Lake Wallenpaupack

[Capt. Lou]

Also I might add that 30+ yrs back I fished this LK extensively for trout !
We used too rent a cabin in spring & troll up some nice brownies & Wallrye !
If u know how to troll deep & use down temps probably still can catch something !
Browns , stripers & walleye have preferred temp ranges that r very close , so running the lures at proper temp will probably get one of those babies .
Cannot fight boat traffic but in spring / fall probably due Ok if u get it right.

[bulletbob]

Originally Posted by Capt. Lou

Also I might add that 30+ yrs back I fished this LK extensively for trout !
We used too rent a cabin in spring & troll up some nice brownies & Wallrye !
If u know how to troll deep & use down temps probably still can catch something !
Browns , stripers & walleye have preferred temp ranges that r very close , so running the lures at proper temp will probably get one of those babies .
Cannot fight boat traffic but in spring / fall probably due Ok if u get it right.

Thanks capt Lou.. I hear what you are saying.. Bottom line through is this..
I live near the Finger lakes, and we have world class trolling for salmonids.. Browns, rainbows. lakers and landlocks.. I am not much of a troller, I usually jig, and do ok.. Walleyes are plentiful in the rivers here, but its a spring and fall thing more or less.. I sometimes catch 3 or 4 in an hour standing on a rock, when conditions are right.. Light tackle, 1/4 jigs is all you need.. To deep troll on Wallenpaupack would require a big learning curve.. I probably like the idea of fishing that lake better than the reality of rigging a boat with down riggers, and then driving 2 1/2 hours down a dozen times to learn to fish it right.. Getting old and lazy ... In spring up here, you can catch big salmonids in a 14 footers and a couple flat lines... .. I am sure Wallenpaupack still gives up some great fish to those that know its secrets. I just don't feel the burn to learn.. I like the IDEA of 10 pound walleyes, but when I can get 2 pounders without a boat, I default and take the easy way out... We were looking at homes around Greentown Pa, but after seeing the pressure that is put on that lake, I think we'll pass, and I'll keep looking... bob

[Lard Almighty]

Originally Posted by bulletbob

We were looking at homes around Greentown Pa, but after seeing the pressure that is put on that lake, I think we'll pass, and I'll keep looking... bob

Maybe try about 20 miles north in the Honesdale area. Prompton Reservoir is nearby, which is supposed to be very good for walleye, and I've never seen that many boats on it, even in mid summer. Also, there are lots of smaller lakes around there with very good fishing, and the Dyberry and Lackawaxen rivers can be decent for trout.

[bulletbob]

Originally Posted by Lard Almighty

Maybe try about 20 miles north in the Honesdale area. Prompton Reservoir is nearby, which is supposed to be very good for walleye, and I've never seen that many boats on it, even in mid summer. Also, there are lots of smaller lakes around there with very good fishing, and the Dyberry and Lackawaxen rivers can be decent for trout.

Thanks LA... I dunno, not to get off topic, but in reality, what I REALLY want to do is get a second place closer to the NJ shore.. I thought the Poconos area would be a good compromise.. Lots of rustic places, and wooded seclusion that my lunatic wife enjoys, BUT I could be at the NJ shore in less than 2 hours, and still have some good sweet water fishing in Pa, AND the Sussex/Warren county NJ lakes and streams.. I like fresh water fishing, but my heart is really still in the salt, so I still keep an eye on Monmouth.Ocean.. Just getting so crowded, and stupid expensive though... bob

[jimmythegreek]

