Shores Pond in Bradford County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Bradford County in Pennsylvania is where Shores Pond sits. Around the bank it is lake country bush. At 17 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. The nearest town is Towanda, 2.3 miles away. After that come Athens at 12 miles and Sayre at 13 miles. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Shores Pond

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. Built water gives depth close in, which suits a bank angler. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. County-wide records name smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, brook trout, brown bullhead and black crappie. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Shores Pond gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 70°F in July and bottoms out near 24°F in January. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around late March. From about late March to around late December, expect open water on the long-run figures. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Shores Pond runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Should this one be busy, Black Lake is 1.4 miles off. Rules at Shores Pond are worth checking on the day.