Yough River
I have been trout fishing across Pennsylvania for the past 11 years, and have come in contact with some first-class trout streams. There are streams that I have fished which were geared toward more advanced fishermen, while others were geared more toward beginners. I am going to talk about the rivers which I’ve found easiest to fish in Pennsylvania.
The following rivers have a laid back atmosphere, and you will find people of all ages fishing in these locations. They all are stocked somewhat frequently, making it a lot easier to catch fish. Also, there are ways to access river conditions for all of these locations which makes it easier to decide which river you want to fish, and when to fish them.
The Youghiogheny River- Lower (Perryopolis, PA) is the first river that I am going to mention, because it is the easiest to fish. It runs, on average, 50 yards wide which makes getting caught up in trees difficult. The Yough runs for 134 miles through West Virginia and Maryland, in addition to Pennsylvania. The Perryopolis section has class one rapids scattered throughout it, and gets as deep as about 12 feet. This river is heavily stocked with rainbow trout, with a mix of brown/brook trout. Also, you will run into smallmouth bass.
Kettle Creek (Renova, PA) is also a great river to fish if you are a beginner. Similar to the Youghiogheny, Kettle Creek is a very open stream where it is tough to get hung up in trees/brush. It runs about 50 miles long and is on average 30-40 yards wide. There are small rapids throughout this stream, with areas of calm water which are great holes for a beginner to fish. Kettle Creek is stocked with primarily rainbow trout throughout the season.
Chartiers Creek (Pittsburgh, PA) is a local stream that I enjoy fishing. It isn’t as big as Kettle Creek and the Yough, but it is still an easy fish. This stream runs about 20 yards wide, and on average 3-4 feet deep (making it easy to wade), throughout Allegheny/Washington County. You may want to avoid going to this stream on opening day because of the shoulder-to-shoulder like conditions. Also, this is one of the most polluted streams in Pennsylvania, so it is recommended that you catch and release. This stream is stocked with rainbow trout, and you will find smallmouth bass here as well.
Enlow Fork is a very scenic stream to fish, being located in Greene Country (corner of Pennsylvania State Gamelands). This stream is a little more difficult to fish, being about 15-30 yards wide. It is difficult to wade in some parts of the stream because of the steep banks and 10 foot depth, but other parts are shallower and easier to wade. Enlow fork is extremely difficult to get to, and there is no cell service so it is best to fish with a friend for safety purposes. Enlow is stocked frequently with mainly rainbow trout, with a mix of brown/brook trout.
Out of these four rivers/streams, my personal favorite is the Yough. This is where I have caught the most fish, mainly because of the amount of smallmouth bass mixed in with the trout. Also, you can rent a canoe/kayak at the local bait shop, making it easy to fish the middle of the river.
All of these rivers are great for beginner fishermen of all ages. You will find a lot of great holes to fish out of, along with small rapids where trout tend to hide.
PA Trout Fishing 