bob the problem with the salt is its so expensive all the way around. houses are crazy priced, then u REALLY need a boat to do any kind of serious fishing, theres a very short window for the surf guys. I personally love the boating aspect of fishing, its like 60/40 for me, I cant stand sitting on shore or in the water fishing, UNLESS its a hot bite and theres action. And remember wallenpaupack is alot bigger but the ratio is prob less than hopatcong is, for the size LH is the boat #s are insane, yet all the regulars manage to put good catches of stripers and some eyes all year long, even mid summer on weekends. You go do ur damage before sunrise to 9-10ish and go about ur weekend like normal, I do it all summer long. If you wanna cast and fish shallow like u stated, ur not gonna be catching stripers and walleyes in the summer very often, thats a fact, not in a lake anyways. U have to do some type of trolling, whether deep water live bait/lures or working weed edges bottom bouncing for eyes. The fishing u mention is river fishing, its not even close to the same thing. To fish big water u need a proper rig, and the proper electronics to have consistent success. Fishing aint cheap even if you stand on shore, tackle, rods, and lures/bait is pricey, add in fuel and boat and supplies and you gotta wonder sometimes. Hell I have 2 boats and bought the 2nd one just so I can fish the big water, I was getting beat up in my 16.5 side console, and theres days im beat up in the 19footer too, but I got fish to show for it Problem is the best fishing is usually in the big water and thats where the yahoos wanna do 50 w 3 engines, no respect for us. There isnt a smaller no wake lake I kno of that has it all like LH does, LH has every species of fish we have in NJ and plenty of them, we need a 9.9 or electric only that has it all around here just for the fisherman, and make it no kill too!!

[Skunk City]

Originally Posted by jimmythegreek

bob the problem with the salt is its so expensive all the way around. Houses are crazy priced, then u really need a boat to do any kind of serious fishing, theres a very short window for the surf guys. I personally love the boating aspect of fishing, its like 60/40 for me, i cant stand sitting on shore or in the water fishing, unless its a hot bite and theres action. And remember wallenpaupack is alot bigger but the ratio is prob less than hopatcong is, for the size lh is the boat #s are insane, yet all the regulars manage to put good catches of stripers and some eyes all year long, even mid summer on weekends. You go do ur damage before sunrise to 9-10ish and go about ur weekend like normal, i do it all summer long. If you wanna cast and fish shallow like u stated, ur not gonna be catching stripers and walleyes in the summer very often, thats a fact, not in a lake anyways. U have to do some type of trolling, whether deep water live bait/lures or working weed edges bottom bouncing for eyes. The fishing u mention is river fishing, its not even close to the same thing. To fish big water u need a proper rig, and the proper electronics to have consistent success. Fishing aint cheap even if you stand on shore, tackle, rods, and lures/bait is pricey, add in fuel and boat and supplies and you gotta wonder sometimes. Hell i have 2 boats and bought the 2nd one just so i can fish the big water, i was getting beat up in my 16.5 side console, and theres days im beat up in the 19footer too, but i got fish to show for it problem is the best fishing is usually in the big water and thats where the yahoos wanna do 50 w 3 engines, no respect for us. There isnt a smaller no wake lake i kno of that has it all like lh does, lh has every species of fish we have in nj and plenty of them, we need a 9.9 or electric only that has it all around here just for the fisherman, and make it no kill too!!

This!!!!

[bulletbob]

Originally Posted by jimmythegreek

bob the problem with the salt is its so expensive all the way around. houses are crazy priced, then u REALLY need a boat to do any kind of serious fishing, theres a very short window for the surf guys. I personally love the boating aspect of fishing, its like 60/40 for me, I cant stand sitting on shore or in the water fishing, UNLESS its a hot bite and theres action. And remember wallenpaupack is alot bigger but the ratio is prob less than hopatcong is, for the size LH is the boat #s are insane, yet all the regulars manage to put good catches of stripers and some eyes all year long, even mid summer on weekends. You go do ur damage before sunrise to 9-10ish and go about ur weekend like normal, I do it all summer long. If you wanna cast and fish shallow like u stated, ur not gonna be catching stripers and walleyes in the summer very often, thats a fact, not in a lake anyways. U have to do some type of trolling, whether deep water live bait/lures or working weed edges bottom bouncing for eyes. The fishing u mention is river fishing, its not even close to the same thing. To fish big water u need a proper rig, and the proper electronics to have consistent success. Fishing aint cheap even if you stand on shore, tackle, rods, and lures/bait is pricey, add in fuel and boat and supplies and you gotta wonder sometimes. Hell I have 2 boats and bought the 2nd one just so I can fish the big water, I was getting beat up in my 16.5 side console, and theres days im beat up in the 19footer too, but I got fish to show for it Problem is the best fishing is usually in the big water and thats where the yahoos wanna do 50 w 3 engines, no respect for us. There isnt a smaller no wake lake I kno of that has it all like LH does, LH has every species of fish we have in NJ and plenty of them, we need a 9.9 or electric only that has it all around here just for the fisherman, and make it no kill too!!

