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Fishing

Fly Fishing

fishing the state's center

 

Whether you want to fire up the 250hp bass boat and pursue trophy largemouth, sit on the shore with friends and enjoy a relaxing day of pan fishing while using complimentary fishing equipment from the Nature Inn or are looking to wade through our world-class limestone creeks searching for big browns, The Nature Inn is your fishing destination. 

 

at the lake

 

Anglers visit the Nature Inn and Bald Eagle State Park from all over Pennsylvania for one reason.  The fishing can be that good. This 1,730-acre warm-water fishery is part of the "Panfish Enhancement Program" and it shows! Crappie fishing in late May and early June can be some of the best in the state.  Although the bass fishing is arguably great, it can challenge even the best, veteran anglers.

 

The lake will test your skills with its 24 miles of shoreline and varying structure and depths.  Here you will find shallow flats covered in rock stars, spider humps and cribs as well as old roads and ledges hidden in the depths of the lake. There is a winding channel that runs for nearly eight miles from the entrance of Bald Eagle Creek all the way to the dam.  Popular ledges can be found on the southern shore of the lake against the "Old Railroad" and on the entrance to Hunter Cove where "Old 220" enters and exits the lake. 

 

Bass mostly feed on Bluegills, Perch, Crappie and Crawdads here, so natural colored crankbaits and jerkbaits are a great strategy.  Once the lake begins to warm up during the mid-summer, the crankbait bite will begin to become less reliable. This is the time to slow things down and meticulously fish deep structure with finesse baits in order to see consistent success.

 

If you consider yourself a diehard Crappie angler, look no further!  The Crappie population here is stronger than ever.  Anglers typically target areas with a rocky bottom between about 20-30ft in depth. If you cut the depth in half and sink your favorite light jig into the sweet spot you should have no problem hooking into this super fun to catch freshwater fish!

 

 Don't have a fishing license? Purchase an in-state or out-of-state license online!

Check out Lakewoods Outdoor Supply for all of your local tackle and live bait needs!

 

World-Class fly fishing

 

The Nature Inn is located in the heart of some of the best limestone and spring fed creeks in the Nation!  Nature Inn guests travel from all over to experience our local waters.  Below is a list of directions to some of our favorite fishing destinations. 

 

Fly Fishing Favorites:

Bald Eagle Creek: Eagleville

Bald Eagle Creek: Curtin Villiage

Spring Creek: Fishermans Paradise

Spring Creek: Shiloh Road Access

Fishing Creek: Narrows Road

Penns Creek: Tunnel Road

Pine Creek: Slate Run

 

The Central Pennsylvania Visitors Bureau compiled a very informative fishing guide to help visitors plan out a successful fly fishing trip! Click on the link below to learn more about fly fishing in Central Pennsylvania.

 

Local Guide Service

 

The Feathered Hook Fly Shop, located on Penns Creek in Coburn, offers guests of the Nature Inn exclusive discounts on their fly fishing guide services. The shop can furnish all your equipment needs for a full day of fly fishing as well!  For more information about booking a guided fly fishing trip, please contact the Feathered Hook at 814.349.8757.  Be sure to mention that you are staying at the Nature Inn in order to receive 10% off your guided trip.

 

  1. Girl with fish

    Young lady holding a crappie she caught at Bald Eagle State Park. Lake and mountain in background. Photo Credit: Ashley Sue

  2. Fishing boat

    Man in a boat fishing on the West Branch of the Susquehanna. Surrounded by water and trees. Photo Credit: Cody Wolfe

  3. Catch of the day

    Man standing in a boat, holding a big large mouth at Bald Eagle State Park. Surrounded by lake and trees. Photo Credit: Cody Wolfe

  4. Man holding fish

    Man holding a crappie and rod at Bald Eagle State Park. Lake and mountain in background.White clouds above. Photo Credit: Jordan Barrett

  5. Nice catch

    Man kneeling by water with a freshly caught brown trout in his hands. Water and trees in background. Photo Credit: Cody Wolfe

  6. Man holding fish.

    A man on his fishing boat holding a large small mouth bass on the river. Lake and trees in background. Photo Credit: Cody Wolfe

  7. Man holding fish

    Man holding a big brown by the water. Grass, water, trees in background. Photo Credit: Jason Herrington

  8. Casting the line

    Man casting his line at Bald Eagle State Park. Evening sun, lake and mountain in background. Photo Credit: Matt LeClair

  9. Woman driving boat

    Woman driving a boat on the lake. Lake and mountain in background. Small line of white clouds above. Photo Credit: Cody Wolfe

  10. Ladies fishing

    Two young ladies standing in water with hip waders on and fishing rods in hand.

