Photo by Pete Maina.

July offers a variety of opportunities for Keystone State muskie anglers. Deep reservoirs, where muskies grow big but are fewer, offer one option. Small, shallow lakes offer exciting muskie action during peak times. And the larger rivers provide still more opportunities for July muskellunge anglers.

Here is a look at five top-rated muskie waters to check out this summer:

KINZUA DAM
Certain watersheds in the state have a history of producing exceptional muskie fishing. The Allegheny River is one of these, including the 12,000-acre reservoir known as Kinzua Dam.

Kinzua is a deep, clear lake with little in the way of shoreline development. Two “arms” feed the lake. The main arm -- the flooded portion of the Allegheny River -- extends well up into New York. The Kinzua arm, fed by Kinzua Creek, joins the main branch of the reservoir from the east a short distance from the dam. The lake attains a maximum depth of 130 feet at the dam.

Various shiner species provide a good forage base for Kinzua’s muskies. The lake also contains redhorse and other suckers, soft-rayed fish that muskies relish.

The lower portion of the lake, including the Pennsylvania section of the main branch and the Kinzua arm, tends to be steep-sided with quickly breaking shorelines. Flats are present and will show up on a good lake map.

In the New York section of the lake, things broaden and flatten just a bit, with extensive flats extending out from the old main river channel.

A great deal of artificial cover has been placed in Kinzua. This includes tire reefs, wood cribs and brush piles.

Muskie populations are not dense in any lake, and this is certainly true of Kinzua. The lake is slated for increased stocking by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, starting this year.

Though muskies are occasionally taken by casting, Kinzua is a trolling lake for most folks. By midsummer, the fish will likely be relating more to suspended baitfish than to physical structure. One of the best tips is to pick out an area and fish it well, rather than trying to fish the whole lake in one day.

There is no horsepower limitation on Kinzua, so expect recreational traffic, particularly on summer weekends. Anglers fishing the New York part of the lake need a New York license, as well as a permit from the Cornplanter Indian Reservation.

Primary boat launches on the Pennsylvania section of the lake include Elijah (in the Kinzua Arm), Roper Hollow and Webbs Ferry. A marina is found at Wolf Run, where the Kinzua and Allegheny arms meet. Landings are also available in the many recreational and camping areas, with additional ramps in New York.

For additional recreational information, contact the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at (814) 726-0164.