Lackawaxen River Fishing Guides
A northeastern Pennsylvania trout river feeding the Delaware, gauged near Honesdale above the Lake Wallenpaupack release that shapes the lower reach.
Guides on the Lackawaxen River
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About the Lackawaxen River
The Lackawaxen rises in the hills of Wayne County, runs through Honesdale where the Dyberry joins it, then east through Hawley and down to the Delaware River at the village of Lackawaxen. It is a mid-sized river with a genuine trout fishery and a long angling history – Zane Grey lived at the mouth and wrote about the water – and it now sees steady guided pressure as an alternative to the crowded upper Delaware a few miles away.
The river below Hawley is defined by Lake Wallenpaupack. Releases from the hydroelectric plant there enter through Wallenpaupack Creek and can change the lower river’s flow and temperature within an hour, which creates cold summer water and a genuine tailwater-style fishery all the way down to the Delaware. This gauge near Honesdale sits above that influence, on the freestone upper river, and reads what the natural watershed is doing rather than what the powerhouse is doing. Anglers fishing the lower river should watch the published release schedule as well as this number.
Brown trout are the main quarry and hold over well in the cooler reaches, with stocked rainbows through the spring and wild brook trout in the small feeder streams. Smallmouth bass take over the warmer summer water in the lower miles and are badly underrated here. American shad run up from the Delaware in late spring and reach the lower Lackawaxen in some years, and walleye are present near the mouth. Access is a mix of state-stocked public water, road pull-offs and private frontage, so anglers should check the Fish and Boat Commission access listings before setting out. The gauge reports precipitation, discharge and stage but no water temperature.
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Access
Honesdale riverfront and the Dyberry confluence - the closest public access to the gauge.
Route 6 pull-offs between Honesdale and Hawley - roadside access to the middle river.
Hawley Park and the Wallenpaupack Creek confluence - access to the head of the release-influenced reach.
Kimbles access off Route 590 - lower-river bank and small-boat access.
Rowland bridge access - lower-river parking and wadeable water.
Zane Grey Museum access at Lackawaxen - the mouth and the Delaware confluence.
Dyberry Creek public water above Honesdale - tributary access to wild and stocked trout.
Seasons
Spring: stocking and high freestone flows, with the best of the year's trout fishing from April into June.
Summer: warm water in the upper river, with the Wallenpaupack release keeping the lower reach cold and fishable.
Fall: cooling temperatures, active brown trout and light pressure once the summer crowds leave the Poconos.
Winter: low, cold water with limited access and occasional ice, and a small dedicated fly-fishing following.
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Questions
What is the current flow on the Lackawaxen River?
As of Sep 17, 6:30 am, the USGS gauge Lackawaxen River near Honesdale, PA reads 60 cfs. Conditions update every 15 minutes.
What species can you catch on the Lackawaxen River?
Anglers target American Shad, Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye on the Lackawaxen River in Pennsylvania.
Where can you access the Lackawaxen River?
Honesdale riverfront and the Dyberry confluence - the closest public access to the gauge. Route 6 pull-offs between Honesdale and Hawley - roadside access to the middle river. Hawley Park and the Wallenpaupack Creek confluence - access to the head of the release-influenced reach. Kimbles access off Route 590 - lower-river bank and small-boat access. Rowland bridge access - lower-river parking and wadeable water. Zane Grey Museum access at Lackawaxen - the mouth and the Delaware confluence. Dyberry Creek public water above Honesdale - tributary access to wild and stocked trout.
When is the best time to fish the Lackawaxen River?
Spring: stocking and high freestone flows, with the best of the year's trout fishing from April into June. Summer: warm water in the upper river, with the Wallenpaupack release keeping the lower reach cold and fishable. Fall: cooling temperatures, active brown trout and light pressure once the summer crowds leave the Poconos. Winter: low, cold water with limited access and occasional ice, and a small dedicated fly-fishing following.
Where are the fishing regulations for the Lackawaxen River?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the Pennsylvania agency site: https://www.pa.gov/agencies/fishandboat/fishing/regulations