With summer upon us, the boater and angler action is really picking up on the region’s biggest lake of all, Lake Wallenpaupack, and for good reason. The “Big Lake,”  or the “Pac,” can really make you feel small as you venture across its waters. With its 52 miles of shoreline, it spans about 13 miles in length with depths of close to 60 feet in some locations.

The huge impoundment is managed by the Pennsylvania Power & Light Company as a hydroelectric power source. Constructed in 1926, the “Pac” is a multi-species, multi-access angling mecca. It can also be a tough lake to fish because with so much water, fish can be wherever they want. When it comes to finding fish on Lake Wallenpaupack, the task can be daunting to a new comer. Hydrographic maps are available at the Wallenpaupack Sport Shop and these can be very helpful in pointing you to drop-offs, points and shoals which all attract fish.

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 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 slip bobber are good perch getters. A sonar unit can be worth its weight in fillets on Wallenpaupack, especially to locate schools of fish that are often suspended in deep water. Putting your bait into the strike zone can really increase your odds at hooking up.

PPL provides access to Lake Wallenpaupack from several conveniently located positions. At the western end of the lake is the launch at Ledgedale. This is the inlet of the lake where the Wallenpaupack Creek pours in. 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, 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 places where big fish will gather to ambush dinner. The humps and holes are places that are especially attractive to some of the huge walleye that live in the Pac’.

Crappies in Lake Wallenpaupack can grow to giant proportions, due in part to the large expanse of water, but also to the huge forage base of Alewives available to them. Whenever I hunt crappies, or calicos as some call them, I look for wooden structure. An area that had proven worthy of its name for these big panfish is Calico Point and the area just to the west. Calico Point is located on the south side of the lake, across from the PPL Caffrey Camping and Boat Launch area. Around the point and to the west in the cove produced by the point, there is underwater structure that draws baitfish, which in turn draw the crappies. Often the entire school will be suspended just over a brush pile. If you present your bait just a little too deep, you will see zero action. A crappie’s mouth is shaped like a scoop shovel, and it points upward. They will drift upward to inhale a minnow or jig, but seldom it seems, will they tip down very far for the same offering. Sonar will let you know what depth the school is at, and you can set you line depths accordingly.

Stripers, walleyes, bass-both largemouth and smallmouth, giant channel cats, multiple species of trout, huge crappies, hump-back perch and plate-sized bluegills, all can be tugging on the end of your line. Good, fresh line is a must and super sharps hooks will be a great help, because you just never know what might grab your bait. Be sure to inspect and grease the drag on your reel before you venture to one of the Lake Region’s biggest attractions.