Hidden Lake in Monroe County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Monroe County in Pennsylvania is where Hidden Lake sits. What surrounds it is farm and woodlot. It runs to roughly 35 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. Around 1.1 miles of margin, front to back. It lies lower than most water we list in Pennsylvania. Head to Saw Creek, 4.2 miles away, for anything you forgot. For a city, Allentown is 39 miles off. The boundary is near enough that local access rules are worth double-checking.

• Where to Fish on Hidden Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. Monroe County records list brown trout, brook trout, bluegill and largemouth bass among the fish reported. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. At Hidden Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 71°F; by January the average is down near 25°F. Temperature moves within a narrow band, and so does the fishing. It is not guaranteed even in a cold spell, so check yourself. February into May fishes hardest as the water warms. Plan around that when you fish Hidden Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Hidden Lake Boat Launch provides a boat ramp about half a mile away. Mapping shows parking within half a mile. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Should this one be busy, Coolbaugh Lake is 1.5 miles off. Check the current arrangement for Hidden Lake.