Swimbait Fishing on Lake Wallenpaupack
Lake Wallenpaupack · Pennsylvania · Northeast
Lake Wallenpaupack sits in Pike County at roughly 1,160 feet elevation in the Pocono highlands, covering about 5,700 acres with a maximum depth near 60 feet and a mean depth around 22 feet. The lake is a Pennsylvania Power & Light impoundment from the 1920s, and its glacial origins left it with a rocky, irregular bottom, hard-sand flats, and scattered submerged timber in the back coves — a structure mix that supports both largemouth in the shallower, weedier arms and smallmouth along the main-lake rock transitions. Water clarity tends toward the clearer end for a northeast reservoir, typically 6–12 feet of visibility depending on season, which puts finesse presentations and natural color palettes at a premium.
Covers everything from 3" paddle tails to 10"+ hard-body glide baits. Paddle tails on a swimbait head cover water efficiently; large glide baits and jointed hard swimbaits target trophy fish specifically. Swimbait fishing rewards patience — fewer bites, but the bites that come are often the biggest bass of your life.
Swimbait Setup for Lake Wallenpaupack
| Rod | 7'3"–8' medium-heavy to heavy casting rod, moderate action (for big baits) |
| Reel | 5.4:1–6.4:1 baitcaster (slower for big baits, need power) |
| Line | 15–20 lb fluorocarbon; 65 lb braid for glide baits |
| Weight | Paddle tail on 1/4–1 oz head; glide baits 2–6 oz depending on size |
Seasonal Tactics on Lake Wallenpaupack
Lake: Pre-spawn largemouth push into the protected coves on the northern end as water temps climb toward 55–60°F in late April and early May; smallmouth stage on main-lake rocky points in 10–18 feet before moving shallower to spawn. Jerkbaits on the rock transitions and Texas-rigged creature baits flipped to laydowns in cove timber both produce well.
Swimbait: Post-spawn giants recovering — slow roll a big paddle tail along the first drop off beds.
Lake: Thermoclines establish by July, pushing smallmouth to suspend over 25–40 ft basin areas near main-lake structure; largemouth hold tight to emergent vegetation and dock edges in 4–8 feet. Topwater early morning on the weedy flats gives way to drop-shot and tube rigs on the deeper rock structure by midday.
Swimbait: Early morning on main lake points. Slow-roll a 6"+ swimbait along ledge faces at dawn.
Lake: Falling water temps in September and October trigger smallmouth to chase shad and shiners on main-lake points; largemouth feed aggressively in the back coves before the turnover. Swimbaits, inline spinners, and lipless crankbaits cover water efficiently during this feeding window.
Swimbait: Best season — bass targeting large shad. Match the size of forage exactly. Shad colors.
Lake: Wallenpaupack is a popular ice-fishing destination once it freezes, typically January–February; open-water bass fishing slows sharply but finesse jigging with small tubes or blade baits over rocky structure in 20–35 feet can still produce smallmouth on unseasonably warm afternoons.
Swimbait: Slow down the retrieve dramatically. Big fish are lethargic but will eat a slow-moving large profile.
Best Conditions
Clear water, trophy fisheries, post-spawn and fall, shad migrations, open water and around structure, dawn and dusk
Slow down more than you think. Most anglers retrieve swimbaits too fast. A barely-moving bait triggers more bites from big, selective fish.
More Techniques for Lake Wallenpaupack
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