Lake Monroe, Pennsylvania: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Set in Monroe County, Pennsylvania, this is Lake Monroe. It stands 994 feet above sea level. Around 87 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. The bank runs about 1.5 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. Few waters listed in Monroe County are bigger. Saw Creek sits 4.4 miles from here and is the nearest stop. The nearest city of size is Allentown, 40 miles away. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Lake Monroe

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Survey and observation records for Monroe County include brown trout, brook trout and bluegill. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. At Lake Monroe the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 24°F in January up to 69°F in July. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around late March. The season between ice runs from about late March to late December. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. The season on Lake Monroe follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. No launch point is recorded nearby, so this is a bank water unless you carry a boat in. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Should this one be busy, Otter Lake is 2 miles off. None of that is settled for Lake Monroe in what we hold.