water stays cool

A cold-water trout native to Pacific drainages from Alaska to Baja California, now stocked in most states and fished in rivers, tailwaters and lakes. In cold water rainbows use the deepest pools in rivers (Vermont), so slow, deep drifts there are the usual approach; Michigan DNR notes lake rainbows are also taken with bait or by jigging through the ice.

Brown trout illustration

Brown trout

Spring along Great Lakes shorelines; low light and overcast days in rivers; fall spawning runs

A European trout first stocked in the US in 1883 and now fished in rivers and lakes nationwide; it tolerates warmer water than other trout, and mature stream fish feed mostly at night. Below 50Β°F, fish slowly through the deeper pools; in early spring on the Great Lakes, Michigan DNR notes browns are often caught inshore before other species start biting.

When to come: the Lehigh 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
Rainbow trout
Brown trout
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 47 F (estimated, not a reading).

30405060JanMarMayJulSepNovOct, ~47 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 Lehigh River today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Oct 22

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Rainbow trout led the card at excellent. High of 66 F, wind to 12 mph.

Wed, Oct 21

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Rainbow trout led the card at excellent. High of 67 F, wind to 8 mph.

Tue, Oct 20

2/5 Slow. Work for them. Conditions favor short windows and patient fishing. Rainbow trout led the card at excellent. High of 72 F, wind to 10 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 fishing license plus trout permit to fish for trout (PFBC 2026). Approved trout waters: Francis E. Walter Dam to Sandy Run (DCNR). American shad: catch-and-release only above the first dam in Easton and in tributaries; river herring closed year-round. Other species follow PFBC inland rules.

Access

Lehigh Gorge State Park access areas at White Haven (North and South), Rockport and Glen Onoko; Lehigh Tannery parking is very limited and boat launching is prohibited there. Open sunrise to sunset.

About this water

The Lehigh River through 6,107-acre Lehigh Gorge State Park, Luzerne and Carbon counties, Pennsylvania, from Francis E. Walter Dam to Jim Thorpe.

Fishing Lehigh River: the full guide

A gorge from the dam to Jim Thorpe

DCNR describes Lehigh Gorge State Park as a deep, steep-walled gorge with thick vegetation, rock outcrops and waterfalls. Its 6,107 acres in Luzerne and Carbon counties follow the Lehigh River from the outlet of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Francis E. Walter Dam at the north end to the town of Jim Thorpe at the south end.

Stocked trout in the northern section

According to DCNR, the northern section of the river is stocked with trout and is the most popular with anglers; the approved trout waters run from the Francis E. Walter Dam to Sandy Run. Whitewater boating north of White Haven is discouraged so that stretch stays available for fishing. Fishing follows the seasons and rules of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, and a trout permit is required to fish for trout.

Shad and herring rules

PFBC's 2026 summary keeps the Lehigh River above the first dam in Easton, and its tributaries, open all year to American shad fishing but allows no harvest: shad must be released immediately. River herring (alewife and blueback herring) are closed all year on the Lehigh and its tributaries.

Getting to the river

The Lehigh Gorge Trail follows more than 20 miles of the D&L Trail on an abandoned railroad grade closed to motor vehicles. Parking areas are at White Haven (off I-80 exit 273), Rockport and Glen Onoko; Lehigh Tannery has very limited parking and no boat launching. The park is open sunrise to sunset every day. The USGS gauge shown on this page is far downstream at Bethlehem and does not describe flows in the gorge.

Common questions

Where is the trout water?

DCNR says the northern section is stocked and is the most popular with anglers: approved trout waters run from the Francis E. Walter Dam down to Sandy Run.

How do I reach the gorge?

Park at White Haven, Rockport or Glen Onoko and walk or bike the Lehigh Gorge Trail, which is closed to motor vehicles.

Can I keep American shad from the Lehigh?

No. Above the first dam in Easton and in its tributaries, PFBC allows shad fishing year-round but every shad must be released immediately.

Is fishing good at Lehigh River right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Nearby waters

Beltzville Lake4 miBlue Marsh Lake34 miMusconetcong River35 miLake Nockamixon36 miSpruce Run Reservoir43 miLake Wallenpaupack48 mi

Where this page's numbers come from

River and reservoir readings
USGS 01449000 β€” Lehigh River at Lehighton
Read from the USGS Water Data API (api.waterdata.usgs.gov). Latest value timestamped 2026-10-23 at 17:30 UTC.
Weather and pressure
Open-Meteo forecast model
Queried at 40.8293, -75.7052 in this water's own timezone. A model, not an observation.
Moon and solunar windows
Calculated on this site
Astronomical calculation from these coordinates and the date, not a third-party feed. How much weight it deserves.
Pages checked
The facts in the written guide were checked against these pages, from the agencies and operators that manage the water, on October 7, 2026. Anything we could not verify was taken out.
The written guide on this page
Pablo Ruiz Quintero
How this page was made. The daily report is computed by our scoring engine from live readings; nobody types it. The written text was drafted with AI assistance from the official pages listed above, and its facts were checked against those pages by automated verification on October 7, 2026; anything that could not be verified was taken out. Pablo Ruiz Quintero sets every guideline, the data-verification system and the minimum standards a page must meet to be published, reviews page structure and approves what goes live; the responsibility is his, and the AI carries out the work. We work this way because it is how one person can keep every page current with named sources. Errors are published in the verification log; the full policy is in the editorial policy.

Readings refresh on a 30-minute window. The full method, with every figure and its source, is on how our reports are made. Something wrong here? Tell us and it goes in the log with the date.