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D IS COV E R YO U R TOW N S H I P
Lake Wallenpaupack; Pike and Wayne’s Giant Offering for Ice Anglers “This lake is huge” is often the words I hear from neophyte “Packers” as we trudge our way across the icy span that at times looks like a huge desert before us. Lake Wallenpaupack is huge. With it’s 52 miles of shoreline, it spans about 13 miles in length. If that doesn’t seem huge, it will when you are standing out on it with a handful of tip-ups and your auger trying to figure out just where to set up. Lake Wallenpaupack straddles the line between Wayne and Pike Counties and offers anglers top notch fishing through the ice. The huge impoundment is managed by the Pennsylvania Power & Light as a hydro-electric power source. Constructed in 1926, the “Pack”, as it is known locally, is a multi-species, multi-access angling mecca. During Late January and February the extra large, hump-backed yellow perch are schooling at the mouths of coves and hovering at the transition between deep and shallower water. Here they gather for the spawning event, the females heavy with roe that is ever so delicate and delicious. When it comes to finding fish on Lake Wallenpaupack, the task can be daunting to a new comer. Hydrographic maps are available at local sporting goods shops and these can be very helpful in pointing you to drop-offs, points and shoals where fish gather under the ice. I recommend checking with the locals to see where fish are being caught, and when all else fails, head for where the crowds are gathered. The northern coves are some of the best areas for big perch. Walt’s Cove and Landing are located on the northern side of the lake, opposite the Wilsonville Campground. Close to shore in the cove, depths run about 10 feet and quickly drop to twenty feet plus. Just outside of the cove the water runs down
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Township News to 40 feet. Perch will be staging on these breaks. Off Shuman Point to the south and east, is a trough that dives to 45 and 50 feet. This transition area, between the trough and main lake and the cove is a staging area for the big perch that head to the more shallow water to spawn. Fathead minnows rigged on a number six bait-keeper and set below a tip-up are good perch getters. If you have a portable sonar unit, it would be wise to use it to locate schools of under ice fish. If you don’t have one, try to locate a drop off and then stagger a line of tip-ups parallel to the drop off. By setting the minnows at different depths, always working closer to the bottom, you will be able to use this method to locate perch. Once you hit a school, then quickly set your jigging rod to the depth from which the perch are coming. For jigging big perch, it’s tough to beat a Swedish Pimple tipped with a mousie, spike or mealworm. PPL provides access to Lake Wallenpaupack from several conveniently located positions. One area on the western end of the lake is at Ledgedale. This is the inlet side of the lake where the Wallenpaupack Creek pours in. As such, the main channel winds its way up through this narrow portion of the lake, and it runs anywhere from 20 to 45 feet as it does so. Big fish haunt this area under the ice, and the drop zone between the channel and steeper sides offer places to stage for passing bait. As you follow the channel to the east, you come to the PPL Ironwood access, and here the channel winds around some pockets and shoals. Any of these underwater changes in depth are
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Your Roads
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Volunteerism 4 Safe Ice
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Pocono Snowshoeing
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News For Constituents
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What’s Cookin?
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First Annual Lackawaxen Neighborhood Pumpkin Party
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Events at PEEC
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Port Jervis Volunteer Ambulance Corporation Donation
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