Fishing near Allentown, Pennsylvania
Lehigh County, population 125,845.
- 14 milesto nearest lake
- 4ramps nearby
Pick for walleyePiscifun Viper X spinning reel50% OFFSale $39.99 Photo, nearby stand in for Allentown: Shuvaev, CC BY-SA 3.0
Allentown for visiting anglers, summed up
A city of Lehigh County, Allentown had 125,845 residents in 2020. For still water, Lake Towhee lies about 14 miles toward the southeast. Size leader nearby: Nockamixon Lake at 1,450 acres. The shortest trip to a ramp is 2 miles, to Canal Park.
Walleye are listed for 1 of the lakes below, the nearest being Nockamixon Lake. Trout anglers can be on Cedar Creek in under a mile. Without a boat, try Little Lehigh River, 3 miles off. Railroad Depot-Bath Rt512 is one of 10 2026 stocking meeting places within 10 miles.
Census 2020 population and Gazetteer point for Allentown; distances are straight lines.
For the walleye herePiscifun AlumiX spinning reel46% OFFSale $64.99 Lake pages a short run from Allentown
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Access areas | Trout | Species listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Towhee | 14 miles southeast | 37 | 0 | bluegill and pumpkinseed, chain pickerel, crappie | |
| Green Lane Reservoir | 16 miles south | 814 | 0 | bluegill and pumpkinseed, chain pickerel, crappie | |
| Nockamixon Lake | 16 miles southeast | 1,450 | 4 | bluegill and pumpkinseed, chain pickerel, channel catfish | |
| Lake Warren Dam | 17 miles east | 17 | 0 | bluegill and pumpkinseed, largemouth bass | |
| Deep Creek Dam | 18 miles south | 25 | 0 | stocked trout lake | bluegill and pumpkinseed, channel catfish, crappie |
| Leaser Lake | 20 miles west | 117 | 2 | stocked, open year-round |
Creek pages within a short run of Allentown
- Cedar Creekunder a mile, Class A 1.3 mi; stocked (1,300 adult trout in 2026)
- Jordan Creek1 mile, stocked (30,100 adult trout in 2026)
- Little Lehigh Creek2 miles, Class A 9.6 mi; stocked (17,300 adult trout in 2026); Brown trout — Catch-and-Release all tackle; other trout species – All tackle trout slot limit, Catch-and-Release Fly-Fishing Only
- Coplay Creek4 miles, stocked (3,700 adult trout in 2026)
- Swabia Creek5 miles, stocked (3,800 adult trout in 2026)
- Laurel Run, Lehigh County5 miles, stocked (500 adult trout in 2026)
PFBC Lakes_Point, species listings, stocked trout waters and stream layers, retrieved October 2026.
Lakes, ramps and shore sites around Allentown, mapped
- Canal ParkLehigh River, 2 miles
- Kimmett's Lock AccessLehigh River, 2 miles
- Sand Island AccessLehigh River, 5 miles
- Route 33 Access on Lehigh RiverLehigh River, 11 miles
Fishing from land near Allentown
- Little Lehigh RiverLittle Lehigh Creek, 3 miles
- Catasauqua fishing access, Whitehall TownshipLehigh River, 4 miles
- North Catasauqua fishing access, North Catasauqua BoroLehigh River, 5 miles
- Canal Street ParkLehigh River, 6 miles
- Cementon fishing access, NorthamptonLehigh River, 7 miles
- Laurys Station fishing access, North Whitehall TownshipLehigh River, 8 miles
PFBC access areas layer, retrieved October 2026.
2026 stocking stops around Allentown
| Date | Water | Species | Meeting place | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 25, 2026 | Monocacy Creek | Rainbow trout | Railroad Depot-Bath Rt512 | 5 miles |
| Feb. 26, 2026 | Little Lehigh Creek | Rainbow trout, Golden rainbow trout | Queen City Coop Trout Nursery off Sr29 in Allentown Parkway | 2 miles |
| Feb. 27, 2026 | Saucon Creek | Rainbow trout, Golden rainbow trout | Saucon Park-RT78 Bethlehem Exit | 7 miles |
| Feb. 28, 2026 | Hokendauqua Creek | Brook trout, Brown trout, Rainbow trout, Golden rainbow trout | Lapowinzo Rod & Gun Club-SR4003-1 Mi. North of Northampton | 7 miles |
| March 4, 2026 | Cedar Creek | Rainbow trout | Queen City Coop Trout Nursery off Sr29 in Allentown Parkway | 1 mile |
| March 4, 2026 | Coplay Creek | Brook trout, Rainbow trout | Queen City Coop Trout Nursery off Sr29 in Allentown Parkway | 6 miles |
| March 5, 2026 | Jordan Creek | Brown trout, Rainbow trout, Golden rainbow trout | Upper Macungie Park 1/2 Mi. North of Rt78 on Rt100 | 8 miles |
| March 6, 2026 | Little Lehigh Creek | Rainbow trout, Golden rainbow trout | Zion Lehigh Lutheran Church, Rt 39023, 8269 Spring CK RD | 5 miles |
| March 6, 2026 | Laurel Run | Rainbow trout | Zion Lehigh Lutheran Church, Rt 39023, 8269 Spring CK RD | 7 miles |
| March 12, 2026 | Jordan Creek | Brown trout, Rainbow trout, Golden rainbow trout | Home Depot Rt145 So. Exit, off Rt22 | 3 miles |
PFBC 2026 adult trout stocking schedule (fbweb.pa.gov/TroutStocking); distance to the upper limit of the stocked section. Retrieved October 2026.
