Lake Francis, Pennsylvania: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  You will find Lake Francis in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. Height above sea level is 1,109 feet. This is a pocket water of some 9 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. The closest town, Beech Mountain Lakes, is 4.2 miles away. Freeland is 5 miles away, with Mountain Top at 5.7 miles. The county edge is within a short distance of the bank.

• Where to Fish on Lake Francis

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. Luzerne County records list brown trout, brook trout, largemouth bass, yellow perch and bluegill among the fish reported. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Lake Francis repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 68°F and January at 23°F. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. The lid usually goes in early April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. On the long-run averages the water opens up around early April and starts locking again about late December. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Expect Lake Francis to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Mapping shows parking within half a mile. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Should this one be busy, Olympus Pond is 2.3 miles off. Rules at Lake Francis are worth checking on the day.