  11. Fishing

    Person in camoflage holding a large mouth bass for the camera at Bald Eagle State Park. Lake and trees in the background. Photo Credit: Aston Boone

  12. Happy fishing

    Man holding a small mouth bass. River and trees in background. Photo Credit: Cody Wolfe

  13. Fishing in a boat

    Young man smiling, holding a small mouth bass for the camera at Bald Eagle State Park. Surrounded by lake and a grassy field. Blue skies with white clouds above. Photo Credit: Mark

  14. Night fishing.

    Man holding large crappie caught at night at Bald Eagle State Park. Photo Credit: Colton Rager

  15. Person holding fish

    Person with camoflage hood holding a large mouth bass at Bald Eagle State Park. Grassy field in background. Photo Credit: Aston Boone

  16. Happy fishing

    Dad and toddler in a fishing boat at Bald Eagle State Park. Lake water and mountains in background. Clouds above. Photo Credit: Phil Mandzik

  17. Docks

    Boat docks, lake water, mountains, blue cloudy skies, with sun rays peaking through clouds on top right at Bald Eagle State Park.

  18. Man holding fish

    Man holding freshly caught large mouth bass at Bald Eagle State Park. Lake and trees in background. Photo Credit: William David

  19. Morning mist

    Mist rising from the lake in the morning. Trees in foreground, lake and mist in background.

  20. Sun burning through fog

    Morning sun burning through the fog on the lake. Photo Credit: Nature Inn

  21. Lakeside relaxation

    Person sitting in folding chair with feet in the lake, empty chair beside her. Surrounded by water, trees in the background. Photo Credit: Cody Wolfe

  22. Man holding fish

    Man in fishing boat holding large fish. Lake, trees and shoreline in background. Photo Credit: Cody Wolfe

  23. Archery fishing

    Man standing on boat with bowfishing ready to shoot a carp at Bald Eagle State Park. Boat is surrounded by water, shore line, and trees. Photo Credit: Cody Wolfe

  24. Happy fisherman

    Young man holding small mouth bass standing on the shore at Bald Eagle State Park. Lake and trees in background. Blue skies, white clouds above. Photo Credit: Emily Yearick Herr

  25. Fishing

    Man standing on rocky waters edge, casting line into a creek fishing for trout. Photo Credit: Kim Stearns Maus

  26. Evening scenery

    Sunset over the lake. Red skies, lake reflecting red hues, mountain in background at Bald Eagle State Park. Photo Credit: Tiffany Wang Chung

  27. Two in a boat

    Two young men in a boat. One holding a freshly caught large mouth bass, the other tending to his fishing rod at Bald Eagle State Park. Photo Credit: Becky Carolus

  28. Freshly caught

    Man in boat holding freshly big small mouth bass. River and trees in background. Photo Credit: Cody Wolfe

  29. Ice fishing

    Several fishing huts dotting the ice covered lake at Bald Eagle State Park. Shore line in foreground. Trees in background. Photo Credit: Sue Kolva Leitzel

  30. Holding a crappie

    Picture is of a crappie being held for the camera. Surrounded by lake water and greenery. Photo Credit: Jordan Barrett

  31. Getting ready to fish

    Man with fly rod in hands, tying on a new fly. Water in the background.

  32. Fishing on the lake

    Camoflaged person in a boat, holding a large mouth bass for the camera at Bald Eagle State Park. Lake, mountain, blue skies with white clouds in background. Photo Credit: Aston Boone

  33. Catch of the day

    Man standing in a boat holding a big small mouth bass. Surrounded by water, trees, blue skies with white clouds. Photo Credit: Ol' Jake

  34. Kayaking

    Picture taken from a kayak. Foreground is the front of a green kayak, water, and trees. Blue skies with white clouds reflecting on the water. Photo Credit: Karl Peck

  35. Fishing on the shore

    Three people fishing along the shoreline. Picnic table in the foreground with fishing rod, red bucket, and a cooler. Grassy shoreline, lake and mountain in background. Clear blue skies with small dots of white clouds. Photo Credit: Heidi Nyman

  36. Fisherman

    Man standing in a boat, holding a large mouth bass at Bald Eagle State Park. Surrounded by water. Mountain in background, cloudy skies above. Photo Credit: Shawn Quick

  37. Fish

    Photo of a hand holding a small black crappie just above the water on a shoreline at Bald Eagle State Park. Photo Credit: AJ Radle

  38. Family fun

    Two ladies standing on a watercovered road. One lady is looking out over the water, the other lady is casting a fishing line. A kayak in the distance. Mountains and blue skies in the background. Photo Credit: Alana Rose

  39. Red at night

    Beautiful red hued skies reflecting on the lake. Mountain in the background, whispy clouds above.

  40. Fishing on the shore

    Man standing on rocky shoreline holding fishing rod in one hand and crappie in the other hand at Bald Eagle State Park. Water and trees in background. Photo Credit: Morgan Alexis Askins

  41. Fish

    Foreground is a hand holding a crappie for the camera at Bald Eagle State Park. Background is lake, trees, blue skies with whispy clouds. Photo Credit: Jordan Barrett

  42. Misty morning on the lake

    Lake with mist rising from it. Tree, mountain, and mist in the background at Bald Eagle State Park.