Great reply Jimmy.. I have plenty of boats.. An 18 footer with 100 hp.. 15 ft whaler style side console w/30, and a very solid Grumman 4.4 side console 14 foot aluminum..Have nice higher end Garmin color sounders as well.. I know you have to fish deep in big lakes.. Up here I regularly jig in 100 ft+... the Finger Lakes reach 600+ feet deep!...
Its just that I prefer casting or jigging to trolling.. I fully realize that on these big lakes trolling is the answer much of the time.. I would prefer to fish for the stripers/hybrids/walleyes the way the LH bait guys do.. Live Sawbellies[ Herring to NJ guys].. I don't catch near as many salmonids as the deep trollers up here, but it is just so boring, and the fish fight like a water filled boot when dragged up from 100 feet behind a moving boat, and the mortality rate is horrible if you want to release them.. When I lived at the NJ shore [Union Beach and Forked River], I never trolled either.. If I couldn't catch with jigs, or bait or casting, I went without.. Lets put it this way, so maybe I can try and clear up my foggy writing.. Last time I fished here in Cayuga Lake, I caught 4 lakers jigging and dropped a couple as well in 70 FOW... A good troller can catch double that in a decent half day.. However, I only burned 3 gallons of gas, and caught my fish on 1 handed bass tackle with 10 lb test, and the fish fought me to my knees.
I kept only 1 and the others I released headed back down like rockets.. A troller would have had big huge noodle rods, with heavy line, and scads of hardware flying, as the lakers were dragged behind the moving boat, not able give a good account of themselves at all, and then would have to be nursed before they could muster the strength to get back down to deep water... I dunno, If fishing for FW stripers on Wally means trolling, I will take a pass, UNLESS I find a place to buy locally down there.. In that event I will do what I did when I moved here to NY from NJ.. Put some time in, ask questions, discover patterns, and find some methods that work..

Personally, I think the Stripers/Wipers/Walleyes in Wallenpaupack would hit deep jigged stuff, or Sawbellies fished deep, Just have to find them, and then go when the lake isn't being churned into green foam by jet skies>>> We'll see what the future holds.. Meantime, the nights are getting cooler, and the Walleyes will start hitting soon just a few miles from here!,,, Yeah a 20 incher is a big one in the river, but I can catch them on 6 pound test, on a 1/16 ounce jig.. Trade off??.. yeah, but like I said previously, I always default to my inherent laziness!.. I hope to send you guys some reports from up here, and maybe I can convince one or two guys to come up for a day to jig lakers or walleyes, the "lazy way"!... Thanks to all for the great responses and solid advice!.. bob

[jrock]

Hey Bob may I suggest picking up two portable cannon down riggers. They are cheap and can be easily screwed on and off your boat. And if you only drag one rod on each downrigger when you get a fish on one you can turn your motor off and reel in the fish the same way as if you hooked it jigging. So you won't catch as much fish as the guys trolling with 10 rods out bug you will catch more than you would just jigging, and you can experience the fight by stopping the motor once your hooked up. I went to Seneca lake with my two portable cannon riggers and caught plenty of fish with my relatively cheap set-up. Plus I was trolling with my 9.9 merc. Mariner 4-stroke which burned about a gallon of gas all day, "$3.75". Also with only two rods out on calm days I can troll using my 55lb. Thrust minnkota. Brand new my portable riggers go for about 75 bucks , plus 25 bucks for the 6 pound ball, and about 8 bucks for the release. About 100 bucks for each setup 200 total. If you spend some time lookin on ebay or Craigslist you can get them even cheaper. Hope this info helps you out, like I said I went to Seneca with my setup last month and caught rainbows l, salmon, and Lakers two of which were pushing 10lbs.