Raystown lake

apiazza · January 13, 2020, 04:18:34 PM

Anyone have any information or experience with this fishery that might be willing to provide? It's a little over 2 hours from me and might be a good overnight trip to camp and fish this year. I know they do tournaments on it but with just a kayak knowing locations would be helpful.

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zippyduck · January 13, 2020, 05:03:32 PM

If I was going to Raystown Lake on a yak, I would stay in Shy Beaver creek and James Creek areas.
Shy Beaver launch and Aitch launches.
Shy Beaver and James Creeks both have lots of weeds in the summer.

Water is very clear their so try flukes, jerkbaits, topwaters, and Keitech swimbaits types. Find the points and drag a jig.

apiazza · January 13, 2020, 05:38:17 PM

Quote from: zippyduck on January 13, 2020, 05:03:32 PM
If I was going to Raystown Lake on a yak, I would stay in Shy Beaver creek and James Creek areas.
Shy Beaver launch and Aitch launches.
Shy Beaver and James Creeks both have lots of weeds in the summer.

Water is very clear their so try flukes, jerkbaits, topwaters, and Keitech swimbaits types. Find the points and drag a jig.

Good info, thanks. I'll pull a topo and launch map and track down those areas.

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fishballer06 · January 13, 2020, 06:21:45 PM

I grew up on the Raystown and have done a good bit of Crappie fishing on it.

I certainly wouldn't consider it a clear lake by any means. James Creek and Aitch can be clearer than other areas, but for the most part, it's usually pretty muddy, especially in the spring time.

It gets a TON of boat traffic, so much so that it's pretty unsafe to be on the main lake after about 10am during the warmer months.

If you are in a kayak, try Shy Beaver (it's about 2 miles of no wake). Paddle out to the old road beds. You can throw deep cranks, drag a Carolina rig or football jig. You can also flip all the lay downs in there as well.

Aitch and James Creek are no wake as well, and they hold most of the bass tournaments out of there because of it. The fishing is also pretty good in there. Lots of wood and lay downs to fish. As well as some submerged bridges, houses/foundations, and long points.

apiazza · January 13, 2020, 07:00:40 PM

Quote from: fishballer06 on January 13, 2020, 06:21:45 PM
I grew up on the Raystown and have done a good bit of Crappie fishing on it.

I certainly wouldn't consider it a clear lake by any means. James Creek and Aitch can be clearer than other areas, but for the most part, it's usually pretty muddy, especially in the spring time.

It gets a TON of boat traffic, so much so that it's pretty unsafe to be on the main lake after about 10am during the warmer months.

If you are in a kayak, try Shy Beaver (it's about 2 miles of no wake). Paddle out to the old road beds. You can throw deep cranks, drag a Carolina rig or football jig. You can also flip all the lay downs in there as well.

Aitch and James Creek are no wake as well, and they hold most of the bass tournaments out of there because of it. The fishing is also pretty good in there. Lots of wood and lay downs to fish. As well as some submerged bridges, houses/foundations, and long points.

I didn't realize it had that unique of terrain. Any idea if its charted? I'm thinking of doing a sonar and one with charts is a consideration if it's worth the cost.

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fishballer06 · January 13, 2020, 07:52:13 PM

Quote from: apiazza on January 13, 2020, 07:00:40 PM
I didn't realize it had that unique of terrain. Any idea if its charted? I'm thinking of doing a sonar and one with charts is a consideration if it's worth the cost.

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Aitch was an entire town that was flooded and destroyed whenever they made the lake. There's a ton of bridges, culverts, houses, roads, trees, etc under that lake.

The old dam from whenever it was just a small river is still under the lake. Look on YouTube for divers on Lake Raystown. You'll see some of it.

This stuff is all very well documented. It's pretty neat.

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apiazza · January 13, 2020, 08:08:58 PM

Quote from: fishballer06 on January 13, 2020, 07:52:13 PM
Aitch was an entire town that was flooded and destroyed whenever they made the lake. There's a ton of bridges, culverts, houses, roads, trees, etc under that lake.

The old dam from whenever it was just a small river is still under the lake. Look on YouTube for divers on Lake Raystown. You'll see some of it.

This stuff is all very well documented. It's pretty neat.

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Lake marburg I know was part of a town that was also flooded to create the lake to feed the gladfelter paper mill but to my knowledge it's not nearly as interesting. You can find where former roads were but that's about it.

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zippyduck · January 13, 2020, 08:38:46 PM

There are sections that are standing timber that come up to 23" of water and stop. Really cool look on a sonar.

fishballer06 · January 13, 2020, 08:48:01 PM

Quote from: zippyduck on January 13, 2020, 08:38:46 PM
There are sections that are standing timber that come up to 23" of water and stop. Really cool look on a sonar.

Yeah. There's areas where it's 100' deep and there's an entire forrest underwater and the trees are still 30-40' down.

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apiazza · January 13, 2020, 08:53:20 PM

Sounds like I have some serious educating to do. I'm glad I asked. I would have overlooked it had a guy I work with not gone out there to fish a tournament back in early fall.

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bassmanstan · January 14, 2020, 08:44:43 AM

Some of my better success at raystown has come on wacky worms, let them float right down the bluff walls. You can pretty much do any technique up there. If you go up to the river end it's shallow and dirty usually. Below about mile 15 it's usually pretty clear..

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zippyduck · January 14, 2020, 12:22:23 PM

Not that all four of us are talking about the same lake. How about a meet and greet at Raystown in May.

bassmanstan · January 14, 2020, 12:25:50 PM

I'm down, but I work saturdays, I could make a Sunday afternoon, but the boat traffic would be nuts. If it could happen on a Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, or Friday, I'd definitely be in...

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fishballer06 · January 14, 2020, 12:51:06 PM

Quote from: bassmanstan on January 14, 2020, 12:25:50 PM
I'm down, but I work saturdays, I could make a Sunday afternoon, but the boat traffic would be nuts. If it could happen on a Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, or Friday, I'd definitely be in...

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Boat traffic isn't bad before Memorial day weekend.

I work M-F, so during the week is out of the picture for me.

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bassmanstan · January 14, 2020, 12:53:27 PM

Well, maybe make it a Sunday, I should be able to swing in for a few hours in the afternoon..

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apiazza · January 14, 2020, 02:11:55 PM

I should be able to make that happen. I get every other Friday off plus the weekends. How far away are you western boys?

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zippyduck · January 14, 2020, 02:49:23 PM

about two and a half hour drive to Aitch launch.

apiazza · January 14, 2020, 03:00:21 PM

Quote from: zippyduck on January 14, 2020, 02:49:23 PM
about two and a half hour drive to Aitch launch.

Ok right about the same for me.

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