www.fi sh.state.pa.us Pennsylvania Angler & Boater • November-December 2007 49

B e s t F i s h i n g a n d B o a t i n g i n P A S t a t e P a r k s

PymatuningState Park

by Valerie Pettigrew Tarkowski

(article continued on page 52)

What’s so big about Pymatuning State Park? Everything! With 21,122 acres, Pymatuning State Park is the big-gest state park in Pennsylvania. Add to that the 17,088-acre lake and you have the biggest lake in the Common-wealth as well. Because of those two big things, it’s one of the top two state parks with the largest attendance—3.2 to 3.5 million visitors every year.

It is a shallow lake, 10 feet deep on average with 30 feet at its deepest. The shallowest parts are in the north end of the lake with the south end having the deeper sections. It shares shore-line and water with the state of Ohio.

Because the lake straddles Penn-sylvania and Ohio, when fi shing from a boat, either license is acceptable no matter which state you are in on the water. However, when fi shing from shore you must possess the fi shing license for the state whose shore you are fi shing on. You can purchase your fi shing license at the Linesville State Fish Hatchery visitor center or at one of the other fi shing license agents in the area. Check the Fish & Boat Com-mission web site, www.fi sh.state.pa.us, for a list of agents. With over 70 miles of shoreline to fi sh, Pymatuning State Park has a spot for everyone.

Pymatuning Lake is a warmwater lake with plentiful walleyes, muskel-lunge, crappies and bass. More than 50 fi shing tournaments are held on the lake each year. Over the past several years the park has made good use of the Fish & Boat Commission Adopt-a-Lake program with the help of the Pymatuning Lake Association, other volunteers, and the Ohio Division of Wildlife. Each year habitat structure is placed in the lake to give fry, young-of-the-year fi sh, and other small fi sh plac-es to feed and hide. This year 100 por-cupine cribs were placed in two areas on the lake along with a rubble reef.

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Pymatuning Lake is a warmwater lake with plentiful walleyes, mus-kellunge, crappies and bass.

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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater • November-December 2007 www.fi sh.state.pa.us 52

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A combined effort by the Fish & Boat Commission and Ohio Depart-ment of Wildlife resulted in over 16 million walleye fry stocked in the lake during 2007. The lake also received an additional stocking of 78,699 advance walleye fry. Pymatuning is scheduled to receive a stocking of 5,000 muskel-lunge fi ngerlings later in the year.

There are more than 40 boat moor-ing areas throughout the lake. Many spots have waiting lists, though, so check with the park if you are inter-ested in a mooring site. In addition to those areas there are 11 boat launches and three marinas with boat rentals.

Motorboats must display a regis-tration from any state. Non-pow-ered boats must display one of the following: Registration from any state, launch or mooring permit from Pennsylvania State Parks, or a launch permit from the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission.

Boaters are limited to motors with a 10 horsepower maximum. This makes the lake a great place for visi-tors who enjoy kayaking and canoe-ing along its 70 shoreline miles. The many islands and beautiful backwa-ter areas, like Black Jack Swamp, are great for paddlers who love to explore. There’s always something new to see.

The Linesville State Fish Hatchery visitor center is on the north end of the park near Linesville on Hartstown Road. Be sure to stop by and see the native fi sh in the 10,000-gallon view-ing tank. Visitors can go downstairs to a platform in the hatch house where the walleyes, muskies, catfi sh, steelhead and many other fi sh species are raised for stocking. There are also small habitat centers up-stairs with frogs and toads living in them, state-record fi sh mounts and replicas on the walls, and so much more. Walk the grounds, read the interpretation signs and enjoy the sanctuary area. It encompasses 2,500 acres of land and water that are closed to all recreational activities. Hatch-ery visitor center hours are 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and

8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The visitor center is open every day year-round.

Just down the road from the hatchery is the PA Game Commission’s wildlife learn-ing center with information on anything with fur or feathers.

Farther down Hartstown Road, heading south toward Jamestown, is the famous spill-way “where the ducks walk on the fi sh.” The spillway under-went major renovations last year and was closed for those upgrades. After the $3 million improvements were complete, it reopened in May 2007.

For more information contact:Pymatuning State Park

2660 Williamsfi eld RoadJamestown, PA 16134phone 724-932-3142(fax) 724-932-3724web: www.visitPAparks.comemail: pymatuningsp@state.pa.us

With over 70 miles of shoreline to fi sh, Pymatuning State Park has a spot for everyone.

Pymatuning’s 17,088 acres offer great warmwater fi sh-ing. There are also 11 boat accesses and three marinas.

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