Lehigh River

[NEPA Bass Fishing]

Recently found that I live a short distance from the Lehigh's beginning out of Big Bass Lake and enjoyed some spring trout fishing there. 

 

I am also close to Susquehanna and love summer smallie fishing.

 

Curious how far south till you start findung smallies in the Lehigh?

[Susky River Rat]

My guess is being that it’s a river they will be all throughout it.

[MediumMouthBass]

I dont know about the river by that lake, but 26 miles away there is a place ive fished called Francis E Walter Dam, (run by the Army) the spillway enters out into the Lehigh and people catch smallmouth occasionally when fishing for trout.

But if i were going to there today to fish the spillway/river for smallies i would bring a few small and shallow running crankbaits, smaller trout sized jerkbaits, light ned rigs or tube jigs, gulp minnow or a gulp leech on a jig head.

That being said its a strange river to me, im minutes away from the Susquehanna river and fish it alot and the Lehigh river in that area is more like a creek compared in width and depth.

[T.J.]

I haven’t fished the Lehigh but have seen smallmouth caught just south of the Jim Thorpe train station. From what I have read online, smallmouth gets better south of Lehighton. 

[casts_by_fly]

I wouldn't even mess with the lehigh in that area based on what I saw of the susky driving by it there a couple weeks ago.  Just pick a spot on the susky in your area and start fishing.  It was good looking water.

[santafish]

Second what others are saying, susky seems to be more consistent for me.. just have to be really careful as parts of the river get really shallow.

[NEPA Bass Fishing]

On 8/6/2023 at 10:43 AM, MediumMouthBass said:

I dont know about the river by that lake, but 26 miles away there is a place ive fished called Francis E Walter Dam, (run by the Army) the spillway enters out into the Lehigh and people catch smallmouth occasionally when fishing for trout.

But if i were going to there today to fish the spillway/river for smallies i would bring a few small and shallow running crankbaits, smaller trout sized jerkbaits, light ned rigs or tube jigs, gulp minnow or a gulp leech on a jig head.

That being said its a strange river to me, im minutes away from the Susquehanna river and fish it alot and the Lehigh river in that area is more like a creek compared in width and depth.

Thanks for the info I will check out below the dam, agreed it is more like a creek up this way.

On 8/14/2023 at 2:06 PM, casts_by_fly said:

I wouldn't even mess with the lehigh in that area based on what I saw of the susky driving by it there a couple weeks ago.  Just pick a spot on the susky in your area and start fishing.  It was good looking water.

Agreed I fish the Susquehanna quite often, great fishing, I go up and down it from mehoppen to shamokin dam, like to drive thats why I was wondering where I have a better chance for smallies on the Lehigh, want to plan a road trip.

On 8/6/2023 at 10:27 PM, T.J. said:

I haven’t fished the Lehigh but have seen smallmouth caught just south of the Jim Thorpe train station. From what I have read online, smallmouth gets better south of Lehighton. 

Thats good info, I was thinking I had to get down about that far to start seeing some more qty and bigger fish.

 

On 8/15/2023 at 11:07 PM, santafish said:

Second what others are saying, susky seems to be more consistent for me.. just have to be really careful as parts of the river get really shallow.

Yeah I agree, I love the Susquehanna but like to explore all of our rivers and lakes in PA. 

[GaryH]

The Juniata river just south of McVeytown is great Sm fishing. We wade out there using a wee craw.