city of pittsburgh?

All Three Rivers around city limits are excellent for smallmouth bass and sauger. you can crush smallmouth with a simple carolina rig and a rubber worm. All along the shorlines. I catch anywhere between 50-100 smallies everytime i go out. June Bug color works best for me.

Although those blade baits work great, fishing from shore with them, means about 3 casts before losing to the bottom...  I've always used lead jig heads, variety of sizes per the conditions, with shad or twister bodies.
 
Fishing right in that area that you mentioned is pretty good.  Do a search on this site for downtown, north side, hot water discharge, ect.  You will likely find some pretty detailed directions to some hot spots.  Urban fishing, is just like anything urban, you will likely run into some strange characters.  The closer to downtown, the more likely you will run into non-fishermen close to the rivers.  A mile or two up stream from the North Shore, opens up very nice with a bike trail running along side the river.  Go far enough up, and you will run into the back channel of Washington's Landing, which is more like fishing a creek.  A few more miles, will put you below the Highland Park Dam, which is the premiere spot to many locals...
 
The state consumption advisories are more leanient to the Pgh rivers than they are for Lake Erie, and most people don't think twice about slaying and filletting from the big pond.  Personally, I have fished during some rainstorms in the local rivers, and put my own advisory out...  You should catch some fish if you cast around for and hour or so.

so how deep is that water along pnc park?  before/after many sporting events i always wondered how deep the water is right there. 

James mcdonald and aj burnett fish there practically every day in the mornings. Both guys are HUGE into fishing.

D-nymph


Around 6 feet at the wall, normal summer water levels.

 
Thats it?  When I was younger I always scared of falling in and and sinking 30 feet to the bottom and drowning.  Never realized it was that shallow.  That just goes to show you the power of a kids imagination.

I have just one question.  I see a whole lot of people on here talking about how good the fishing is around Pittsburgh.  Why is it, then, that during the Bassmaster tournament, the best bass fishermen on the face of the planet could only manage miserable totals? Just a question.  Was it the water conditions, or have the rivers just improved since then?

BRob757

I have just one question.  I see a whole lot of people on here talking about how good the fishing is around Pittsburgh.  Why is it, then, that during the Bassmaster tournament, the best bass fishermen on the face of the planet could only manage miserable totals? Just a question.  Was it the water conditions, or have the rivers just improved since then?

If I recall correctly, it rained a good portion of that tournament, the river was high and muddy, also the "pro's" had nothing but good things to say about our fishery. The numbers were there, however the size was not! ....recent survey done showed improved numbers of 11 legal catches per hour, our rivers get better and better every year. Also these "pro's" all shot up and down the rivers miles and miles, I barely saw anyone fish right around the city.
 http://triblive.com/sports/outdoors/1867528-74/fish-river-species-rivers-allegheny-ventorini-area-commission-boat-quality 

Mountian Man

Followed by can I have that fish, or can I have three bucks cause my check won't come for another 2 weeks

If you can conceal carry, take it with you especially at night. Never know anymore in those places

anywhere you go, doesn't matter where, you will find people who are less fortunate, who want your fish, ask for money....but yes carry protection if you got it or just stay away or stay off shore.

I work downtown and would like to do a little fishing during my lunchbreak.  With these high summertime temperatures lately would there be any place where I may have some luck fishing from the shore around midday?  I'm guessing that most of the fish would be in the deep water.  I am willing to go about 2 or 3 miles up any of the rivers in search of good fishing opportunities.  Would fishing in shaded areas, or around bridges or dropoffs be productive?
 
 

there's fish literally everywhere in the 3 rivers...obviously there's more fish in certain areas and more game fish in certain areas but if you take a worm and a hook anywhere on the rivers you'll catch fish...
 
as far as lures...twister tails, hus lur (small silver spoon like lures) popppers, small spinners...all are going to put game fish in your net
 
safety is an issue...would stay in areas with some foot traffic and i would carry some form of protection... (i do)..i also would avoid flashing anything of value (inluding decent fishing equipment) and don't get all drunk because then you are a target

It's downtown during midday, if you feel the need to carry protection going to work, then the same for fishing.  You will be a little off of the main flow, but people always walk and take lunch breaks on the river walk.  That said, probably best to put a nice watch and large amounts of cash in your desk locked up.
 
Start at the Clemente Bridge access area, and work your way down to the point, or other way around depending on where your office is.  You will run into some areas that hold promise.  You might catch something, you might not, but there are definitely fish in that stretch.  As well as the point, and the Mon side, but harder to access with the freeway there and all.  Look for current breaks, bridge pillars or just about anything that looks out of place.  This will likely mean structure, which fish gather around.  Also means snags, but if you aren't getting them, your probably not catching many fish.
 
As for taking kids, it really isn't a good family area...  The rivers in general aren't IMO, unless you live walking distance to one.  The moving water, really isn't all too safe, and the chances of catching enough fish consistently, isn't likely going to keep the attention of younsters.  Places like North Park (although likely needs another year to rebound), Racoon, and many other community park lakes with parks close by, are a good place to get kids into fishing.  Something with abundent panfish, that are willing to bite.  Let them fish at their own pace.  Not much turns them off more than getting bored and Mom/Dad saying, you have to sit here.  Use the search feature above for "kids fishing, or local lakes, ect.".
 
If fishing the river, look at the suggestions above for baits, ect.
 
If fishing the lakes, look at getting some live bait.  Wax worms are great for panfish.  Small minnows also catch a bunch of panfish, with more chance of a larger crappie / perch or a largemouth or two mixed in.  The Berkley Gulps work great too, if you aren't into live bait.  They're a bit expensive, but you can catch 3-4 (or 10) fish on a bait before it needs replaced, and if the fish aren't biting, you're not dumping bait.  I really like the 1" Gulp minnows on a 1/16 oz jig, either under a bobber or drop shotting.  These all work in the rivers too.

I used to live on Nantasket st, a block away from Hough's. below the hi-level bridge is a good local spot for you to hone as well. I used to fish there a good bit, it is called duck hollow (more like turd hollow after a good rain)... Turn at the apartment building right before the bridge and keep heading down the hill. I've seen kids down there, depending on how old yours are. I would wear waders and wade out on the sand bar, but you can fish from the pier there, but pretty high up.

Note - fishing the rivers is a bit different than fishing lakes. You need a little more weight in the rivers, and use the current to help move your bait/ lure. Lakes, unless fishing from a boat, want something a little lighter. A lure will sink slower in moving water, and rise faster being reeled in the moving water.

Good luck. Greenfield is a pretty cool neighborhood. I haven't lived there for over 10 years, but still make it to Houghs a bit, and a trip to The Coop here and there, used to be every Wednesday...

I work at pnc park, so after the game on friday some buddies of mine and I stayed and fished for catfish. Caught a massive blue. As well as some carp. All of them had decent size to them. How my car smelled after a container of chicken livers sat in it during the game is a different story though...

I had a minnow bucket with about 50 crawfish in it set in my trunk for a couple of days in the summer. I think that was worse than chicken livers. I about puked and I've got a strong stomach.

there is metered parking all around pnc park if you want to fish.  keep in mind that you can't park at the meters if there is a pirate game going on.