OIL CITY - Anglers looking to combine some quality fishing with a unique opportunity for a family vacation when the Pennsylvania bass season opens Saturday, June 14, the Oil Heritage Region of northwestern Pennsylvania is attractive option.

Last summer, several bass anglers who regularly fish the Susquehanna River discovered that the smallmouth action on the Allegheny River was worth the trip.In particular, the action and size of the fish caught in the portion of the river flowing through Venango County between Oil City and Franklin was especially rewarding.There are stretches of the Allegheny in this area that flows between mountain sides so steep that it gives the appearance of some of the huge trout rivers found in the Rocky Mountain States.That bald eagles have begun to nest along the river adds to that appearance.Pennsylvania's oil boom towns were just as wild as the likes of Deadwood during the gold rush in the Black Hills of South Dakota and the violence just as intense as that which spawned the Mollie Maguire's in the coal towns of eastern Pennsylvania.Combine that history with the area's natural and cultural attractions, and the Oil Heritage Region becomes more attractive than ever for tourists.Then, there is the smallmouth bass fishing on the Allegheny River.Based upon two days of fishing on the Allegheny in what at times was less than ideal water conditions because of heavy, overnight rain, the river is capable of action typical of the Susquehanna and Juniata rivers.That the Allegheny is sometimes overlooked by bass anglers than the Susquehanna and Juniata is more a statement about the quality of those rivers than shortcomings of the Allegheny.Admittedly, what helped the first-time Allegheny anglers was being able to fish with several anglers who call the river their "home" waters. One of the local anglers, Dave Black, owns and operates an auto body repair shop in Oil City, but hopes to see the day when he can become a fulltime guide and tournament angler."This river isn't as wide as the Susquehanna, but it has a lot of deep holes that hold fish in water as deep as 25 or 35 feet," Black said."Most of the time, especially at this time of the year and until the weather really gets hot, I look fish in tight along the flats and then work my way out from the shallow water."There are a lot of ledges that always seem to hold fish, and very often, that is where some of the bigger fish are found. No matter if I'm fishing in shallow or deeper water, I've found they will usually hit on soft baits like the YUM Dinger."It's important to use a sliding weight that's going to get the bait down so it can be bounced along the bottom. I like to use a Texas rig to keep the bait from getting snagged and a wide-gap hook to prevent losing fish and allows for releasing them without injury."Because Black and his friends are frequent competitors in amateur tournaments, they use jet-drive boats to fish the Allegheny. There are many areas of the river that can be fished from canoes or kayaks, especially those where feeder streams flow from the mountains.On the final morning that Black and his two guests fished the Allegheny, 13 smallmouth were boated in less than hours of fishing.All of the fish measured more than 15 inches, including five that exceeded 18 inches and one lunker that exceeded 19 inches.In addition to the bass, one of the Allegheny's large, toothy residents - either a musky or Northern pike also hit, but cut the line. In addition, the river is also home to catfish and walleye.Black said he continues to be amazed at how healthy and strong the bass are in the Allegheny, which is supported by the findings of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.In the fall of 2007, a team of waterways conservation officers and biologists from Area 2 did an electro-shocking survey in the area and captured 445 smallmouth that ranged in length from 4-19.75 inches.In addition to supporting a healthy population of bass and other gamefish, the Allegheny is filled with an endless amount of forage for these fish in the way of crayfish, chubs, shiners and suckers.All of which makes the Allegheny River a must-visit destination for any smallmouth bass angler.For information on fishing and lodging in the Oil Heritage Region, contact the Oil region Alliance of Business, Industry and Tourism at 800-483-6264.