Kinzua(below dam)

Go to Pennsylvania Fishing reports, they talk quite a bit about the trout fishery below the dam plus a few tips, some hefty browns and bows in there!

Grizzlygary.com usually has some good info, too. 
 
You can fish the shore from both sides but by boat seems to be the best.  Spinning minnies will probably catch you just about everything up there.  Catch some riffle minnies with a tiny hook and small piece of worm in the riffles and then use them for bait.  You can also throw rapalas or other stick baits.
 
What time of year are they going?

I drift down in the boat from the dam to warren every year. I use the same tactics to pick of trout as I do for smallmouth.  I throw dark rapalas and black rooster tails.

Would love to fish the area, could I fish it in a 14 foot Sylvan with a 9.9?

Thanks for the info. I have a 9.9 long shaft that will probably cause problems. I can float in pretty shallow water, but the prop definately hangs down in the water below the boat. How deep are we talking the water is?

Steeler fan,
The water is all different depths but its the boulders sticking up in the deeper water that will get ya...  Several stretches of riffles too that might be tough to get through with a prop boat.

ORIGINAL: dano

For those who wade, it's been a tough year with the higher flows.
The best fishing for trout is from the dam to the Buckaloons and though you are not allowed to wade above the signs at the dam, no one has ever reprimanded me for wading in to my knees.  
The best fishing is from dark till mid morning for trout and walleye.

I was fishing below the tail race above the signs wading just about to my knees and I guess whoever from top of the dam saw my father and I wading and they called the police and the warren county sheriff came and told us to get out of the water. First time in years that we got told about wading in the area.

Thanks, guys....

i agree that when they stock the fish are well fed but even in normal times this river is full of challenges but its the greatest as far as i am concerned. you just have to concentrate and work very hard

ORIGINAL: catchinfish
I never have caught a huge brown but got some between 25-27 inches.

That qualifies as huge in my book. I've never caught a trout that big other than Steelhead. Most people that I've talked to seem to prefer live minnows. You prefer the Rapalas and Daredevils though eh?

Good deal. Thanks for the info! I'm really hoping to catch one of those two foot plus Browns some day up there. I probably won't make it back up until the second week of August unless I can get away from work before then. What pound test line do you typically use and how long of a spinning rod? Seems like most guys prefer long rods up there (8.5 to 9 ft). Do you fish from the spillway down to Dixon Island or are do you go further downstream?

I've been using a 7 ft. rod with 10 lb. test so I guess I'll stick with that. Thanks again for the info. I'll need to stock up on some Daredevils and Rapalas. Do you fish them near the surface or let them sink a bit? I've had a couple guys tell me that they fish minnows at the spillway, throw out all the way to the other side, and bring them quickly across just under the surface and that works well. I haven't tried it yet.

I just found out I can have off next Tuesday. I'll either head up there or to the Clarion River. These are the types of decisions that I enjoy making.
 
update:  after seeing the flow rate for the Clarion and more rain in the forecast it looks like I'll be heading up to Kinzua.

I fished the clarion from a boat and wading this weekend the flow was fine , the color was a little muddy but fishable. I got bass ant trout both mornings

Well the flow is down and it will be up here shortly but this river I tell you is the challenge. My experience though is they are there -it is way underfished and you have to really get to know what they want  I bet i spend an hour and a half just trying a few things to see and then it starts with maybe moving up or down or just plain switching over to a certain lure and then working one of many ways.
i caught a 9 pound walleye years ago on a night one would have thought would be perfect, higher flow cloudy but absolutely nothing was hitting so i put on a jig and just because i felt like just fishing -i cast for 3 1/2 hours and bam. kinzua is like that --beware if nothing is hitting you could well catch the largets fish. its a great place but it cvan leave a persistent angler with anguish. But you just keep coming back