Linesville, PA - There’s something fishy going on near the Ohio-Pennsylvania border.
A quick 90-minute drive east of Cleveland, just across the state border, sits a spot whose claim to fame is being known as the place “where ducks walk on the fish.”
Pymatuning Reservoir is a 17,000-acre lake located between Ohio and Pennsylvania. Mostly surrounded by a pair of state parks, the lake’s spillway has delighted generations of families with a peculiar site. Schools of fish, mostly carp, as well as ducks, geese and seagulls gather daily for a free meal.
Pulling into the spillway’s parking lot we were greeted with a mix of license plates from Pennsylvania and Ohio. I was surprised to also see a vehicle with Florida plates and another with North Carolina plates, but my son pointed out that both are popular destinations for snowbirds. The truck with the Iowa plates had us both scratching our heads.
According to the Crawford County Convention and Visitors Bureau, more than 300,000 visitors each year stop by to toss bread to the fish and birds, or just to witness the aquatic show. At times, the fish are so close together that they’ll push each other out of the water as the fight to reach the tossed treats. As a side effect, this also provides a substrate for the ducks and geese that are also trying to snag some bread to get out of the water and walk across the carp’s bodies.
There were very few ducks in the water on the day we visited, but we were able to spot several Canada Geese moving over the carp during a feeding.
There’s something hypnotic about watching this writhing mass. It isn’t just a visual thing either. Close your eyes and you can hear the wet slapping and splashing of tails or the slurping sound of dozens of fish mouths as well.
The other sound you’ll often hear is the sound of children, and sometimes parents, squealing in delight as they watch the aquatic dance taking place.
As for how to feed the fish, there’s plenty of options. Open a bag of bread and drop a slice into the water. Some will ball the bread into a doughy lump. On rare occasions, you might even see a person drop a full loaf of bread into the water.
Other guests also like to toss slices like a frisbee. You might get extra distance, but look out for the seagulls. There’s a chance they’ll swoop down out of the air and swipe your slice.
Bread is available at the spillway concession stand. On the day we visited, they were charging $1 per bag. It also sold bags of fish pellets for those looking for a more environmentally friendly option.
The nearby towns of Andover and Linesville both offer multiple shopping outlets that sell bread and you’re sure to pass at least a couple roadside stands offering bread as well. The closest one we saw, just south of the spillway, was advertising bread 2/$1.
If you’re planning ahead, Schwebel’s outlet locations in Greater Cleveland sell what they refer to as “feed bread,” usually stale loaves and buns that are well past their sell-by date, but the fish and birds don’t mind. Dropping by the company’s location in Valley View, we were able to purchase 15 bags, a mix of buns and loaves, for only $2.50. Larger quantities also available for purchase.
Much to our surprise, the store employee who helped us said they regularly get customers stopping by who are headed to Pymatuning to feed the fish. She also mentioned the offering is popular with local hog and chicken farmers.
If you go: Linesville Spillway
Where: 12318 Hartstown Rd, Linesville, Pennsylvania, about 90 minutes west of Cleveland
When: The park is open every day of the year, sunrise to sunset. Day use areas close at dusk.
How much: There is no cost to visit the spillway. A concession stand sells souvenirs and snacks in addition to bread.
Of note: Pymatuning is the only state park in Pennsylvania where feeding bread to the wildlife is allowed. The state temporarily banned that practice before retracting the decision in 2009.
More information: dcnr.pa.gov/StateParks/FindAPark/PymatuningStatePark/ | ohiodnr.gov/go-and-do/plan-a-visit/find-a-property/pymatuning-state-park
Getting to the spillway
While most online sources will direct you to the spillway through Linesville from the north, I recommend spending a few extra minutes on your drive and taking the more scenic route.
If you first head to the town of Andover, just west of the reservoir on the Ohio side, you’ll get a much better look at the lake. Take the two-mile drive over the causeway and enjoy panoramic views of the northern and southern halves of the reservoir.
If you want to fish
A valid Ohio fishing license is required to fish both on shore or on the water. However, if you head to the Pennsylvania side of the lake, where the spillway is located, you’ll need a Pennsylvania license, or guest fishing permit. Fishing is not allowed in the immediate vicinity of the spillway.
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