Kinzua And Surrounding Areas

I'll be heading up to do some fishing Labor Day weekend, Rented a Cabin with the family around the zoo.

Never been there, but hear it's got good fishing. I'm not asking for spots or anything really, just some general information. I Google Earth'ed and say a few streams, such as Farnsworth, and I also saw Chapman State Park.

I've done some research, and apparently the Kinzua Tailwaters hold some fish. Trout, walleye, Musky, Pike and whatnot. I am I right in assuming when "tailwaters" is mentioned, its right below the Dam/Spillway?

I figured i could tangle my flyrod in some trees around the streams, and snag some Spoons/Swimbaits in the tailwaters.

Any general info, tips or whatever is welcome. Also, Is there a Beer dist or anything up there, I'll be near Clarendon.

thanks in advance folks!

I've never fished the Allegheny, but the tailwaters are supposed to be good for just about everything, and the water temp should be ok cuz of the cold water coming out. I've fished Chapman once only for a half an hour, and caught a nice bass on my first cast but nothing else. Fished Farnsworth once and dind't catch or see anything. I'm not an expert on the area but if you want to know of a few wild trout streams in the general area shoot me a PM.

ORIGINAL: troutguy

I've never fished the Allegheny, but the tailwaters are supposed to be good for just about everything, and the water temp should be ok cuz of the cold water coming out. I've fished Chapman once only for a half an hour, and caught a nice bass on my first cast but nothing else. Fished Farnsworth once and dind't catch or see anything. I'm not an expert on the area but if you want to know of a few wild trout streams in the general area shoot me a PM.

If they did a bottom release and stuck to it that would be true. But they don't. The temps can fluctuate 10 degrees during the day.
Temp for the last few days has been 72-75 degrees, fishing has been a little tough during the day.

bings, I thought it was always bottom release? I guess not..

Deadbolt, Yea if you've never caught any native brook trout definitely do it, it is so much fun! PM me if you need any info on them. Even if you don't catch many fish you'll still have a great time and the scenery is awsome. Have fun!

I always thought the temps rose when they generated since they pulled the water from the top and dropped it down over the turbines.

The dam has nothing to do with generating electricity. There is a huge pump above the dam that pumps water (from behind the dam) up to a huge reservoir on the hill top above Rt.59. The Power plant below the dam generates the electricity. The water from the reservoir on the hilltop is what is used to run the turbines and generate the electricity. That reservoir has been empty for most of the summer and recently when it was filled, it had to be drained again because of a leak they found. I don't know if it is back up and running as of yet or not.
The dam is a top release all summer and you wont see bottom release during the summer unless there is high water and the discharge rate exceeds 4000 or 5000cfs is usually when the bottom gates get opened. In the late fall when they drop it to winter pool they switch it over to bottom release for the duration of the winter until they raise it back up to summer pool level in the spring.

OK i dont understand the release. i see the water coming from the top chutes. I also see water coming from the bottom chutes.
Are you telling me that water from the top of the dam can come out at the bottom? I never understood this but there is water coming from both places right now. And I do know they shut the top chutes off in the winter.

This pic shows the top resevoir behind the power plant. I never knew it existed until Ubertracker sent me the picture. You can't see it from below. I had always assumed like Bings that the water coming through the main dam is what drove the turbines but that is not the case.

i was aloways told that the pool was water being pumped during low power periods and then brought down through during peak power, but i guess if you look at differential pressure you get quite a bit of power by pumping it up on the hill first
for all the generation

no more train ride out of marinville
that i know of
but a new psp barrack is being put up
just on 899 in marinville that will
probly hinder much bar hopping

wonder what fish are up in that power plant lake

ORIGINAL: mr.crappie

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinzua_Dam More info on the dam. btw outfortrout, great pict.on the dam. sam

So the Native Americans were moved to a reservation then forced to re-locate because the land was flooded for the dam and whatever land they had left was used for a four lane highway. Sorry to go off on a tangent but that's pretty horrible.

Pretty incredible that still generous enough to let us use their land. All the land like 20 thousand plus acres is owned by them

Welp. I'll be leaving Friday morning for a nice long weekend! thanks to everyone for all the tips and spots!

Any last minute tips or anything are welcome, I'll be swinging by the state store, any good drink ideas?

Also, may grab a few big swimbaits for below the spillway, good idea?

thanks folks!

Heh, I was thinking more along the lines of a good scotch or something.