  43. Fisherman

    Man stainding on the shoreline with his line in the water at Bald Eagle State Park. Lake in background with mist rising from it, trees and mountain in the background. Photo Credit: Cindy Byers Newman

  44. Catch of the day

    Smiling man holding large catfish for the camera. Part of the boat, lake, trees in background. Clear brilliant blue skies above. Photo Credit: Phil Mandzik

  45. Three catches

    A man and 2 boys holding bass they caught. They are standing in front of a bass tournament sign at Bald Eagle State Park. There is grass around them, trees in the background, lake and mountain. Photo Credit: Davek Uriah

  46. Kayaking

    Photo is taken from a kayak at Bald Eagle State Park. Foreground is the blue tip of the kayak, surrounded by water, trees in background. Blue skies with spotty clouds reflected on the lake. Photo Credit: Greg Kifer

  47. Fisherman

    Young man holding a bass he caught at Bald Eagle State Park. Lake and mountain in background. Photo credit: Emily Yearick Herr

  48. Happy Fisherman

    Smiling boy holding freshly caught bass in one hand and fishing rod in the other hand at Bald Eagle State Park. Rocky shore, lake and trees. Blue skies above. Photo Credit: Emily Yearick Herr

  49. Panoramic view of the lake

    This photo is of the lake, the breast of the dam in the distance, mountains and clear blue skies with a few spots of white clouds at Bald Eagle State Park. Photo Credit: Jordan Barrett

  50. Fishermen

    Three men at an SUV, getting ready to fish. Grassy area, trees in background, misty lake in the background.

  51. Fishing on the shore

    Man standing on the shore fishing at Bald Eagle State Park. Lake, trees, and breast of the dam in the background. Blue skies with white whispy clouds. Photo Credit: Jordan Barrett

  52. Oars in

    Photo taken from a kayak at Bald Eagle State Park. Green tip of kayak, another kayaker in front, water, tree across water, trees in background. Photo Credit: Karl Peck

  53. Lures

    Man holding a box of his favorite lures, chosing the right one for conditions.

  54. Night Catfishing

    Man holding big catfish, caught while fishing at night. Photo Credit: Derek Alexander

  55. Nice job

    Smiling young man holding a freshly caught bass, while sitting in a boat at Bald Eagle State Park. Lake and trees in background. Photo Credit: Garrett Anderson

  56. Happy Fisherman

    Smiling man holding a large mouth bass, while standing in a boat, water and trees in background at Bald Eagle State Park. Clear blue skies with 1 white cloud above. Photo Credit: Colby Peters

  57. Solitude in the morning

    Man fishing on the Winter Launch pier at Bald Eagle State Park. Morning mist lifting from the lake, mountain in the background shrouded with light fog.

  58. Night fishing

    Man fishing at night, holding large freshly caught bass at Bald Eagle State Park. Photo Credit: Chad AW

  59. Woman holding fish

    Woman holding crappie. Boat in background. Photo Credit: Morgan Alexis Askins

  60. Great catch

    Man standing in a boat holding a large mouth bass at Bald Eagle State Park. Water, trees, clear blue skies in background. Photo Credit: Davek Uriah

  61. Largemouth Bass

    Smiling young man holding largemouth bass at Bald Eagle State Park. Lake and mountain in background. Photo Credit: Jeremy Lake

  62. Brave lady

    Young woman holding a big snapping turtle, caught while night fishing at Bald Eagle State Park. Photo Credit: Courtney Dillon

  63. Fly fishing

    A man and woman in hipwaders, standing in the water. Trees on both sides of the water.

  64. Great day for kayaking

    Photo taken from a kayak. Orange front of kayak, another yellow kayak in front. Lake, trees, beautiful blue skies with few whispy clouds above. Photo Credit: Linda Seanor

  65. Fishing in the fog

    A boat on the lake, bird just above the lake in the foreground, foggy view of the mountain at Bald Eagle State Park.

  66. Holding a fish

    A hand holding a largemouth bass in front of the camera at Bald Eagle State Park. Lake, and trees in background, crystal blue skies above.

  67. Tough choice

    Nice assortment of fly fishing rods.

  68. Archery fishing

    Young woman standing on a bowfishing boat with a carp hanging from her arrow. Green trees in the background. Photo Credit: Cody Wolfe

  69. Shoreline fishing

    Young woman standing on the rocky shoreline holding a huge carp at Bald Eagle State Park. Photo Credit: Courtney Dillon

  70. Serene setting

    Man in the distance, fishing at edge of lake, surrounded by water at Bald Eagle State Park. Tree in foreground.

  71. Catfish

    Man standing in a boat, holding a large catfish at Bald Eagle State Park. Lake, trees, blue skies in background. Photo Credit: Josh Wilson

  72. Holding a fish

    A person holding a small mouth for the camera. Lake and autumn foliage in background. Photo Credit: Josh Wilson

  73. Evening skies

    This is a beautiful shot of a man facing towards the lake, fishing rod in hand, in a boat Photo Credit: Josh Wilson. Evening sky shining through sparse clouds, reflecting on lake water. Photo Credit: Josh Wilson

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