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The Lehigh through the Poconos gorge. A cold freestone for wild and stocked trout, with smallmouth bass in the lower reaches. The river tops out around 10 ft. The contours are modeled from the water's real shoreline and maximum depth. Treat them as a rough guide, and never use them for navigation. Here's the year, species by species, as the scoring engine sees it.
The outline encloses 2,802 acres, worked by 111.9 miles of shoreline. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 15.1) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. There is no deep basin to speak of — the entire surface is under ~15 ft, prime weed water end to end. Tip to tip the water measures near 29.7 mi with a 10-mi widest point. Carbon County claims this one. Beltzville Lake sits 6 mi southeast — the closest neighbouring chart.
Early season rainbow trout use the shallows, holding in 3 to 10 ft. Even in summer they hold at 3 to 10 ft; winter keeps them in 2 to 10 ft. The chart's best answer is Current seam (mile 21.1) — current seam, 6 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 21.1) (6 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 21.1) (6 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 21.1) (6 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 2 to 10 ft | dawn | Current seam (mile 21.1) (6 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Spring puts brown trout in skinny water — 1 to 10 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 3 to 10 ft, and winter fish hold in 1 to 10 ft. Summer brown trout concentrate at Current seam (mile 21.1), a prime-rated current seam around 6 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around after dark and early morning. A spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Heilman Dam tailrace (9 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft | night & dawn | Current seam (mile 21.1) (6 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 2 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | Heilman Dam tailrace (9 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 1 to 10 ft | dawn | Heilman Dam tailrace (9 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
Come spring, look for smallmouth bass tight to the bank in 3 to 10 ft. Through summer count on 3 to 10 ft; the winter hold is 3 to 10 ft. Start at Riffle & run (mile 7.4). It's a rock pile holding about 4 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Riffle & run (mile 7.4) (4 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Riffle & run (mile 7.4) (4 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Riffle & run (mile 7.4) (4 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft | midday | Current seam (mile 21.1) (6 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
33 pieces of structure are mapped here — Heilman Dam tailrace, around 9 ft, is the deepest of them.
Access data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) — community-mapped launches. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Pennsylvania waters are set by the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission — and special regulations can apply to Lehigh River specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Pennsylvania fishing regulations →
Lehigh River is about 10 ft (3 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
Anglers target rainbow trout, brown trout, smallmouth bass on Lehigh River.
Current seam (mile 21.1) is the top-rated area: a current seam in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in spring. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
For rainbow trout, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Lehigh River is regulated by the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission. Check the official Pennsylvania regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Beltzville Lake 6 mi · Delaware Lake 31 mi, NJ · Harveys Lake 35 mi · Furnace Lake 36 mi, NJ · Cedar Lake 36 mi, NJ · Lake Wallenpaupack 39 mi · White Lake 40 mi, NJ · Ghost Lake 40 mi, NJ · Lake Nockamixon 41 mi · Spruce Run Reservoir 43 mi, NJ · Swartswood Lake 44 mi, NJ · Deer Park Pond 46 mi, NJ
See how Lehigh River stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Pennsylvania · best rainbow trout lakes in Pennsylvania · best brown trout lakes in Pennsylvania
Browse all Pennsylvania fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.