Questions on lake fishing trout

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wetnet

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Does anyone here hit lakes for trout? We're boat deprieved and fly fish in kayaaks so we're looking for water that won't flip us. Any info on flies, depths, temps to fish? We live in NE Pa not far from the Scranton area. We also fish State College allot but a drive for some education isn't out of the picture. I've got a boy that's fishing his way to Portugal. A Team youth USA hopefull so to speak. Lake venues can kill you. Anyone have any suggestions? If you go out allot and have a boat I'll buy you gas and diner!
 
Think buggers deep and slow...damselfly nymphs in the film or deep along the bottom...nymphs under an indicator like good old bobber fishing has been productive. Not familiar with your area but thats what i've caught most of my lake venue trout with...don;t count out dry flies if you see any indication...gnats and adams have always been good. If you can fish vertically, chironomids on a sinking line can be deadly. good luck.
 
Do you ever fish multiples? We plan to hit State College when we can. That's where the tryouts are.
 
I've fished a bugger with a nymph behind it from the float tube a few times but mostly because there was trout, bluegill and bass in the same mill pond but I don't do it often.
 
I think the real question is are there any lakes around pa that are worth fly-fishing for trout? In my experience it seems that most of the lakes seem to be warm-water fisheries and if there are trout in them, they seem to hide or are maybe way down deep, Ive only caught sunfish and bass in the lakes, has anybody actually had success on a lake here in pa with flies and trout? I always see pics and read stuff about the lakes out west that are absolutely full of trout and they are not littered with fish like sunfish and bass (not saying these arent good to fish for, they are a blast, but they seem to be the only thing in the pa lakes that actually have a viable population). Stillwater fishing for trout sounds like it would be sweet, I just dont really here about it too much in pa
 
I do it every day I can sneak away for an hour or two...yeah they are stocked trout but they are there and very catchable...when they put those trout from NC in our lake its even better...fall and many times with dries. Any stocked lake will do...its pretty close to all there is,,the closest stream is a half our away and when you have an hour so to fish, the lake 1 mile away does it...
 
There is an awesome native lake but you can't float it. It's located outside of Tunkhannock. Lake Oxbow. I'd sell my husband to fish there! Ok not. It's cold when I need my car started and I hate spiders.
 
Since your in the N.E. ,you might try Upper Woods Pond in Wayne Co. I never fly fished it ,But caught good numbers of trout in June trolling Rebels. (Electric Motor Only) The lake is about 60 acres & Fairly deep also (been told 50 to 60 feet)I haven't fished it since 99. At that time the far side from the boat ramp seemed to be the best.
 
Thanks We'll do that. My son's ice fished it but we didn't think to try it for trout. It doesn't have to be easy to fish some of the big dogs have blanked on lakes and they are a challenge, no doubt. The biggest hurdle will be fly fishing it and understanding temps and depths. It stinks not having a boat but our kayaaks are pretty stable, not the roll over sort. If you know anything about boating regs do you have to register them like a boat? Some places say yes but it's for that lake only. I'd hate to have to buy a sticker for every place we launch since we don't actually launch a boat. I'm about broke and if this kid makes it to Portugal I'll have to buy plane tickets. Thanks so much for your help.
 
I mostly know what I've learned from TomGamber. I probably never would have tried lake fishing for trout, but he kept talking about catching them here in the area I fish.

If you see rising fish try some dries, other wise strip a bugger. Try different colors and retrieves till you find what's working.
 
When we fished UWP we had a trolling motor & the boat was register in Pa . I beleive with the state registry you can use any state ramp. I don't know how the kayak would work.
 
You can probably get by with a USE PERMIT. Here is an excerpt from the PFBC site:

UNPOWERED BOATS

Unpowered boats are not required to be registered - unless used at a Fish & Boat Commission access area or lake, or at Pennsylvania state park lakes; or required by the owner (one example is the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers).
....view list of Commission access areas
....view DCNR's listing of PA state parks
....go to our Registration page to find out how to register or title a boat.

Another option for unpowered boats (only) is a Use (Boat Launch) Permit from the Fish & Boat Commission, or a Launch or Mooring Permit from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Bureau of State Parks....view issuing agents for Use Permits.

Permits can also be purchased online using a credit card at The Outdoor Shop....go to The Outdoor Shop (choose Products, then Boat Permits)


Visit this page for a complete understanding of the rules:
http://www.fish.state.pa.us/registration.htm

Note that other lakes may have special boating and launching rules. For instance, Cross Creek Lake out our way is a County Park and requires its own launch permit, though I am not sure if Kayaks are covered.

If it is a PFBC Lake or State Park, the general USE PERMIT probably suffices. Anywhere else, you may need to check with the lake owner (County, Township, Army Corps, etc.).
 
Wetnet,

Oxbow is a decent lake for trout but no boats/kayaks are allowed. You can wade and fish it along the shore. Lake Winola holds trout year-round, but I would not fish it with a kayak because of boat traffic. Lackawanna Lake, Francis Slocum, Moon Lake are all stocked and kayaks work well there. Upper Woods was suggested and should be a good lake to fish for trout. As someone said, these lakes are for the most part warm-water lakes with stocked trout.
 
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