Get information about local services through the Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau, RD #1, Box 222-A, Seven Points Road, Hesston, PA 16647; or call 1-888-RAYSTOWN.

LAKE ERIE
Lake Erie is a trophy trout angler's dream come true, our link to a superb Great Lakes trout fishery. It holds hoards of steelhead, huge lake trout and some brown trout, yet midsummer fishing effort is light.

New York's state record lake trout, weighing 41 pounds, 8 ounces, was caught at Lake Erie just a few miles from the Pennsylvania border.

Pennsylvania has about 45 miles of Lake Erie shoreline. The city of Erie, in the approximate center of the Keystone State's lake border, roughly divides the central basin from the deeper eastern basin.

Steelhead may be found on both sides of Erie. One of the better areas called "The Trench" is west of Erie, a few miles off the Walnut Creek Access. Another is along the outer slope of "The Mountain," a steep slope a few miles offshore on the east side of Erie that is accessible from the North East Marina.

Steelhead are generally found in the thermocline or above it. Sometimes they can be seen chasing shiners on the surface, even during summer.

Lake trout are mostly found in the eastern basin, with the best fishing close to the New York border, which is the deepest portion of Pennsylvania's share of the lake. Lake trout inhabit the cold water beneath the thermocline, feeding on smelts and other coldwater baitfish.

Anglers must possess a Lake Erie Stamp or a Combination Stamp to fish at Lake Erie, Presque Isle Bay or the Lake Erie tributaries. Boats on Lake Erie must comply with both Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and U. S. Coast Guard regulations.

For information on local services, contact the Erie Convention and Visitors Bureau, 109 Boston Store Place Erie, PA 16501-2312; call 1-800- 524-3743; log onto www.eriepa.com; or e-mail Erie-tourism@eriepa.com.

TIONESTA LAKE
Here's a tip on a summer trout lake that virtually no one knows about: Tionesta Lake, which is in Forest County outside of Tionesta, holds trout in its deeper water through the summer. The lake is not stocked with trout, but Tionesta Creek and several tributaries do receive fish, and those trout migrate down into the lake.

The main reason why few anglers know about the lake's "hidden" trout population is that trout tactics are seldom used in the deeper water. This is not a necessarily a hot fishery, but it's worth exploring.

Concentrate on the area around a major point opposite the Glasner Run Camping Area and down-lake. One good tactic is fishing live shiners along the point.

There are two boat access camping areas along the lakeshore. For information about the lake, contact the Resource Manager, Tionesta Lake, Tionesta, PA 16353; or call (814) 755-3512.

ALLEGHENY RESERVOIR
Perhaps the most overlooked trophy trout fishery in Pennsylvania is Allegheny Reservoir. This 12,000-acre lake is along the Warren County-McKean County border. About a third of the lake extends into New York. It is a deep lake, about 130 feet near the dam, with water adequately deep and cool enough for trout during summer. The best trout fishing starts roughly off Sugar Bay and goes to the log boom near the dam.