Forest Lake, Pennsylvania: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Forest Lake is one of the Susquehanna County listings for Pennsylvania. Around the bank it is mixed forest. It measures about 45 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. There is roughly 1.2 miles of shoreline here, which is a short walk end to end. For a base, Montrose sits 5.6 miles out. It is 81 miles to Syracuse, the nearest city. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Forest Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Across Susquehanna County, recorded fish include brown trout, brook trout and smallmouth bass. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. On Forest Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 21°F to 68°F. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around early April. Averages place the thaw at early April and the freeze at mid December. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Plan any trip to Forest Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. The nearest mapped parking is half a mile away, so the last stretch is on foot. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. If the gate is shut, Dora Pond at 1.6 miles is the nearest alternative. Nothing here settles the position at Forest Lake for certain.