Live flow close to Allentown
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Little Lehigh Creek At Tenth St. Br. At Allentown | 43 cfs, 2.34 ft gage height | Oct 24 6:45 pm |
| Little Lehigh Creek Near Allentown, Pa | 46 cfs, 0.02 ft gage height | Oct 24 6:30 pm |
| Cedar Creek At Mouth Near Allentown, Pa | 12 cfs, 0.90 ft gage height | Oct 24 6:30 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Oct 24, 2026 7:33 pm ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
Outfitters a short drive from Allentown
Where Allentown anglers stock up
- Archery at the Glennbait and tackle shop, Allentown, 1 mile
- Weaver Lurebait and tackle shop, Allentown, 2 miles
- Skillets' Shad Spoonsbait and tackle shop, Bethlehem, 5 miles
- Willie Marx's Bait Tackle & Morebait and tackle shop, Whitehall, 7 miles
- X-treme Hunting Productsbait and tackle shop, Emmaus, 7 miles
- Klotz's Bait & Tackle Shopbait and tackle shop, Hellertown, 7 miles
- Sea Mar Tackle Co Incbait and tackle shop, Schnecksville, 8 miles
- Highway Marinemarina, Quakertown, 10 miles
Hire a guide for Allentown
- Rusty Balls Tackle & Guide Servicefishing guide, Allentown, (484) 239-4723
Yellow Pages listings and the PFBC guide permit list, retrieved October 2026.
Harvest rules close to Allentown
The annual license costs $27.97 for a resident, $60.97 for a nonresident and $14.47 for a resident senior; under-16s fish free. For trout, buy the $14.97 trout permit too.
| Species | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Trout (regular season) | 5 (combined species), streams, lakes and ponds; minimum 7 inches | Regular season: April 4 at 8 a.m. through Sept. 7 (statewide opening day) |
| Trout (extended season, stocked waters) | 3 (combined species); minimum 7 inches | Jan. 1 through Feb. 15 and Sept. 8 through Dec. 31 |
| 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 |
2026 Pennsylvania Fishing Summary (PFBC), Commonwealth inland waters table. Lake pages show program rules and exceptions.
Around Allentown
Overnight bases around Allentown
- Dorneyville2 miles
- Fullerton3 miles
- Emmaus4 miles
- Catasauqua4 miles
- Fountain Hill4 miles
Allentown by county
- Lehigh Countyseat: Allentown
Piscifun reels to bring along to Allentown
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A photo guide to fish at Allentown
Photo: Eric Engbretson for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Public domain
Photo: United States Fish and Wildlife Services, Public domain
Photo: Scott Harden, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region, Public domain
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Fishing from Allentown, question by question
How short is the drive from Allentown to a lake page?
Lake Towhee, 14 miles southeast.
Where do Allentown boaters launch?
Try Canal Park, 2 miles out.
Where can kids cast from the bank near Allentown?
Little Lehigh River, some 3 miles away.
Who sells minnows around Allentown?
Archery at the Glenn is the closest listing, 1 mile away.
Which lake by Allentown has walleye on the PFBC list?
Try Nockamixon Lake (16 miles); walleye are on its PFBC list.
Which Pennsylvania county takes in Allentown?
It belongs to Lehigh County.
Which trout stream with a page runs closest to Allentown?
Nearest: Cedar Creek, under a mile off, Class A 1.3 mi; stocked (1,300 adult trout in 2026).
When can I keep trout near Allentown?
It follows the statewide date, April 4, 2026 at 8 a.m.
Is there a tourist license for Allentown visitors?
Pennsylvania sells a $60.97 nonresident annual plus 3-day and 7-day tourist licenses.
Which waters near Allentown get stocked trout?
Monocacy Creek on Feb. 25, 2026, meeting at Railroad Depot-Bath Rt512 (5 miles away); 10 stops within 10 miles are listed above.
Launch a morning on the water by Allentown
Every listed spot opens with directions.