Fishing in Pittsburgh

The only boat rental place in the immediate Pgh area, is the Venture Outdoors kayak rentals right next to PNC Park.  They might be closed, since it is after Labor Day?  No power boat rentals anywhere in the burgh.  Moraine State Park, and would imagine other lakes, do have motor boat rentals, but check the dates there too.
 
As for places to fish, the rivers are a start, and get about 80% of my efforts.  They have been rather slow for me, but getting better.  When the water cools down, the fishing gets better.  For spots to access by shore, here are a few.
 
Lock 3 - Harmarville
Lock 2 - Sharpsburg
The Point & The North Shore trails
Duck Hollow (Turd Hollow) - Don't fish here after a heavy rain, or most river spots.  Wait a few days to let any sewage overflow get washed away.
South Side Riverfront Park
Under just about any bridge, will have some sort of access, and structure
Mouth of Saw Mill Run - West End
Mouth of Montour Run - Coraopolis
Emsworth Dam - Neville Island
 
These are some of the river spots that I used to frequent.  Fishing these, use twister tails and sassy shad on a variety of lead jig heads.  Some times you want to go deep, other times the fish are suspending.  Most fish that I have marked recently have been in the 4-5' deep range.  Shallow running crank baits are good too.  Deep runners will catch fish, but you will likely get snagged in 5-6 casts.  A cast net is really nice right now, with the amount of baby shad in the water.  Use what ever you are used to using, just expect to snag a bit more than most places.  The rivers have smallmouth bass, spotted bass, hybrid striped bass, white bass, bass scampi, popcorn bass...  walleye, sauger, sheepshead, channel cats, flathead cats, skipjack herring, crappie, carp, gar, musky, tiger musky, and a bunch of other species.  You never know what you are going to run into. 
 
Lock 3 is probably my favorite for this time of year.  The fishing isn't great right now, but you can wade out to the islands, and just makes for a pretty nice day out.  It is also one of the cleaner places listed.  I'd suggest waders if you plan on wading in any of them.  Wet wading would be at your disgression of the other places, but not advised. 
 
Do a search on this site of each of these, and you'll have a ton of information to get you started.
 
Other places to fish a bit further away to name a few -
Peters Creek - trout / smallmouth
Yough River - everything
North Park Lake - trout / largemouth / musky
Moraine SP (Lake Arthur) - everything
Slippery Rock Creek - Trout
Pine Creek - Trout
Erie - crowds, but fun fish to catch
 

Small Hook
 
Isnt it a little low for that right now?  if not maybe I should consider it this weekend. 

The only way i can say it, trout fishing pretty much sucks  around the burgh. My work takes me around much of Pa and thats it. Go north go east go southeast but get in your car and go. I do that alot. I live near johnstown, it sucks here too, most all our streams are polluted. The few nice trout streams around are beat hard. 

I'm pretty much a newcomer as well, but after a couple of years trying everything would also settle on the Yough as being reliable and  great surroundings once you get outa the city areas.
45 minutes or so will get you to Cedar Creek Park, a good start for you....but must be prepared to wade, which is comparitively easy there when water low and clear like it is at this time.

ORIGINAL: Krufnik

Small Hook

Isnt it a little low for that right now?  if not maybe I should consider it this weekend. 

 
That makes it even more fun.  Make a wrong decision and you'll have to get out and walk the canoe a little way.  Just wear some shoes that you don't mind getting wet and go have fun.  Low and clear is still good to canoe on.  You'll learn to read the river better now that is low and clear.  The average depth between Connelsville and Smithton is still 3½ feet.