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Rainbow Trout
Photo: Fabricio Cardenas, CC BY-SA 4.0 
Chain Pickerel
Photo: Hellion102792, CC BY-SA 4.0 
Striped Bass
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region, Public domain 
American Shad
Photo: Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, CC BY 2.0
Pennsylvania lakes and reservoirs
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Mahoning Creek Lake Fishing
A 279-acre Pennsylvania reservoir in Indiana County.
Pick for bluegillPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo, nearby stand in for Mahoning Creek Lake: Chris Light, CC BY-SA 4.0
Indiana County
A short guide to Mahoning Creek Lake
The Fish and Boat Commission lists Mahoning Creek Lake at 279 acres; it sits in Indiana County. PFBC records list the owner as U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Dayton, about 3 miles out, makes the nearest town. Water leaves it for Mahoning Creek. It falls in the PFBC Southwest Region.
PFBC names bluegill and pumpkinseed, channel catfish, crappie, largemouth bass, muskellunge and tiger muskellunge and northern pike for it. Trailers go in at 1 access area with a ramp. The Commission lists it among its Best Fishing Waters.
279acres
1ramp access areas
11species listed
1shore access areas
PFBC Lakes_Point layer (acres from NHD), Census places, retrieved October 23, 2026.
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What anglers catch at Mahoning Creek Lake
Each chip marks a fish PFBC connects with Mahoning Creek Lake.
Bluegill and pumpkinseed Channel catfish Crappie Largemouth bass Muskellunge and tiger muskellunge Northern pike Rock bass Smallmouth bass Walleye Yellow perch Rainbow trout
PFBC WWCW species listing by water and PFBC stocking schedules, retrieved October 23, 2026.
Access
Ramps that put boats on Mahoning Creek Lake
- Milton Loop Accessboat ramp, 30 trailer spaces, 10 hp; owner PFBC/Armstrong County
Bank and pier access, Mahoning Creek Lake
- Sportsmans fishing access, Wayne Townshipshore or carry-in access, 10 hp
Other access areas near Mahoning Creek Lake
- Hawthorn AccessRedbank Creek, 7 miles north
- Templeton AccessAllegheny River- Pool 8, 10 miles west
- Atwood AccessKeystone Lake, 11 miles south
- Numine AccessKeystone Lake, 12 miles south
PFBC access areas layer (ramps and fishing-only sites), retrieved October 23, 2026.
Water level
Level readings at Mahoning Creek Lake
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Mahoning Creek Reservoir At Mahoning Creek Dam, Pa | 1,088.64 ft lake elevation | Oct 26 11:45 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Oct 27, 2026 12:32 am ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
1,091.01 ftwater level, Mahoning Creek Lake, PA
US Army Corps of Engineers, Pittsburgh District (CWMS) reading for Mahoning Creek Lake, PA (NAVD88), recorded October 23, 2026; retrieved October 23, 2026. Values are provisional.
Limits
Creel counts and minimum sizes at Mahoning Creek Lake
| Species | Creel and size | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Bass (June 13 to Sept. 30) | 6 (combined species); minimum 12 inches | June 13 through Sept. 30 |
| Bass (Jan. 1 to April 10, Oct. 1 to Dec. 31) | 4 (combined species); minimum 15 inches | Jan. 1 through April 10 and Oct. 1 through Dec. 31 |
| Bass (April 11 to June 12) | NO HARVEST – catch and immediate release only (no tournaments permitted) | April 11 through June 12 (no harvest begins 12:01 a.m.) |
| Muskellunge and tiger muskellunge | 1 (combined species); minimum 40 inches | Open year-round |
| Northern pike | 2; minimum 24 inches | Open year-round |
| Chain pickerel | 4; minimum 18 inches | Open year-round |
| Walleye and saugeye | 6; minimum 15 inches | Jan. 1 through March 14 and May 2 through Dec. 31 |
| Sunfish, crappie and other panfish | 50 (combined species) | Open year-round |
| Catfish | 50 (combined species) | Open year-round |
| Striped bass and hybrids | 2 (combined species); minimum 20 inches | Open year-round |
| American shad | 3 | Open year-round |
Mahoning Creek Lake follows the inland table of the Summary, plus any program rule listed here.
2026 Pennsylvania Fishing Summary (PFBC), pp. 10-17, retrieved October 23, 2026.
Records
Heaviest Pennsylvania fish from Mahoning Creek Lake
| Species | Weight | Angler | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trout, Golden Rainbow | 13 lb. 8 oz. | Eli Borger | 2008 |
PFBC State Record Fish page, retrieved October 23, 2026. All Pennsylvania records.
