Fishing near Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Northampton County, population 75,781.
- 12 milesto nearest lake
- 7ramps nearby
Pick for walleyePiscifun Viper X spinning reel50% OFFSale $39.99 Photo: Shuvaev, CC BY-SA 3.0
Fishing from a Bethlehem base, in short
The 2020 Census counted 75,781 people in Bethlehem, a city in Northampton County. Head 12 miles southeast to reach Lake Towhee, the nearest lake page. Among the nearby lakes, Nockamixon Lake covers the most water: 1,450 acres. For launching, Sand Island Access is 1 mile away.
Nockamixon Lake is the closest of 1 nearby lakes with walleye on the PFBC list. Under a mile separates town from Monocacy Creek, Northampton County, the nearest trout stream page. For shore fishing, Wilson Avenue fishing access, Bethlehem Township is 3 miles from town. Stocking crews gathered at 10 spots within 10 miles in 2026, Railroad Depot-Bath Rt512 among them.
Census 2020 population and Gazetteer point for Bethlehem; distances are straight lines.
For the walleye herePiscifun AlumiX spinning reel46% OFFSale $64.99 Reservoirs and lakes by Bethlehem, nearest first
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Access areas | Trout | Species listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Towhee | 12 miles southeast | 37 | 0 | bluegill and pumpkinseed, chain pickerel, crappie | |
| Lake Warren Dam | 13 miles southeast | 17 | 0 | bluegill and pumpkinseed, largemouth bass | |
| Nockamixon Lake | 14 miles southeast | 1,450 | 4 | bluegill and pumpkinseed, chain pickerel, channel catfish | |
| The Giving Pond | 17 miles east | 62 | 0 | bluegill and pumpkinseed, chain pickerel, channel catfish | |
| Green Lane Reservoir | 20 miles south | 814 | 0 | bluegill and pumpkinseed, chain pickerel, crappie | |
| East Bangor Lake | 20 miles northeast | 78 | 1 |
Moving water by Bethlehem with pages
- Monocacy Creek, Northampton Countyunder a mile, Class A 6.9 mi; stocked (7,500 adult trout in 2026); Artificial lures only trout slot limit, Brown trout — Catch-and-Release all tackle; other trout species – All tackle trout slot limit
- Saucon Creek2 miles, Class A 5.5 mi; stocked (3,100 adult trout in 2026); Artificial lures only trout slot limit
- East Branch Monocacy Creek4 miles, Closed to fishing Sec Mgmt Code #62
- Little Lehigh Creek5 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
- Laurel Run, Lehigh County5 miles, stocked (500 adult trout in 2026)
- Jordan Creek5 miles, stocked (30,100 adult trout in 2026)
PFBC Lakes_Point, species listings, stocked trout waters and stream layers, retrieved October 2026.
Mapped water within reach of Bethlehem
- Sand Island AccessLehigh River, 1 mile
- Canal ParkLehigh River, 5 miles
- Kimmett's Lock AccessLehigh River, 5 miles
- Route 33 Access on Lehigh RiverLehigh River, 5 miles
- Easton LaunchLehigh River, 9 miles
- Easton Launch – Scott ParkDelaware River, 10 miles
- Phillipsburg in NJ AccessDelaware River, 10 miles
Walk-in fishing close to Bethlehem
- Wilson Avenue fishing access, Bethlehem TownshipLehigh River, 3 miles
- Catasauqua fishing access, Whitehall TownshipLehigh River, 6 miles
- North Catasauqua fishing access, North Catasauqua BoroLehigh River, 7 miles
- Canal Street ParkLehigh River, 8 miles
- Hugh Moore ParkLehigh River, 8 miles
- Cementon fishing access, NorthamptonLehigh River, 8 miles
PFBC access areas layer, retrieved October 2026.
Volunteer stocking meeting points by Bethlehem
| Date | Water | Species | Meeting place | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb. 25, 2026 | Monocacy Creek | Rainbow trout | Railroad Depot-Bath Rt512 | 1 mile |
| Feb. 26, 2026 | Little Lehigh Creek | Rainbow trout, Golden rainbow trout | Queen City Coop Trout Nursery off Sr29 in Allentown Parkway | 8 miles |
| Feb. 27, 2026 | Saucon Creek | Rainbow trout, Golden rainbow trout | Saucon Park-RT78 Bethlehem Exit | 5 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 | 8 miles |
| March 4, 2026 | Cedar Creek | Rainbow trout | Queen City Coop Trout Nursery off Sr29 in Allentown Parkway | 7 miles |
| March 6, 2026 | Laurel Run | Rainbow trout | Zion Lehigh Lutheran Church, Rt 39023, 8269 Spring CK RD | 8 miles |
| March 12, 2026 | Jordan Creek | Brown trout, Rainbow trout, Golden rainbow trout | Home Depot Rt145 So. Exit, off Rt22 | 8 miles |
| March 14, 2026 | Bushkill Creek | Brown trout, Rainbow trout, Golden rainbow trout | Nazareth Park North Broad Street Ext. | 9 miles |
| March 26, 2026 | Lehigh Canal | Rainbow trout, Golden rainbow trout | Saucon Park-RT78 Bethlehem Exit | 2 miles |
| April 6, 2026 | Monocacy Creek | Rainbow trout | Railroad Depot-Bath Rt512 | 1 mile |
PFBC 2026 adult trout stocking schedule (fbweb.pa.gov/TroutStocking); distance to the upper limit of the stocked section. Retrieved October 2026.
