Fishing at Laurel Lake, Wayne County, Pennsylvania

• Overview

  Laurel Lake is one of the Wayne County listings for Pennsylvania. Everything around it is pine and birch. With some 46 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. A shoreline of some 1.0 miles keeps the choices simple. Some 11 miles away sits Honesdale, the nearest settlement. Hawley lies 15 miles off, Waymart another 16 miles. You are close to a county edge here; who manages the access can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Laurel Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Reported across Wayne County: yellow perch, bluegill, largemouth bass and brown trout. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Laurel Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 68°F; the cold one sits at 22°F. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around early April. Ice usually gives way near early April, and forms again about mid December. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. Time your trip to Laurel Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. The closest car park is half a mile away, so pack accordingly. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. The nearest alternative is Silver Lake, 0.4 miles out. Check the position at Laurel Lake before loading the car.