Fishing

Cowanesque Lake is a favored fresh water fishing destination and is home to numerous fishing tournaments.  There are a variety of indigenous fish which populate the streams in this area, which consequently also inhabit the lake.  

The North and South Tailrace Access Areas provide access for fishing downstream of Cowanesque Dam.  Public parking is available at both areas, and picnic tables and a comfort station are provided at the North Tailrace Access.  

Over the years, there have been numerous stockings of various pan and game fish fingerlings and fry at the lake by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.  To view a complete listing of fish stocked at the lake, refer to our stocking summary.

A Pennsylvania fishing license is required and fishermen are subject to state fish laws.

Any gathering of 10 or more INDIVIDUALS for the purpose of fishing is considered a tournament and will require a permit. Tournament applications may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.

What's New

Fishing Line Recycling Containers Installed at Boat Ramps

All too often, man-made materials that are discarded carelessly become hazards for wildlife. Most anglers are aware that monofilament fishing line is high on the list of materials that when left in the environment, can pose serious problems. Monofilament fishing line can last up to 500 years in the environment where it can entangle fish and wildlife especially ducks, geese, ospreys, herons and turtles.

Fishing line deposited into the recycling units can be collected and returned to the line manufacturers like Berkley. Thanks to the help of anglers across the nation, Berkley’s recycling program has recycled more than 9 million miles of fishing line. Properly disposed fishing line can be recycled and turned into useful products such as tackle boxes, fishing line spools, and other fishing products.

Thank you to the Tioga County Bass Anglers for supporting this important conservation effort at Tioga-Hammond & Cowanesque Lakes.