How the streams by Bethlehem are running
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Lehigh River At Bethlehem, Pa | 1,010 cfs, 1.61 ft gage height | Oct 24 6:30 pm |
| Monocacy Creek At Bethlehem, Pa | 25 cfs, 2.21 ft gage height | Oct 24 6:45 pm |
| Little Lehigh Creek At Tenth St. Br. At Allentown | 43 cfs, 2.34 ft gage height | Oct 24 6:45 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Oct 24, 2026 7:33 pm ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
Bait counters and guides close to Bethlehem
Shops supplying Bethlehem anglers
- Skillets' Shad Spoonsbait and tackle shop, Bethlehem, 2 miles
- Klotz's Bait & Tackle Shopbait and tackle shop, Hellertown, 3 miles
- Weaver Lurebait and tackle shop, Allentown, 4 miles
- Archery at the Glennbait and tackle shop, Allentown, 5 miles
- John's Gun & Tackle Roombait and tackle shop, Easton, 7 miles
- Walter's Gunsmithingbait and tackle shop, Easton, 7 miles
- Willie Marx's Bait Tackle & Morebait and tackle shop, Whitehall, 8 miles
- Mike's Bait & Sport Shopbait and tackle shop, Nazareth, 9 miles
Booking a guided trip on Bethlehem
- Freshwater Krewfishing guide, Easton, (908) 310-5874
- Samantha Dennisfishing guide, Freemansburg, (847) 651-6583
- Scfg Servicesfishing guide, Nazareth, (610) 462-5079
- Fin Seeker River Guide Servicefishing guide, Riegelsville, (215) 262-4812
- Lehighriverdryflycompanyfly fishing guide, Walnutport, (406) 223-5898
Yellow Pages listings and the PFBC guide permit list, retrieved October 2026.
Creel limits that apply near Bethlehem
From age 16 a Pennsylvania fishing license is required: $27.97 resident, $60.97 nonresident, $14.47 senior resident, agent and transaction fees included. A $14.97 trout permit goes with the license for trout water.
| 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.
Places near Bethlehem
Where to spend the night near Bethlehem
- Freemansburg1 mile
- Fountain Hill2 miles
- Middletown (Northampton County)3 miles
- Hellertown3 miles
- Catasauqua5 miles
County pages that cover Bethlehem
- Northampton Countyseat: Easton
Piscifun reels that suit Bethlehem
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Pictures of the species at Bethlehem
Photo: Hardyplants, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Georg Mittenecker, CC BY-SA 2.5
Photo: Pacific Southwest Region USFWS from Sacramento, US, Public domain
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Photo: Tim Van Vliet, CC BY-SA 3.0
What anglers headed out of Bethlehem ask
Does Bethlehem have a lake page within a few miles?
Lake Towhee, 12 miles southeast.
Where is the nearest boat ramp to Bethlehem?
Closest: Sand Island Access, 1 mile.
Is there bank fishing close to Bethlehem?
Wilson Avenue fishing access, Bethlehem Township, roughly 3 miles.
Is live bait sold near Bethlehem?
Start with Skillets' Shad Spoons, 2 miles out.
Where do Bethlehem walleye anglers go?
Head 14 miles to Nockamixon Lake, which lists walleye.
What Pennsylvania county contains Bethlehem?
Northampton County.
Are trout streams within a drive of Bethlehem?
Try Monocacy Creek, Northampton County, under a mile; Class A 6.9 mi; stocked (7,500 adult trout in 2026); Artificial lures only trout slot limit, Brown trout — Catch-and-Release all tackle; other trout species – All tackle trout slot limit.
When does trout season open near Bethlehem?
Opening day is April 4, 2026 at 8 a.m., then April 3, 2027 in 2027.
Can a visitor to Bethlehem buy a short-term license?
Nonresident annual $60.97; shorter tourist licenses exist for 3 and 7 days.
Which stocked water is nearest Bethlehem?
Monocacy Creek on Feb. 25, 2026, meeting at Railroad Depot-Bath Rt512 (1 mile away); 10 stops within 10 miles are listed above.
Make Bethlehem your starting point
Open a ramp for parking, fees and directions.