If I recall correctly this year the fishcops said there is no channel there. Last year it had just enough room to squeak thru.
 

There was at least a start to the channel on the dam side, in December. I didn’t check how far it runs through the shoal. I kept drifting to it when I fished late season last year. The water gets much clearer at that time of year and you can see the change in depth a bit better. The rest of the year, that shoal can sneak up on you with the stained water. Talking when I am drift fishing that ledge (and getting skunked)…. Driving, I avoid the entire area. I have fished those ledges a ton and one largemouth ever from there! It looks like it would be banging. Usually mark some fish hanging off of there.

Porktown

rippinlip
I'm too chicken to take my boat back that shallow. I suspect the Crappie will be moving to 8-10 feet of water soon. After the weather normalizes.
 

There are certain parts of the lake that those 3-4FOW are either right next to 20+FOW or 3-4 IOW...  I may or may not have gotten stuck on the shoals near the dam, maybe 20 years ago to confirm that!  I see someone just about every year as a reminder.  There is a cut through it, but you really got to know what you are doing if your boat isn't low draft.  I may or may not smacked my prop off of the bottom in the area that I think you are noting that you are too smart to venture into...  Again, there is a way to do it, but the channel is usually lined with shore bound anglers that act like whining little girls if you take your boat through.

Got stuck there on my 2nd trip ever with my boat. 20 feet  and BAM 2 feet. What a PITA to get out. 
We should start a support group.

It is traumatic.You can feel your wallet bleeding money. 

I don't go on that side of the island. If I'm fishing the main lake, I launch at Bear Run. I never use McDaniels until late season. You need your head examined if you're using that launch earlier than November. Lol. Who wants to deal with all the kayakers anyways??

I don’t have very good luck trying to fish that shoal. It’s either too windy and I’m getting blown into the shallow water, or there are already a ton of boats on it.

I thought about trying a push pole or something, or bringing the old heavy oars that came with the boat... If I let the boat get grounded it would a lot easier to fish the drop off from the shallow side. But then if I can’t get unstuck that would be a big problem.

I’m thinking if I want to take the boat out, it’s Arthur on weekdays only this summer.

On the weekends it’s probably worth the extra 1/2 hr drive to wilhelm. Wilhelm is usually pretty chill, even on the weekends.

I’m also thinking it might be time to try the Allegheny river pool below lock 3. There is also a launch at Tarentum and another at Rosston. I’d probably have more luck figuring out the walleye on the river than at Arthur. But the rivers might be even worse than Arthur as far as boat traffic on the weekend so I dunno…

pensfan1
I don't go on that side of the island. If I'm fishing the main lake, I launch at Bear Run. I never use McDaniels until late season. You need your head examined if you're using that launch earlier than November. Lol. Who wants to deal with all the kayakers anyways??

Same. I just one day figured "why not go to the left of the island toward the ****". Luckily I had some Oars and no trolling motor, so boat was lighter that day.

Pretty much if I'm not fishing the 422 bridge pilings, I just go right from the Bear Run Ramp. 

MyWar

I’m also thinking it might be time to try the Allegheny river pool below lock 3. There is also a launch at Tarentum and another at Rosston. I’d probably have more luck figuring out the walleye on the river than at Arthur. But the rivers might be even worse than Arthur as far as boat traffic on the weekend so I dunno…

we fished the Rosston area a lot over the years. There is a ton of differing terrain to explore. we caught walleye and cats both in the area (never targeted anything else) and boat traffic wasn't too bad when we were there, but we avoided daytime weekends. I would fish it over Morraine any day though because of sailboats and windsurfers (or whatever those things are) and kayakers are there in some areas but not a problem like Morraine. Definitely worth giving a try IMO.

Thanks for info. That all sounds promising. I’ve ridden the bike trail up there and that section of river looks pretty nice, but I’ve never fished it. There are a couple islands and the mouth of Crooked Creek are right there, so that all looks pretty fishy… would you recommend heading downstream of Rosston? Or heading up river towards kittaning?

There is another stretch that looks super nice, just below Rimer. But I think I’d have to launch at Templeton and motor up to it. It might be a bit of a haul for a 14’ with a 9.9 and I haven’t been able to find a public launch any closer to Rimer. So I might be better off just starting with a stretch that’s more accessible.

MyWar
I don’t have very good luck trying to fish that shoal. It’s either too windy and I’m getting blown into the shallow water, or there are already a ton of boats on it.

I thought about trying a push pole or something, or bringing the old heavy oars that came with the boat... If I let the boat get grounded it would a lot easier to fish the drop off from the shallow side. But then if I can’t get unstuck that would be a big problem.

 
Been there and done that 2 years ago in a Musky tournament. With two outboards on the stern, the 9.9 was already sucking mud and the wind blew us deeper into the crap. Had to lift the 9.9, (the Classic 50 was already trimmed up), all the way up, and thankfully, I had a regular boat oar and had to pole us out of there. I know to stay clear now, especially with wind.

MyWar
I’m also thinking it might be time to try the Allegheny river pool below lock 3. There is also a launch at Tarentum and another at Rosston. I’d probably have more luck figuring out the walleye on the river than at Arthur. But the rivers might be even worse than Arthur as far as boat traffic on the weekend so I dunno…

My boys have fished below Lock 3 a time or two. Be very observant of the shallows everywhere.
 
There's also a nice launch at Freeport on the end of High Street. That'll put you on pool 4. I maybe there myself on Saturday. Dock was not in as of this AM, but should be in next week for the walleye opener. If you go up to Lock 5, stay on the west side and away from island below the power plant. You'll ruin a prop.
The launch at Rosston is primitive and shallow. When you leave Rosston, you go straight out south but if you go north, stay close to the island and head straight over to the old barge channel then go up river. On the east side, from Rosston launch up to the new Ford City bridge, the river is full of that same crap that'll eat your prop and get you stuck. Better to use the Kittanning launch and fish down river to Ford City.
One launch on pool 6 in downtown Kittanning. One launch on Cowanshanok Creek on pool 7 at Mosgrove, and 1 launch on pool 8 at Templeton. All of those have plenty of blacktopped parking, except for Rosston. There you put the rig in the dirt anywhere you can. Pool 5 is the only section of the river that has no public launch. I used to put in that pool at the end of Clinton road, as it was then the South Buffalo Twp. emergency launch, but it is now private and posted. It was really primitive; room for only two rigs unless the first guy hogged it all. It was good fishin' on pool 5, but alas, unless you know any of the camp owners over at Kelley's Station or Jonetta to use their ramps, you're outta luck.