Kinzua Tailwater

[outfortrout]

Hi there! This is my first post on the forum. I found this forum while searching for information about the Kinzua tailwater. I see that this is primarily a Musky forum but I'm mainly interested in the trout fishing. This is a long post so fair warning. ;)

I hadn't fished the Kinzua area in over twenty years until a few weeks ago. My cousin and I took a trip up. We were fishing the 59 side. I caught one Rainbow about 13 inches on a nightcrawler by the observation tower in a swift deep riffle. I cast out further and had a hold of something big but it broke my 4 lb. test that I usually use. Thus I found out the hard way that I needed heavier tackle. Flow rate was about 1500 cf/s. We fished from early morning to mid afternoon.

Second trip up was this past Sunday. I fished the Hemlock side with my friend. I caught a 17 inch Rainbow on a nightcrawler with a white Poweregg below the spillway on the fishing pier. The guy next to me lost a Rainbow about 19-20 inches on a shiner. We also tried down next to the hatchery in the deep channel but no luck. Flow was 3000 cf/s. Fished early morning until mid afternoon.

I went back up yesterday with my cousin. We tried first on the top side of Dixon island. Saw a few trout rising but no luck. Tried the deep channel by the hatchery. No luck there. That spot sure looks good though. Tried the pier below the spillway and no luck there either. Finished up at the spillway. No luck there. The guy next to us caught an 18 inch Rainbow on a crawler. He seemed to be in the hot spot at the end of the rail in the slower water. He caught a few small Walleye too. Flow was 2200 cf/s. Fished from about noon until six because I noticed that is when the water is the coldest up there. Tried crawlers and shiners. I talked to a walleye fisherman that said the end of the rail is the hot spot when the flow was like it was yesterday. He said the whole spillway is good when the flow is lower. He suggested Carolina rigging a minnow, throwing way out, and bringing it across the water about a foot under the surface for trout.

So, I've made three trips and caught two trout. Not exactly Earth shattering. I don't expect to catch many up there but if I can catch a 20+ incher then it's well worth it for me and I know they're there. I just need to learn how to catch them. This is bigger water than I'm used to fishing and there are the extra temperature and flow variables to deal with due to the dam releases.

As mentioned above I noticed that the water temperature starts dropping at noon and bottoms out around 6 pm or so. So, I thought that might be the best time to try for trout. After talking to a fellow at a local baitshop though he recommended early morning or evening. He said the trout don't like the mid-day sun. What are your thoughts?

Is there an "ideal" flow rate range that I should be looking for? 3000 seemed pretty swift to me. 2200 wasn't horrible. 1500 seemed pretty decent.

Is it your experience that the Rainbows hang out closer to the spillway and the Browns downstream in the slower water? From what I'm hearing from a couple different guys it might be a good idea for me to try the deep water down below the observation tower and by the boat launch on the 59 side. Someone else suggested that downstream is better for trout because the large predator fish hang out by the spillway.

Any advice that you guys could give would be greatly appreciated. If you aren't comfortable posting the info. here feel free to PM me.

Thanks!

ps...here is a link to my trout fishing blog if you want to check it out
http://patroutstalker.blogspot.com/

[Red Childress]

Welcome to the site. We do discuss fish other than muskies but you are correct in your assumption that this is primarily a musky site......someday you may be afflicted with the syndrome yourself. :)

As for the best outflow, I guess 1200 to 1800 would be ideal for wading. A lower outflow really gets tough without spooking fish and allows you a little wiggle room for a subpar presentation. Traditionally, when the water is on the drop, the fishing becomes very tough. It normally takes a day or so for the fish to adapt to the new level. As for areas to fish, anywhere from the tailwaters to Warren holds nice trout and is, of course, a trophy trout regulated waterway.

Drop shotting, Carolina rigging or threading shiners is probably the most effective means of catching trout on that stretch. As the water temperature climbs from the mid-60's to low 70's (if that even happens this year with this crazy weather), you will find the bows and browns pulling closer to the riffles but the really BIG browns can hold in the slower moving pools in 5-10 feet of water during the summer.

To prevent calluses from forming on my fingers, I suggest you read the article below. I wrote it with this section of river in mind. If you have anymore questions after reading it, please feel free to ask. There are some very knowledgeable anglers on this site and there are NO dumb questions.

Good Luck!

http://www.learninghowtofish.com/pages/streamriver-trout-fishing-tips-amp-articles.php

[Red Childress]

Welcome to the site. We do discuss fish other than muskies but you are correct in your assumption that this is primarily a musky site......someday you may be afflicted with this syndrome yourself. :)

As for the best outflow, I guess 1200 to 1800 would be ideal for wading. A lower outflow really gets tough without spooking fish and allows you a little wiggle room for a subpar presentation. Traditionally, when the water is on the drop, the fishing becomes very tough. It normally takes a day or so for the fish to adapt to the new level. As for areas to fish, anywhere from the tailwaters to Warren holds nice trout and is, of course, a trophy trout regulated waterway.

Drop shotting, Carolina rigging or threading shiners is probably the most effective means of catching trout on that stretch. As the water temperature climbs from the mid-60's to low 70's (if that even happens this year with this crazy weather), you will find the bows and browns pulling closer to the riffles but the really BIG browns can hold in the slower moving pools in 5-10 feet of water during the summer.

To prevent calluses from forming on my fingers, I suggest you read the article below. I wrote it with this section of river in mind. If you have anymore questions after reading it, please feel free to ask. There are some very knowledgeable anglers on this site and there are NO dumb questions.

The 2 photos in the article are of trout caught very near the Kinzua Tailrace.

Good Luck!

http://www.learninghowtofish.com/pages/streamriver-trout-fishing-tips-amp-articles.php

[ppalko]

1500 cfs is a pretty reasonable flow for wading. Much above that and it becomes tough to fish where you want (unless you have a boat). You also seem to have it figured out correctly that this stetch is not about numbers of trout...it is about the potential to catch HUGE trout. Be prepared to put up with slow days and to put in some time if you want to find out what HUGE means.

This year has been really odd with the weather and inconsistant flow as Red mentioned.

I personally catch more large fish in fall-winter-spring but have caught plenty of nice fish in summer. In fact my largest was caught in late June (in the afternoon on a bright sunny day!)

You certainly seem to be on the right track. Good luck.

ppalko