Raystown Lake Fishing Guide, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania

• Overview

  In Pennsylvania, Raystown Lake falls inside Huntingdon County. The surface lies 797 feet up. Around 12.7 sq miles of open water: conditions change from one end to the other. There is roughly 92 miles of bank, and each arm behaves like its own water. By surface area it heads our Huntingdon County listings. McConnellstown lies 4.7 miles from the water. It is 103 miles to Pittsburgh, the nearest city. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Raystown Lake

  Recorded depth comes to 200 ft. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Survey and observation records for Huntingdon County include gizzard shad, common carp, white crappie and bluegill. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. At Raystown Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 27°F in January and 71°F in July. Ice comes and goes from one year to the next. In milder years the edges alone go, and the middle never sets. Autumn steadies things again once the heat lets go. The season on Raystown Lake follows the weather closely. Warm rain lifts activity; cold rain flattens it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is listed as public in our records, so the bank is open. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Failing this one, try Singers Gap Reservoir, 6.8 miles away. For Raystown Lake in particular, ask before you travel.