Lake Tod near Waterford: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Lake Tod stands in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. Farm and woodlot runs right down to the water. Surface area runs to about 3 acres — small enough to read in one session. Waterford lies 1.7 miles from the water. Pittsburgh sits 45 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Lake Tod

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Open biodiversity records for Westmoreland County list bluegill, largemouth bass and brown trout. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. Fish Lake Tod to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 70°F in July and bottom out at 26°F in January. Some winters cap it and some do not. It is not guaranteed from one year to the next. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to fish here. Plan around that when you fish Lake Tod. Nights draw in quickly late in the season, so plan the walk back.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Ligonier Reservoir sits 1.5 miles off and takes the overflow. For Lake Tod, the notice at the access point is the final word.