The 10 Best Fishing Spots In Lancaster

The Susquehanna River is just 10 miles from The Shops @Rockvale. Most of the best fishing holes in Pennsylvania’s Amish country happen to be on or near the river. Here are the top 10 places to wet a line in Lancaster.

1 – East Drumore’s Conowingo Creek

This slow-moving tributary of the Susquehanna River harbors many trout. Local anglers like to use corn to bait them in the faster moving center of the creek. Crawdads work best in the slower eddies and shallow marshy flats. Any day is a good day on the creek, but the trout are most active on cooler days in this shallow stream.

2 – Susquehanna River At Bainbridge

This part of the river is best known for its White Cliffs of Conoy. The underwater attractions are walleyes and smallmouths. Some big fish have been pulled from this bend of the river, so bring a camera in case you end up pulling out a trophy.

3 – Lake Aldred

Fish for Panhead catfish near Pequea. The deep, slow water that makes up this part of the lake is full of them. Homemade dough baits work well at this spot. Try some yummy cheese dough balls. Mix in some bacon grease to pull in the big panheads.

4 – Susquehanna River At Holtwood

Variety blooms at this part of the river. There are smallmouths and walleye, just like at Bainbridge, but a lot of largemouths are pulled from this spot too. The water here seems to move a bit quicker, and it’s somewhat clearer on most days.

5 – Safe Harbor Dam

Flathead and channel cats abound at the bottom of this part of the river, which is near Conestoga. Walleyes take spinnerbaits in the center, and smallmouths are caught with everything from jigs to red wigglers in the many eddies and holes in the banks.

6 – Susquehanna River At Middletown

Angler Steve Mellinger caught a 35-pound muskie from here in 2013. It’s not clear what he used for bait, but he took it closer to Falmouth. We’re proud to have such a great fisherman in our area, but we are also fond of the trophy smallmouths found along with the big muskies here.

7 – Muddy Run Lake

The fishing here is definitely worth the short drive to Holtwood, which is in southern Lancaster County. Like most lakes in our region, smallmouths and walleye abound. But the panfishing really stands out at Muddy Run.

8 – Hammer Creek

The locals in Lititz can tell you about the trout fishing in their creek, but they don’t like to talk about it. They’re friendly enough, but trout fishing this good is almost painful to have to share! Practice catch-and-release here. You’ll have plenty of big trout to fill your creel after a day on this creek.

9 – Fishing Creek

Here’s another great spot in Drumore. This fast-running direct tributary to the river is full of trout. Use corn, worms or commercial bait balls in the many swirling holes. The trout don’t get as big as they do in other parts of Lancaster, but there are more of them.

10 – Lake Grubb

This lake in West Hempfield was made by flooding a 19th-century iron mine. Panfish are often caught among weeds near the banks, and smallmouth are found in deeper parts of the lake.

Fishing Gear Stores In Lancaster PA Orvis Oulet & More

Need some comfortable gear for fishing? We got you covered. Check out Bass Factory Outlet for comfortable fishing footwear, and Orvis for everything field and stream related.