Dutch Fork Lake
Fishing and stocking
Channel catfish and largemouth bass water, stocked through the 2026 season program; 4,975 fish in the published allocation. A 87-acre reservoir, and one of 13 stocked waters on the Washington County record.
Washington County ยท Pennsylvania · see it on the national map
What swims here
Channel catfish
Largemouth bass
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 | 900 |
| 2026 season | Largemouth bass | fingerling | 2,275 |
| 2025 season | Channel catfish | yearling | 1,800 |
When to fish Dutch Fork 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 | 5:24-6:24 am and 4:56-5:56 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
Getting on the water
| Access point | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dutch Fork Lake (East Side) | boat ramp | no fee |
| Dutch Fork Lake (West Side) | boat ramp | no fee |
Access points from PA Fish and Boat Commission access records. Ramps, fees, and hours change; check before towing a boat a long way.
Gear for this water
For the catfish (channel catfish on the season program here, stillwater)
| Circle hooks on a slip-sinker rig | 2/0 to 5/0 circles on a Carolina rig; let them load up |
| 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 |
For the bass (largemouth bass on the season program here, stillwater)
| Stick worms and soft plastics | weightless stick worms around cover; Texas rig in wood |
| Spinnerbaits and squarebills | cover water along banks and riprap |
| Finesse jigs | for the fish that have seen everything else |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Dutch Fork | 3.1 mi | Apr 20 |
| Castleman Run Lake WV | 3.8 mi | May 20 |
| Castlemans Run Lake Gold Rush WV | 3.8 mi | Apr 10 |
| Baker Lake (Children & Class Q) WV | 5.3 mi | Apr 14 |
| Buffalo Creek (Brooke) WV | 5.8 mi | May 27 |
Follow Washington County stocking: RSS / Calendar (iCal) / Print the schedule