Lake Ariel in Wayne County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Lake Ariel falls in Wayne County, part of Pennsylvania. The ground round it is mixed forest. Roughly 239 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. With 3.5 miles or so of shoreline, boat anglers cover ground the bank cannot. Size puts it in the front rank of our Wayne County list. For a base, The Hideout sits 1.7 miles out. Further out sit Wallenpaupack Lake Estates (6.2 miles) and Mount Cobb (6.3 miles). The line between counties passes nearby, which can change who manages the water.

• Where to Fish on Lake Ariel

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Records held for Wayne County cover yellow perch, bluegill, largemouth bass, brown trout and chain pickerel. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Take Lake Ariel a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 22°F in January to roughly 67°F in July. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. The lid usually goes in early April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Averages place the thaw at early April and the freeze at mid December. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. That shapes the year on Lake Ariel.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Mapping shows no built access close by; expect to walk in from wherever you can leave the car. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. If the gate is shut, Brooks Lake at 0.8 miles is the nearest alternative. What applies at Lake Ariel may have changed since it was mapped.