Surveys
Management reports on Mahoning Creek Lake
PFBC Biologist Report Listing layer, retrieved October 23, 2026; older reports are history, not a current survey.
Compare
Nearby lakes and Mahoning Creek Lake, side by side
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Ramps | Species | Stocked trout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mahoning Creek Lake | 279 | 1 | 11 | ||
| Keystone Lake, Armstrong County | 12 miles south | 950 | 2 | 8 | |
| Cummings Reservoir | 17 miles south | 13 | 0 | 0 | yes |
| Crooked Creek Lake | 19 miles southwest | 350 | 1 | 9 | |
| Cloe Lake | 19 miles east | 26 | 1 | 5 | yes |
| Piney Reservoir | 20 miles north | 690 | 0 | 9 |
PFBC Lakes_Point, access areas and species listings, retrieved October 23, 2026.
Nearby
Around Mahoning Creek Lake
Reservoirs and lakes close to Mahoning Creek Lake
- Keystone Lake, Armstrong County12 miles south
- Cummings Reservoir17 miles south
- Crooked Creek Lake19 miles southwest
- Cloe Lake19 miles east
- Piney Reservoir20 miles north
Where Mahoning Creek Lake anglers stock up
- Waugaman's Baitbait and tackle shop, Kittanning, 9 miles
- Nautical Mile Marina at TMPLTNmarina, Templeton, 10 miles
- 119 Antique Trading Postbait and tackle shop, Rochester Mills, 14 miles
- Kenbest Bait Shopbait and tackle shop, Rimersburg, 14 miles
- Kittanning Marinamarina, Kittanning, 14 miles
- Fish Hands Freebait and tackle shop, Punxsutawney, 16 miles
Hire a guide for Mahoning Creek Lake
- Penna Comm of-Fish & Boat Commcharter, Reynoldsville, (814) 653-8957
- Buzo Bugzfishing guide, Homer City, (724) 762-9862
- Fish With Kish, Llc.fishing guide, Indiana, (412) 352-6698
- Kellars Fly Fishing Guide Servicefly fishing guide, Indiana, (402) 604-1869
- Nasty Nympher Llc.fishing guide, Marion Center, (724) 599-6610
- Dutchman’S Sportfishingfishing guide, Rossiter, (814) 952-3984
Overnight bases around Mahoning Creek Lake
- Kittanning14 miles
- West Kittanning15 miles
- Punxsutawney16 miles
Mahoning Creek Lake by county
- Indiana Countyseat: Indiana
Piscifun
Piscifun reels to bring along to Mahoning Creek Lake
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Fish ID
A photo guide to fish at Mahoning Creek Lake
Photo: Fabricio Cardenas, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Hellion102792, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region, Public domain
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Photo: Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, CC BY 2.0
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Answers
Before you go to Mahoning Creek Lake: common questions
Where in Pennsylvania is Mahoning Creek Lake?
You will find it in Indiana County, PFBC Southwest Region, about 3 miles from Dayton.
How large is Mahoning Creek Lake by PFBC count?
Roughly 279 acres.
Which access area serves Mahoning Creek Lake?
There are 1 ramp access area; Milton Loop Access is the largest.
Does Mahoning Creek Lake hold bass and panfish?
PFBC lists bluegill and pumpkinseed, channel catfish, crappie, largemouth bass, muskellunge and tiger muskellunge, northern pike and rock bass.
Does Mahoning Creek Lake have special regulations?
Bass (June 13 to Sept. 30): 6 (combined species); minimum 12 inches; June 13 through Sept. 30.
Which Pennsylvania license and permit fit Mahoning Creek Lake?
Anyone 16 or older needs a Pennsylvania fishing license: $27.97 for residents, $60.97 for nonresidents and $14.47 for resident seniors, fees included.
When does PFBC stock Mahoning Creek Lake?
Not on the 2026 schedule.
Who sells minnows on the way to Mahoning Creek Lake?
Drive about 9 miles to Waugaman's Bait.
Who reports the level of Mahoning Creek Lake?
Above: USGS and the Corps of Engineers.
Has a state record come from Mahoning Creek Lake?
Trout, Golden Rainbow, 13 lb. 8 oz., by Eli Borger in 2008.
Spend an evening casting Mahoning Creek Lake
Check the Summary rows before a fish goes on the stringer.