The surface area of Justus Lake is 144 acres, a bit larger than other stocked trout lakes in the area. Somewhat deeper than most stocked lakes, it supports trout year-round. Trout longer than 20 inches are caught here occasionally.

BESSEMER LAKE
Rainbow trout are on the agenda for the scheduled Feb. 19 stocking, one of four scheduled stockings for Bessemer Lake. This Lawrence County lake lies on the west side of Bessemer north of state Route 317.

From the Pittsburgh area, follow state Route 60 north to state Route 108, and then take Route 317 from Mount Jackson to Bessemer.

Because Bessemer Lake is close to the Ohio border, it is a great place to visit for non-resident license holders.

From the Youngstown, Ohio area, take state Route 170 south to state Route 630 east.

This highway becomes state Route 317 at the Pennsylvania state line.

Bessemer Lake covers only 28 acres, but is relatively deep for its size. It has also been stocked with saugers.

GLADE RUN LAKE
Feb. 19 is the scheduled date to stock rainbows at Glade Run Lake. This 52-acre lake is owned and managed by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, so access is excellent.

It also holds yellow perch, bluegill and largemouth bass. Be sure to observe Big Bass Program rules if you encounter bass.

Glade Run Lake is in south-central Butler County, on the south side of state Route 228 about two miles east of the intersection with state Route 8. Access to the lake is off Overbrook Road.

Like several of our favorite stocked trout lakes, Glade Run Lake is on a list of dams in need of repairs. Unfortunately, the cost of repairing this dam exceeds the Fish and Boat Commission’s entire budget for infrastructure repairs.

For fishing enthusiasts in the Pittsburgh area, a

cluster of stocked trout lakes surrounds Allegheny County. Immediately off the northwest corner of Allegheny County, Beaver County has a trio of lakes in the Early Season Trout-Stocked Waters Program. All are scheduled for Feb. 22 stockings.

BRADYS RUN LAKE
Bradys Run Lake is in the central part of the county near Beaver Falls. It is along Brady’s Run Road, which may be accessed from state Route 51 between Beaver and Beaver Falls.

Like several small lakes in the Southwest Region, this lake is managed under Big Bass Program special regulations.

In many ways, Pittsburgh is America’s biggest rural town. Of course, it is a busy metropolis, but hunting and fishing are strong traditions here, so lakes in the surrounding area get a lot of fishing pressure. Fortunately, this area also has many conservation-minded sportsmen who understand the value of catch-and-release fishing.

Bradys Run Lake is very small at just 28 acres, so anglers should have no trouble finding trout. The other side of the coin is that trout tend to be caught quickly, so they can become scarce between stockings.

LOWER HEREFORD
MANOR LAKE
Lower Hereford Manor Lake is off state Route 288 northeast of Zelienople on Doe Run. Get here from Pittsburgh by taking I-79 north to the Zelienople exit.

This small 45-acre lake also holds bass and panfish and is part of the PGC’s Big Bass Program. Anglers can also enjoy some good crappie action if the trout are not hitting. Check the lower and lower-western portions of the lake.

RACCOON LAKE
Raccoon Lake is in the medium- sized range for stocked trout lakes, with a surface area of 101 acres.

Although stockings are fairly generous, it pays to know where and when the stockings take place.