Lake Wilhelm Fishing in Mercer County, Pennsylvania

• Overview

  Pennsylvania holds Lake Wilhelm, in Mercer County. The setting is pine and birch. About 2.4 sq miles, so local knowledge or a boat saves a lot of walking. Around 13 miles of bank, which is a long day on foot. Across our Pennsylvania listings, few waters are bigger. Head to Stoneboro, 4.7 miles away, for anything you forgot. Beyond it, Lake Latonka at 8.6 miles and Cochranton at 8.7 miles. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Lake Wilhelm

  There is a figure for this one: 24 ft. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. Across Mercer County, recorded fish include largemouth bass, black crappie, white crappie and smallmouth bass. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. The shape of Lake Wilhelm rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 69°F in July and bottom out at 24°F in January. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Ice is part of the season here, ending near late March. Break-up sits around late March on average, with the water closing again about late December. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. At Lake Wilhelm the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  It sits on public ground, so no permission beyond a licence is normally needed. The slipway at Launch #2 is half a mile away. A carry of half a mile from the nearest parking is the price of fishing here. There are toilets mapped about half a mile away. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Sandy Lake at 4.2 miles is the sensible second choice. Check the position on Lake Wilhelm before loading the car.