Pocono Fishing

Fishing in the Pocono Mountains is a year round activity, with a variety of species and traditional fishing, fly fishing, and ice fishing. There are thousands of miles of public streams, rivers, lakes, and shorelines to fish in the Poconos.

Pocono fishing boasts a variety of records:

Striped bass: 53 lbs, 12 oz

Carp: 52 lbs

Channel Catfish: 35 lbs, 2.5 oz

Flathead Catfish: 48 lbs, 6 oz

Muskellunge: 54 lbs, 3 oz

Northern Pike: 35 lbs

Atlantic Salmon: 17 lbs, 2 oz

Chinook Salmon: 28 lbs, 15 oz

Coho Salmon: 15 lbs, 5 oz

Brown Trout: 19 lbs, 10 oz

Rainbow Trout: 15 lbs, 6.25 oz

Steelhead Trout: 20 lbs, 3 oz

Walleye: 17 lbs, 9 oz

The Pennsylvania Fish and Game Commission stocks a wide variety of warm and cool water fish, including walleye, muskellunge, tiger muskellunge, striped bass, and channel fish. These species are usually stocked annually or maintenance stocked to continue ample Pocono fishing opportunities over time.

Smaller quantities of largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, bluegill, yellow perch, and rock bass, among others, are cultured and stocked since these species are stocked only once or twice for Poconos fishing. Thereafter, natural reproduction is generally sufficient to maintain healthy populations that yield good fishing in the Pocono Mountains.

American shad and paddlefish are annually stocked, not for immediate creation of Pocono fishing opportunities, but to build populations sufficient to naturally sustain themselves. This is called restoration stocking, and improvements in aquatic habitats forecast a decreased need in the future for stocking of these species for Pocono Mountain fishing.

A complete listing of stocking schedules for fish in the Poconos can be found on the website for the Pennsylvania Fish and Game Commission.

Fishing licenses are required for fishing in the Pocono Mountains for both residents and out of state visitors over the age of sixteen. Licenses for Pocono fishing can be obtained at the Recreation Department in The Hideout community, as well as at many local sports shops, bait stores, and other convenient locations. Fishing in the Hideout gated community is 'Catch and Release.'

Opening Days for Fishing in the Pocono Mountains:

Trout and Salmon: April 14
Trout and Salmon extended season: January 1 – February 28 and September 4 – December 31
Pike, Pickerel, Muskellunge: Year-round open season
Walleye and Sauger: May 5
Bass (largemouth, smallmouth, spotted): Year-round open season; harvest allowed January 1 – April 13 and June 16 – December 31
Sunfish, yellow perch, white perch, crappie, catfish, rock bass, suckers, carp, and white bass: Year-round open season
American shad: Year-round open season