Raystown for Crappies

Any info on where to find Crappies at Raystown? I've never been fishing there.

Been doing 99% of my fishing at Wilmore dam, it's an electric only lake in Cambria county, only a couple miles from my house. I've done pretty well over the years crappies have to be 9" minimum, biggest we have ever gotten was right at 13". I've been setting up an 1860MV over the winter specifically for this place. Have a 94 Bass tracker super pro 16 that has plenty of room when only fishing with 2 people. My new daughter in law really like to fish so I decided to get us a bigger boat.

Used to fish Glendale (about 50 mins from my house) some when my dad was alive, about 10 yrs ago. Took the bass tracker there last year a couple of times but had motor issues with an old 2 stroke. That problem should be fixed with a new 20hp Mercury EFI 4 stroke I bought last week. I would be able to use the motor on either boat. Now that I the new motor I've been thinking that Raystown (about 1hr 20 mins from home) is a possibility for hopefully some larger crappies.

I did order the maps from Fishing hot spots for both Glendale and Raystown.

Which boat would be better suited for Raystown Deep V or the Mod V?

Opinions and advice welcome
Thanks
John

Hi zekepa,

I will be interested to see the response for this topic. I have heard that Raystown Lake is not easy to find and catch crappies.
Raystown Lake is about 1 1/2 hours from me so a trip there is something I would like to do this year also.

Glendale is also within 1 1/2 hour drive. Want to make some trips there also.

If you post a lake map, I’ll do my best to help you figure it out. I don’t have a clue what the lake looks like.

looks like a 28 mile long snake slithering through the valley.

RaystownRecMap.pdf (army.mil)

I have a SUB-SURFACE STRUCTURE map of Raystown Lake Labeled "Angler's Aid" that I inherited from a family member. I don't know if it is available any longer, but it has a lot of detail for depth/structure on the lake. It was made by International Map Company (547 Shaler Blvd. Ridgefield N.J.)
The maximum depth of the lake is 150-200 feet near the dam. You can find 85 foot depths all the way to marker number 19 and you can find 45 foot depths to marker number 24.
It is a long narrow lake with a lot of coves/inlets. Some places you can find water deeper than 85 FOW within 50 feet of shore.

My plan is to try fishing it in prespawn/spawn when it should be more predictable to focus on shallow water. Just ordered my map last night so don't have it yet. Never fished in a lake with those kinds of depths, 35 ft max depth at Wilmore and Glendale. Would crappies be in the deeper water?

Zekepa and Gdengr, Welcome to Crappie.com and the Pa board. We are all here to help when we can. The Lake does look like a snake, or multiples, lol. You can also use Google maps, to get info. With it you can zoom in, to see lakes, and or rivers. I'm on the Ohio border, so know nothing about it. At least in windy weather, there sure is a lot of places to duck into, and keep fishing. Please post when you can. We love pictures too.

My cousin is a scuba driver , he said trees are still standing under water. He said really scary looking up and seeing strippers laying on the branches 75’ down no light that deep. I fished it once and that was for stripper.


Sent from my iPhone using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app

I would head to h3 as soon as the water starts to warm and fish that whole area with a jig and bobber then head to j3 when the water temps start rising and use minnows or jigs a little deeper.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by chaunc

I would head to h3 as soon as the water starts to warm and fish that whole area with a jig and bobber then head to j3 when the water temps start rising and use minnows or jigs a little deeper.

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Being new to crappie fishing, I was wondering why you chose those areas. Are you looking for specific depths or something else?

In spawn, you wont find them in deep water. Chaunc is the man to help you out.

Thanks Chaunc,

I found this site with water depths. I knew Raystown was big but looking at the map each of those bays individually are bigger than the reservoir I normally fish. A lot of water to cover.
Raystown Lake (PA) water depth map - marine chart (fishermap.org)

Nice map! Has a lot of contour lines and other info.

If you follow this link:

Online water depth maps and marine navigation charts (fishermap.org)

There are a lot of different lakes that can be found by zooming in.

Attachment 394818

These would be the first areas I would check after ice out with a jig and bobber. I’d fish as far back in there as I could get. You’ll know you’re in the right area when you see the locals on shore fishing. The key is to find wood or rock there. They’ll heat the water faster. Remember, I’ve never fished this lake so this is just an unproven estimation of what I’d do.

Raystown has trout in it. So I would make sure that a trout license is, or isn't required. But betting you have to have one, because of the trout.

They use to put trout in the Shenango River below the dam. But because of the pcb level getting so high, they changed to putting them in at Big Bend, before the lake. So I wanted clarification from the state of the change, and wanted clarification. If fishing and catching one, and not having a trout license, in the lake, you can't keep them, unless having the trout stamp.

Chaunc caught one last year in the lake, and released it. If he hadn't, and they had checked his catch, would have been fined.

we normally go to our camp in Sinnemahoning the first day of trout more for being at camp than trout fishing, when I take the boat we fish for perch and blue gill. if not bank fish for trout and BS. Even though I don't fish for trout I buy the license. Had a deputy tell me once I couldn't fish that lake in the extended season if I didn't have the trout stamp. Didn't make any sense to me but not worth the hassle so I just buy the license.