Tionesta Lake Fishing
A 570-acre Pennsylvania reservoir in Forest County.
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Tionesta Lake: the basics
PFBC mapping credits Tionesta Lake with 570 acres of water in Forest County. Ownership on the PFBC record: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Groceries and gas wait in Tionesta, about 2 miles off. PFBC gives Tionesta Creek as the receiving water. Fisheries staff of the Northwest Region manage it.
PFBC species listings include bluegill and pumpkinseed, channel catfish, crappie, muskellunge and tiger muskellunge, rock bass and smallmouth bass. Boaters use 2 access areas with ramps. It carries the PFBC Best Fishing Waters tag.
PFBC Lakes_Point layer (acres from NHD), Census places, retrieved October 23, 2026.
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The chips for Tionesta Lake join the PFBC warmwater and coolwater listing, state records and the stocking schedule.
PFBC WWCW species listing by water and PFBC stocking schedules, retrieved October 23, 2026.
PFBC access areas at Tionesta Lake
- Nebraska Accesspaved ramp, 77 trailer spaces, unlimited horsepower; owner PFBC
- Tionesta Dam Accesspaved ramp, 57 trailer spaces, dock, unlimited horsepower, fee; owner COE
Public ramps near Tionesta Lake
- Tionesta Sand & Gravel AccessAllegheny River, 2 miles northwest
PFBC access areas layer (ramps and fishing-only sites), retrieved October 23, 2026.
Pool elevation at Tionesta Lake
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Tionesta Creek Reservoir At Tionesta Creek Dam, Pa | 1,088.71 ft lake elevation | Oct 24 6:45 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Oct 24, 2026 7:33 pm ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
US Army Corps of Engineers, Pittsburgh District (CWMS) reading for Tionesta Lake, PA (NAVD88), recorded October 23, 2026; retrieved October 23, 2026. Values are provisional.
Harvest limits at Tionesta 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 |
For Tionesta Lake, the Summary inland rows hold except where a listing below names it.
2026 Pennsylvania Fishing Summary (PFBC), pp. 10-17, retrieved October 23, 2026.
Planned stockings at Tionesta Lake
The 2026 schedule lists 1 stockings at Tionesta Lake, led by channel catfish; no per-trip numbers are published.
| Date | Species | Program | Section | Meeting place |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Channel Catfish (yearling) | warmwater/coolwater |
PFBC Adult Trout Stocking Schedule, Fingerling Trout Schedule and Warmwater/Coolwater stockings (2026), retrieved October 23, 2026. Pennsylvania stocking.
Fisheries surveys of Tionesta Lake
- Spring 2013 Trap Net and Night Boat Electrofishing Surveys2013
- Week of April 17, 20062006
- Sampling Technique – Trap Netting Week of April 18, 20052005
PFBC Biologist Report Listing layer, retrieved October 23, 2026; older reports are history, not a current survey.
Sizing Tionesta Lake against nearby water
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Ramps | Species | Stocked trout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tionesta Lake | 570 | 2 | 7 | ||
| Beaver Meadows Lake | 17 miles east | 27 | 0 | 1 | |
| Two Mile Run Reservoir | 17 miles west | 144 | 1 | 9 | yes |
| Beaver Creek Pd 3 | 19 miles southwest | 0 | 3 | ||
| Piney Reservoir | 19 miles south | 690 | 0 | 9 | |
| Buzzard Swamp No 6 | 19 miles east | 66 | 0 | 4 |
PFBC Lakes_Point, access areas and species listings, retrieved October 23, 2026.
Near the Tionesta Lake area
Lakes in the same region as Tionesta Lake
- Beaver Meadows Lake17 miles east
- Two Mile Run Reservoir17 miles west
- Beaver Creek Pd 319 miles southwest
- Piney Reservoir19 miles south
- Buzzard Swamp No 619 miles east
Bait and lures on the road to Tionesta Lake
- Sue's Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Cooperstown, 17 miles
- Black Knight Industriesbait and tackle shop, Franklin, 22 miles
- Griffins Bait & Tackle Shopbait and tackle shop, Cooperstown, 23 miles
- Rod Z Rodsbait and tackle shop, Franklin, 23 miles
- Taylor's Bait & Tackle, 36981 State Highway 408bait and tackle shop, Centerville, 23 miles
- Jigger Wholesalebait and tackle shop, Franklin, 24 miles
Guides and captains for Tionesta Lake
- PA State Championship Fishing Tournament Inccharter, Tidioute, (814) 484-3585
- Penna Comm of-Fish & Boat Commcharter, Reynoldsville, (814) 653-8957
Boroughs and towns close to Tionesta Lake
- Oil City14 miles
- Titusville16 miles
- Marienville16 miles
Which counties Tionesta Lake reaches
- Forest Countyseat: Tionesta
Piscifun tackle picked out for Tionesta Lake
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A photo look at the water by Tionesta Lake
Photo: Andre Carrotflower, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: diego_cue, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Photo: Chris Light, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Photo: Andre Carrotflower, CC BY-SA 4.0
Short answers about fishing Tionesta Lake
Which PFBC region covers Tionesta Lake?
Forest County, PFBC Northwest Region, about 2 miles from Tionesta.
What acreage does Tionesta Lake have?
About 570 acres.
Does PFBC map a boat ramp on Tionesta Lake?
PFBC maps 2 ramp access areas; start at Nebraska Access.
Which fish bite for Keystone anglers at Tionesta Lake?
Expect bluegill and pumpkinseed, channel catfish, crappie, muskellunge and tiger muskellunge, rock bass, smallmouth bass and yellow perch.
Which creel limits apply at Tionesta Lake?
Bass (June 13 to Sept. 30): 6 (combined species); minimum 12 inches; June 13 through Sept. 30.
Can a visitor fish Tionesta 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.
Is Tionesta Lake on the 2026 stocking schedule?
1 stockings are scheduled for 2026, the first on 2026.
Which listed Pennsylvania shop is the shortest drive to Tionesta Lake?
Try Sue's Bait & Tackle, roughly 17 miles off.
Where is the pool elevation of Tionesta Lake posted?
Readings come from USGS and the Corps of Engineers, shown above.
Plan a day at Tionesta Lake
Check the limits above, then pick an access area.