Harvey's Lake © BGS
About the Lake:
Harvey's Lake is one of the
larger lakes in Northeastern PA. You don't hear too much about this 658
acre hidden gem because it's usually overshadowed by Lake Cayuga to the North
and Lake Wallenpaupack to the Northeast. But that doesn't mean there
aren't many fish in here. The lake is not long (approx. 3 miles) or big
but it does have approximately 9 miles of irregular shoreline with plenty of
structure to fish. The lake is located off of Rt. 415 west of Wilkes Barre.
The state ramp is located on the southwestern side of the lake and is definitely
the one that I recommend. Be cautious, however, because the ramp area is
not very deep. Although there is a good assortment of fish, the two species most
sought after are bass and pickerel. That's because they are the most
abundant.
When, Where and with What to fish:
Just like most lakes, the
spring and the fall are the best times for big fish. But you can also pick
up some hawgs in the middle of the summer. The lake holds a good
population of largemouth bass and quite a few smallmouths also.
Because most tournament fishermen go after the bigger and heavier largemouth, a
true picture of the smallmouth population isn't given. A popular spot for
smallmouth is the yacht club area. This is a typical rocky area with drop
offs into deep water. There are also a few main lake points that either
drop into deep water or deep water nearby. Early in the year, top water
baits such as Zara Spooks and Pop R's take their share of fish. Grubs,
small worms, spinnerbaits and minnow type lures also take their share. As
for the largemouths, most are taken around the docks and weeds. All the
traditional lures will work at certain times of the year. Spinnerbaits
worked over the weeds and along the weed edges will produce well. Although
the fishing is good, on the weekends the boat traffic gets pretty heavy.
Lastly, the lake also has a lot of pickerel and pickerel fishermen. A lot
of the pickerel are caught by the bass fishermen on using spinnerbaits.
When fishing for pickerel, the weeds are the best place to start. Try the
outside edge of the weeds first then move in. The Renegade tournament
trail usually has a pickerel tournament on Harvey's Lake when bass fishing
season is closed. So, check the tournament schedule to see when the next
pickerel tournament is.
Where to stay:
I'm really not familiar with the area so if anyone can recommend a good place to stay, please email me and I'll post it on this page. Or, if any of the local hotels/motels want to contact me with good rates for fishermen, I'll post that as well.
Guide Service:
Guide service on Harvey's Lake is provided by Bill Albright of Bill's
Guide Service. Bill gives 1/2 day or full day trips out of a new fully
rigged Ranger bass boat. Whether it's pickerel, smallmouth or largemouth bass
you're after- give him a call. For more information, click
here.
Bill Albright pictured here with nice smallmouth bass.
Maps:
If you want a great fishing map of Harvey's Lake, I believe Fishing Hot
Spots Inc. has one, you can order one by calling 1-800-ALL-MAPS. It will be
shipped within 48 hours and shipping and handling is free.
Recommended Boat Ramps:
State Ramp- The preferred launch ramp is the state ramp on the Southwestern side of the Lake off of Rt. 415. The parking lot is excellent with great comfort facilities available.
Baitshops, Restaurants, etc.
Coming Soon !
