Spillway in Linesville, PA

I don't normally do a trip report after visiting a place so close to my house, but the Spillway is a rather unique place.

Pymatuning Lake in Northwest PA is a reasonably large man made lake. Thousands of carp congregate at the spillway where people come and throw food, usually bread, which you can buy there. It is weirdly fascinating watching the fish climbing over top of each other for some food.




I sure am glad I don't have to do that for food!

How about all the open fish mouths visible in this photo?


As you can see, it is a very popular attraction.



You can see ducks in one of the photos and there are plenty of them around, too. In fact, this place is also known as "The Place Where Ducks Walk on the Fishes' Back", although I have never actually seen that happen.

On the way back to I-79, we stopped at Casey's Ice Cream & Candies on Rte. 322.

They apparently keep a list of what the top 10 most popular flavors were the week before, which I have never seen before.

The list of milkshake flavors is huge.

My girlfriend got a peach shake and enjoyed it very much. Her daughter got a pina colada shake and was very happy with it. I went for a three scoop hot fudge sundae, with mint chip, chocolate peanut butter and peach as the three flavors.


Anyone ever heard of squirrel treats as a flavor?


Next, we walked next door and ate at Eddie's Foot Longs.


I have been here before and always enjoyed the place.

The menu itself is small and the focus is clearly on hot dogs.


Here is the foot long with the works,


which includes mustard, catsup, relish, onion, kraut and sauce. Their sauce is thin and has just a slight amount of heat. It almost seems like a salsa and it is delicious.

According to the website, they now offer fries.

I didn't ask, but these seemed hand cut and were perfectly crispy. We were very happy with those, too.

If Eddie's Foot Longs wasn't 1 1/2 hours from my house, I would eat here much more often.

http://www.eddiesfootlong.com/

BB - Many questions...first - the ice cream selection looks fantastic! I'd go for a Black Cherry Shake followed by Hot Fudge with Peach Ice Cream. Did they have candy also? Is it made on site?

Eddie's - I have never seen a condiment charge like that. While I've experienced specialty charges - bacon, cheese, kraut, etc., I've never seen the mustard, catsup, relish or onion charged for. Is this typical out there?

Drinks seem pretty reasonable...20 oz buttermilk for a buck! Even a frozen candy bar for 60 cents! May be worth the price of gas for a drive-out from Chicago!

I think you meant Northwest Pa, not Northeast Pa. I was all excited because I thought i could add these places to my next NEPA day trip from NJ. But when I looked up Meadville on the map, it's near Ohio.

I agree about the nickle (literally) and diming on the condiments, but since they've been in business for 61 years I guess they know what they are doing. And like ChiTown said, the drinks are real reasonable.

ken8038-
Of course, you re right about it being in northwest PA and not northeast PA. I should know better than to post one of these when I am tired. Thanks for catching that.

CTD-
I was wondering if anyone was going to catch that about the price of toppings. This is not typical for around here, that I know of. It does seem rather silly. I always get one with "the works", which I think is a good value at $3.40.

The only candy I saw there was the fudge and I really didn't pay any attention to it. I was much more interested in the ice cream, which is typical of me.

The ice cream at Casey's is fine, but I like the frozen custard at Hank's down the road a little more. We stopped here because of the convenience of it being next door to Eddie's Foot Longs.

I noticed the charge for condiments too, and thought it was weird. The only place I've ever been charged for ketchup before was a fish and chip shop in Birmingham, England - 10p for a packet of "red sauce."

Considering a Chicago dog at most places around here is going to be between $2-3, I think that fully loaded footlong is quite a bargain (as are the drinks and candy bars). I'd be interested to see what kind of sloppy joe you get for that price.

q

drpep-
Have you actually seen the ducks walking on the fishes backs? I have probably been there a half dozen times and have never seen it. I did see a photo of it elsewhere on the internet, though.

BB - Any idea what Frog ice cream has in it for flavoring?

quote:

Originally posted by ChiTownDiner

BB - Any idea what Frog ice cream has in it for flavoring?

CTD

Prolly the same place "Mock Turtle" comes from

quote:

Originally posted by buffetbuster

drpep-
Have you actually seen the ducks walking on the fishes backs? I have probably been there a half dozen times and have never seen it. I did see a photo of it elsewhere on the internet, though.

No, I just remember seeing a sign there. I removed my post because I did not see buffetbuster's mention of the ducks the first time I read his report.

CTD-
Besides the Squirrel Treats, the other interesting ice cream flavor at Casey's I had not seen before was Monkey Bones, which is described as, "Chocolate Ice Cream with Banana Puree and Roasted Peanuts".

I have no idea what Frog ice cream is, but it is apparently popular!

Buffet,

Thanks for the informative report.

Just for my edification, though, unless I missed it, would you know the brand of frankfurter served at Eddie's Footlong's.

Since it's Northwest Pennsylvania, and Smith Provisions, maker of a superb beef/pork footlong is located in Erie, I'm going to guess that's whose hot dog they're purveying. Furthermore, if the bun was superb, I'd venture it was a Schaible...one of the few, good, footlong buns. Most are overbearing...this one is just right.

As you may know, that's the combo used at the Pickle Barrel back in Pittsburgh. Just wondering.
The Bear

Continuing our Pennsylvania geography lesson for the day ... now that it's been established that Linesville is in Northwest Pennsylvania, not Northeast Pennsylvania, be aware also that North East, Pennsylvania http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=14569 is located Erie County which is in Northwest Pennsylvania, not Northeast Pennsylvania. Linesville is about 68 miles southwest of North East PA.

