Fall Walleye Fishing On The Allegheny

By Jeff Knapp

Though the nearby navigable portion of the Allegheny River provides excellent Fall walleye fishing, the same can be true of the middle portion of the river, which stretches from the Kinzua Dam tailrace downstream to the East Brady area.

The lower 72 miles of the Allegheny River is impacted by eight lock and dam systems that the U.S. Corps of Engineers facilities constructed to provide the necessary conditions to allow commercial barge traffic easy traverse. Due to the relatively deeper water found within the length of river, which flows from Brady down to Pittsburgh, propeller-driven boats can be used throughout. On the middle portion of the river, however, the river is free flowing. A mix of riffles, runs and deep pools is present. Many boat anglers in this region use jet-driven outboards. Fishermen using standard prop-driven outboards can still find excellent walleye fishing, though they are confined to the deeper spots.

A trip I made last fall with Andy Vetula exemplifies the excellent walleye fishing on the middle portion of the Allegheny. Though Andy and I have shared the boat on many excursions over the past 15 years, we had never partnered-up on this portion of the river. Having owned a share of a camp on the West Hickory section of the Allegheny, Vetula is extremely familiar with the quality walleye fishing found there. When conditions are right, it’s possible to put good numbers of quality-sized fish in the boat.

In hearing his tales of past experiences, I realized that, while this area might not produce the number of walleyes that the areas downriver may, quality-sized fish are the rule, rather than the exception. “It’s been years since we had to measure a walleye,” noted Vetula, in reference to the fact most fish are obviously bigger than the 15-inch minimum length limit.

While differences exist between the lower and middle sections of the Allegheny, river walleyes are still river walleyes. When the water turns cold, they stack up in areas of reduced current. In this eddy – which is the local terminology for deep, slow holes – many of the areas that seemed to have the right walleye-attracting “stuff” were tucked up close to the bank. Rocky points that deflected the current created slack water areas along both the east and west shores of the river.

The similarities were not limited to fish location. Vertically jigging a leadhead jig tipped with a minnow is a top producer during the cold weather months on the lower Allegheny. The tactic proved productive on these Warren County fish as well. All of the walleyes we caught –’eyes that ran from 17 to 19 inches – fell to a quarter-ounce jig tipped with a wild minnow. Though the water, in some instances, was less than 10 feet deep, the fish didn’t seem spooked by the boat. Andy returned to this same river section a week later for a three-day trip. He and his partner boated walleyes up to 28 inches.

Just like the lower river, good Fall walleye fishing on the middle Allegheny River is dependent upon conditions. Lower, stable flows tend to provide the best fishing. With the onset of winter, snow and ice can put the fishing on hold. During milder winters, excellent walleye fishing extends throughout the season, right up until the season closes in mid-March. Discharges from the Kinzua Dam directly influence the flow of the river. By calling 1-814-726-0164, one can access current, as well as predicted, flow rates from the dam.

Numerous boat access areas can also be found along the middle Allegheny. Deeper, dredged pools in the Oil City and Tionesta areas are popular with boat anglers with prop-driven boats. The Tionesta Sand and Gravel Company has a ramp that is open to the public in Tionesta and a borough ramp can be found in Oil City.

So, don’t give up your fishing at the end of summer; those big walleyes can still enhance your dinner plate throughout the Fall months.