Fishings regulations altered at Pennsylvania’s Donegal Lake, Kyle Lake

Harrisburg — Pennsylvania Fish & Boat commissioners, at their recent quarterly meeting, voted to give final approval to changes in fishing regulations at Donegal Lake, a 92-acre commission-owned lake in Donegal Township, Westmoreland County.

Donegal Lake was refilled in late 2019 and early 2020 following the completion of a dam rehabilitation project that began in 2017. The lake was drained in 2016 to allow the work.

Under these changes, Donegal Lake will be removed from management under a Miscellaneous Special Regulation that permitted the harvest of trout under Commonwealth Inland Waters regulations but no harvest of other species.

In separate related action, commissioners voted to add Donegal Lake to the Big Bass program and Panfish Enhancement program for crappies. These changes will go into effect Jan. 1, 2026.

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Kyle Lake regs changes

Commissioners also voted to approve a change in fishing regulations at Kyle Lake, a commission-owned lake in Washington Township, Jefferson County, that refilled in 2020 after its restoration project was officially completed.

Under this change, the 165-acre impoundment will be removed from the Catch and Release Lakes program and added to the Big Bass and Panfish Enhancement program for crappies and sunfish.

Since 2020, Kyle Lake has been managed in the Catch and Release Lakes program which allows catch-and-release fishing for all species.

The intent of these temporary regulations was to facilitate rapid development of the warm-water and cool-water fish populations in the absence of harvest, and once re-established, the lake would be recommended for removal from these regulations and moved to one or more of the commission’s existing regulation programs.

The black bass and panfish populations were evaluated from 2022 through May 2025 to monitor progress toward development of a high-quality, warm-water and cool-water fishery.

Sportfish abundance and population size structure have improved to levels where populations can now sustain limited harvest.

These changes will go into effect Jan. 1, 2026.