Lake Wallenpaupack, PA

About Lake Wallenpaupack

Lake Wallenpaupack is a large hydroelectric reservoir in the Pocono Mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania, straddling Pike and Wayne counties. Built in the 1920s by impounding Wallenpaupack Creek, it covers roughly 5,700 acres with around 50 miles of irregular, cove-studded shoreline and depths that drop to about 60 feet near the dam. That combination of size, structure, and depth makes it one of the most diverse and productive inland fisheries in the state, drawing anglers from across the Northeast year-round.

Wallenpaupack is best known for its self-sustaining population of striped bass, a fish most Pennsylvania anglers associate with the coast, not a mountain lake. Stripers here grow large by chasing dense schools of alewife herring. Beyond the stripers, the lake earns its reputation for quality smallmouth bass, a respected walleye fishery, big muskellunge, slab-sized panfish, and increasingly notable catfish. It is a true multi-species destination where the target often changes with the season.

Fish Species

Lake Wallenpaupack supports an unusually broad mix of warmwater and coolwater gamefish. The standouts:

• Striped bass — the marquee fish. Stripers roam open water following alewife schools and can reach genuinely large sizes. This is what makes Wallenpaupack famous.
• Smallmouth bass — abundant and strong, relating to the lake's many rocky points, drop-offs, and submerged humps.
• Largemouth bass — found in the shallower coves, weed edges, and around docks and wood.
• Walleye — a popular target, especially low-light and after dark, holding near points and flats.
• Muskellunge — the apex predator here, providing a legitimate trophy musky opportunity.
• Panfish — yellow perch, bluegill, crappie, and pumpkinseed are plentiful and a mainstay for families and ice anglers.
• Catfish — channel catfish and bullheads use the deeper basins and provide reliable summer and night action.
• Pickerel — chain pickerel haunt the weedier bays.

Forage is dominated by alewife herring, which is the key to understanding where the predators are at any given time.

Best Seasons & Times

Spring: As water warms, smallmouth and largemouth move shallow toward spawning areas, and pre-spawn fish feed aggressively on rocky points and cove mouths. Walleye are active in low light, and stripers begin schooling as alewives spread out. Early morning and the last hour of light are prime.

Summer: Fish stratify and follow the herring. Stripers and bigger fish go deeper and roam open water, often feeding at dawn, dusk, and after dark when they push bait toward the surface. Smallmouth hold on offshore humps and deeper structure. Daytime fishing favors deep presentations; the surface bite is a low-light affair.

Fall: Cooling water and herring movement trigger one of the best windows of the year. Stripers and smallmouth feed heavily to put on weight, and surface-feeding "blitzes" on bait can occur. Muskie anglers see strong action as big fish bulk up before winter.

Winter: When safe ice forms on the coves, panfish, perch, and pickerel become the focus, with walleye possible at dawn and dusk. Always confirm ice is genuinely safe before venturing out; reservoir ice can be inconsistent.

Techniques & Baits

Because so much revolves around alewife herring, "matching the bait" and finding the schools with electronics is the single most productive approach for the open-water predators.

• Striped bass: Live alewives or shiners fished on planer boards, downlines, or free-lines over schooled bait are deadly. Trolling swimbaits, spoons, and herring-imitating crankbaits covers water. During low-light surface feeds, throw topwater plugs and bucktails into breaking fish.
• Smallmouth bass: Drop-shot rigs, tubes, Ned rigs, and small swimbaits on rocky points and humps; jerkbaits and crankbaits in cooler water. Live crayfish and shiners produce when fish are finicky.
• Largemouth bass: Soft plastics, jigs, and spinnerbaits around coves, weed edges, wood, and docks; topwater early and late.
• Walleye: Jigs tipped with minnows, nightcrawler harnesses trolled along flats and points, and stickbaits worked at dusk and after dark.
• Muskie: Large bucktails, glide baits, jerkbaits, and big soft swimbaits worked along weed lines and points; figure-eight every retrieve.
• Panfish: Small jigs, garden worms, and minnows under a float; the same approaches work through the ice in winter.
• Catfish: Cut bait, nightcrawlers, and prepared baits fished on bottom in the deeper basins, best after dark.

Access & Launches

Lake Wallenpaupack is a publicly accessible reservoir with multiple developed access points distributed around its long shoreline, including public boat launches managed in cooperation with the utility that operates the lake, as well as marinas that offer ramps, rentals, fuel, and bait. Marinas and concessions are concentrated in the more developed areas of the lake, while quieter coves and arms offer a more remote feel.

The lake's size makes it well suited to motorboats, and many anglers fish it from larger craft, though kayaks and canoes can work the protected coves. Bank and shoreline fishing opportunities exist at developed access areas and near the dam. Because it is a working hydroelectric reservoir, water levels can fluctuate, so launch and shoreline conditions may vary with the season and generation schedule. Check current local access information before you go.

Regulations & Licenses

A valid Pennsylvania fishing license is required for anyone 16 and older, and a Lake Erie/trout permit is not generally needed for Wallenpaupack's warmwater and coolwater species, though you should verify which stamps or permits apply to your trip. Licenses are available online and from local retailers.

Species such as bass, walleye, muskellunge, and others are subject to size, slot, and creel (bag) limits, and some species have defined seasons. These limits change over time and can differ by water, so always consult the current Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission regulations before keeping fish. Practicing selective harvest and careful catch-and-release of larger predators helps sustain the trophy potential this lake is known for.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Lake Wallenpaupack best known for catching?
It is most famous for striped bass, which grow large feeding on the lake's abundant alewife herring. It also offers excellent smallmouth bass, a solid walleye fishery, trophy muskellunge, plentiful panfish, and good catfish action, making it a true multi-species destination.

When is the best time of year to fish Lake Wallenpaupack?
Spring and fall are the standout seasons. Spring brings shallow, aggressive bass and active walleye, while fall triggers heavy feeding and possible surface striper blitzes as fish bulk up for winter. Summer is productive too, but the best bite shifts to dawn, dusk, and after dark when fish push bait shallow.

How do you catch the striped bass at Lake Wallenpaupack?
Find the alewife schools with electronics and present live alewives or shiners on planer boards, downlines, or free-lines. Trolling herring-imitating swimbaits, spoons, and crankbaits covers water, and during low-light surface feeds, topwater plugs and bucktails thrown at breaking fish can be explosive.

Do I need a license to fish Lake Wallenpaupack?
Yes. Anyone 16 or older needs a valid Pennsylvania fishing license, available online or from local retailers. Size, slot, and creel limits apply to many species and change over time, so check the current Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission regulations before keeping any fish.