Fishing

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!