ScreenBear-
I didn't ask (they were quite busy), but I think I remember the napkins at Eddie's Foot Longs said Smith on them. So, I can only assume you are correct about that. It was a fine wiener! As for the bun, unfortunately, I can't be of any help.

GeoNit-
Thanks for the interesting fact that I did not know. I also recently found out that Linesville elected an 18 year old mayor in 2005!

Sign me up for the squirrel treats. There are a couple places in Myrtle Beach (Broadway on the Beach for one) where they used to have carp-feeding areas and you could get the same weird feeling watching them crawl all over each other. Nice report as always Cliff!

Went last weekend and the ducks WERE walking on the backs of the fish.
Starting in 2009 people will not be allowed to toss bread to the fish, only some kind of pellet.

Here's what I love about roadfood folks - reading this great story and all the comments, and NOT ONE person mentioned how funny it was that you stopped for ice cream BEFORE your meal LOL. What a great day trip!

Thanks for a trip down memory lane - - I haven't been there in years... We used to throw unsliced whole loaves of bread to the fish/ducks and time how long it would take for them to disappear... I seem to remember that it was under 2 minutes... I often wondered what would happen if a person fell in there.... Ick!!!!

Thanks for a great trip report...those fish are something else!!

drpep-
That is so cool that you actually got to see the ducks walking on the fishes back. I would love to see that myself someday! You wouldn't happen to have taken a picture, would you?

I did hear that this will be the last year you can throw bread into the water. That was one of the reasons I wanted to take my girlfriend and her daughter now.

mamaduck43-
Welcome to Roadfood! Are you originally from the area near the Spillway? I have also wondered what would happen if a person fell in there, but not enough to dive in myself.

TnTinCT-
Thanks for the kind words about the report. Here is how we ended up eating ice cream first. Since my girlfriend and her daughter are hot dog frowners, I instead suggested we get ice cream. Knowing that Eddie's Foot Longs are across the street from the ice cream place, it was very easy for me to say when we were walking out, "Hey, look, a hot dog place!"

I don't think there is anyone on Roadfood who is surprised I would get ice cream first and I know I'm not alone on here!

I giggled when I saw you ate dessert first-I thought to myself "Thats the way Buffetbuster does it!"

Spectacular report! I was at Pymatuning about eight years ago and did see ducks walking on fishes. One of the stranger places to visit.

But if they stop the bread, will it still happen? (I suspect that the bread feeding will still go on surreptitiously)

Someday, I'll tell you the story of "Racoon Park" in Fort Lauderdale

I feed the ducks behind my house every day. The food brings on the carp and geese. It is true that the ducks and geese walk on the carp. They all fight for the foreign aid. Food brings on competition.

I have about 50 mallards and 25 wood ducks here every day. I cannot count the carp as they are numerous.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

quote:

Originally posted by annpeeples

I giggled when I saw you ate dessert first-I thought to myself "Thats the way Buffetbuster does it!"

Thanks for the vote of confidence!

FriedClamFanatic-
So you have seen it, too? Now I really feel like I am missing out. It will be interesting to see what happens with the carp when no more bread is allowed, but I'm sure people will still sneak it in. Either that, or the place will become a lot less popular. I read where it is listed as the second biggest tourist draw in the state of PA, behind only the Liberty Bell. That may just be hyperbole, though.

quote:

Originally posted by CajunKing

quote:

Originally posted by ChiTownDiner

BB - Any idea what Frog ice cream has in it for flavoring?

CTD

Prolly the same place "Mock Turtle" comes from

I was just gonna ask that same question myself...!

buffetbuster - - thanks for the welcome - - long time lurker here - and I think that I might have had another identity here but lost it with an old 'puter...

I grew up in North Park on the north end of Pittsburgh - - a trip to the Spillway was an annual fall excursion of my family... There is absolutely nothing like a Western Pennsylvania Autumn.... And we always stopped for goat milk fudge and maple syrup and candies from tables in farmhouse front yards... And, oh, the frozen custard!!!!!! MMMMmmmmm......

mamaduck43-
Goat's milk fudge? You don't get much more western PA than that.

I miss being able to go out on that little island and feed the ducks in North Park. Anytime we had family visiting us, we would take them there.

Re: Eddie's ingredients.

What is "Joe"? Sloppy Joe burger meat?

I was born in Eighty-Four, raised in New Wilmington, and dearly love everyting about my "hometown" - da Burgh - but I never saw "Joe" offered as a condiment! Sounds delicious, though. Next season maybe Eddie will offer Isaly's chipped ham BBQ as a "topper". Mmmm, I'd go for that and a little sweet relish!

P.S.: it kills me that down here in Dallas I can't find hamburger relish (ketchup-based sweet pickle relish for the uninitiated). I have to settle for Merzetti's sweet bell pepper relish which, though good, is a bit too sweet.

quote:

Originally posted by buffetbuster

mamaduck43-
Goat's milk fudge? You don't get much more western PA that that.

I miss being able to go out on that little island and feed the ducks in North Park. Anytime we had family visiting us, we would take them there.

Marshall Lake changed when they built the skating rink next to it - - but when I was a kid in the park (my dad was a County policeman and I lived in a log cabin in the park), we used to ice skate on Marshall Lake.... The park workers used to shovel off the new snow to make the ice smooth... One day they got lazy and drove a truck with a scraper blade onto the ice and it broke through - - a few heads rolled for that one.... But, every time I go back to the 'Burgh, I do a pilgrimage to North Park, and I think you can still feed the ducks and swans there - - I know that there was a pedestrian bridge going to the island a couple of years ago....