Fishing at Hanover Reservoir, Adams County, Pennsylvania

• Overview

  Hanover Reservoir is one of the Adams County waters in Pennsylvania. Height above sea level is 545 feet. It lies lower than most water we list in Pennsylvania. For supplies, Pennville is 2.2 miles out. Baltimore sits 40 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here. You can learn the basics of it in one visit.

• Where to Fish on Hanover Reservoir

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Across Adams County, recorded fish include brown trout, brook trout and bluegill. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Treat Hanover Reservoir as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 75°F in July and bottoms out near 29°F in January. Whether it freezes depends on the year. It should never be assumed safe, whatever the month says. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. It holds true on Hanover Reservoir more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Sheppard-Meyers Reservoir, 5.2 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Where Hanover Reservoir is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.