Bessemer Lake
Fishing and stocking
Channel catfish water, stocked through the 2026 season program; 560 fish in the published allocation. One of 12 stocked waters on the Lawrence County record.
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What swims here
Channel catfish
Season program record
Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission publishes this water by season or program window, not by dated schedule, so there are no truck dates to list; the rows below are the published program allocations. The Pennsylvania season shape statewide: mid-february into october.
Agency feed checked today.
| Season | Species | Size | Fish |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 season | Channel catfish | yearling | 280 |
| 2025 season | Channel catfish | yearling | 280 |
When to fish Bessemer Lake
| Major periods (~2 h) | Minor periods (~1 h) | |
|---|---|---|
| Today | 9:59-11:59 am and 10:22 pm-12:22 am | 4:16-5:16 am and 4:32-5:32 pm |
| Tomorrow | 10:45 am-12:45 pm | 5:25-6:25 am and 4:55-5:55 pm |
Moon: waxing gibbous, 92% lit. These are solunar periods, the traditional feeding-time theory: majors around the moon's transit overhead and underfoot, minors around moonrise and moonset. Theory, not a measurement. Times are Eastern Time (EDT).
What the record actually says
- Stocked through the 2026 season program
Computed this evening, Oct 23 · Pennsylvania fishing forecast
Gear for this water
For the catfish (channel catfish on the season program here)
| Cut bait and prepared baits | fresh cut shad or chicken liver; scent is everything |
| Rod holders | catfishing is a waiting game; fish two rods where legal |
| Medium-heavy rod | 7 ft medium-heavy, 15 to 20 lb line, sturdy reel |
Suggestions follow from what the state actually stocks here and what kind of water it is, nothing else. No sponsored placements.
Nearby stocked waters
The closest waters with stocking pages of their own, straight-line miles from this one.
| Water | Distance | Most recent |
|---|---|---|
| Hickory Run | 6.6 mi | Apr 14 |
| Shenango River | 6.7 mi | Oct 2 |
| Honey Creek | 7.9 mi | Apr 14 |
| Neshannock Creek | 7.9 mi | Apr 6 |
| Big Run | 7.9 mi | Apr 27 |
Follow Lawrence County stocking: RSS / Calendar (iCal) / Print the schedule