Fishing at Highland Lake, Bradford County, Pennsylvania

• Overview

  Highland Lake is set in Bradford County, Pennsylvania. Beyond the shoreline you have mixed forest. Apalachin sits 11 miles from here and is the nearest stop. After that come Vestal at 14 miles and Owego at 14 miles. What else is close: Phillips Pond lies 2.3 miles on, Lake Of Meadows the better part of 2.3 miles, Haig Pond lies 2.7 miles on, Moore Pond the better part of 3.2 miles and Carmault Lake lies 3.6 miles on. A border sits close enough to be relevant to the paperwork.

• Where to Fish on Highland Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. Reported across Bradford County: smallmouth bass, largemouth bass and brook trout. The county list is broader than any single water. On Highland Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 69°F for July and 22°F for January. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around early April. The open-water window runs from around early April to about mid December in an average year. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. Time your trip to Highland Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Nothing formal is recorded here: no ramp, no car park, no marked path. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. For a change of water, Phillips Pond is 2.3 miles distant. For Highland Lake in particular, ask before you travel.