Best Pickerel Lake in PA

[ducksnbucks36]

In your opinion...What's the best Pickerel lake in PA, and why

[fishhead28]

Whiteoaks use to be great caught a lot out of Miller's pond to a lot of tip up action

[fisher 74]

Black moshannon cause you run for flags all day and catch a ton of the little buggers

[pick00l]

Best lake I have fished in hard or soft water is Minsi. It's loaded with pickerel. Need to pick through the small ones to get some big guys. Can run out of bait the days they are hungry, which is more times than not.

[Spider1]

best pickerel lake in PA??? Might as well ask what's yer favorite tree in PA. Any lake has pickerel in it, just find the grassiest area around 3 to 8 ft deep and set up, you'll find them.

[butcher]

Spider is spot on.  Shallow, weedy lake in PA generally = pickerel.  If your goal is to catch big numbers, there are probably 100 lakes on the list.  If your goal is to catch a big pickerel (20 inches or more), you'll need to adjust your tactics and give up numbers for size but that's true of any species of fish.  If I were going to target trophy pickerel, I'd focus on large lakes that are shallow and weedy with good populations of forage.  Lakes that support healthy populations of shiners, chubs, and panfish - particularly perch - are good choices.  All of these species are primary forage for pickerel so if there are good forage populations, it stands to reason that the pickerel populations should be healthy as well.  Also, don't overlook lakes that are stocked with trout.  Trout make excellent forage for pickerel as well as other large gamefish.

Lastly, spend some time on the PA fish commission website.  They issue a list of the largest reported gamefish of each species every year. http://fishandboat.com/bigfish.htm   In 2014, three of the five largest (reported) pickerel came from High Point lake.  There is also an archive section on the site that will show the biggest fish from previous years.  I'd expect that you would be able to find some lakes in your area from those lists that consistently produce big fish.

[Basspunker182]

Looks like the PA state record was caught out of Wayne County in Long Pond, I have surely caught some nice ones out of there but none that big. Nearly 9 lbs now That is a beast !

[delawareriver]

Best lake I have fished in hard or soft water is Minsi. It's loaded with pickerel. Need to pick through the small ones to get some big guys. Can run out of bait the days they are hungry, which is more times than not.

I sure have caught my fair share if monster pickerel out of minisi. Would jig up dink perch and run them on the tips up. Couple 25-27" with a ton of 20-24" over the years

[butcher]

I sure have caught my fair share if monster pickerel out of minisi. Would jig up dink perch and run them on the tips up. Couple 25-27" with a ton of 20-24" over the years

Dink perch (where legal) are my go-to tip-up bait for big fish of pretty much every species.  Bass, pickerel, pike, muskies, walleye, catfish... EVERYTHING eats perch!  Any perch I catch that is between 3" and 6" typically finds its way onto a quick strike rig on my tip ups.  Just remember to check the regulations on the body of water to make sure it is legal before using them for bait.  If you are fishing a panfish enhancement lake, all perch under 9" must be released immediately which means you cannot use a perch for bait unless it is 9" or more.  Further, each perch you take reduces your daily creel limit - even if you are using them for bait.  For example, if the creel limit is 20 and you use five perch for bait, you may only keep 15 more panfish that day.  Note that the creel limits for panfish of all species are combined for these special regulation lakes.       

[Keithw99]

I have been fishing minsi for years and have caught 30 plus pickerel in a day.  Waiting for ice now but two years ago I caught a 5.2 pound 29" long pickerel through the ice.  Bring lots of Bait

[builder]

klines reservoir Columbia county off rt 42 between aristes and numidia

[icewagon]

klines reservoir Columbia county off rt 42 between aristes and numidia
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 Is that the watershed lake that is only catch and release ?

[builder]

yes its the one right next to rt 42. access is only 50 feet from new parking lot and the pickerel love med shiners

[chez]

Whiteoaks use to be great caught a lot out of Miller's pond to a lot of tip up action

MILLERS POND..
I WAS THERE ON MY YAK THIS YEAR OPENING DAY OF BASS.
I HAD A BLAST ON PICKEREL...
IM NOT JOKING WHEN I SAY I CAUGHT OVER 30 PICKEREL in a 3hr,span.
IT WAS LIKE EVERY OTHER CAST.
GOLD FLOATING RAPALA,and PERCH CHUGBUG.
TOO BAD THEY DRAINED IT.
IN MY OPINION,SAHOLA is a great BIG PICKEREL LAKE.