Raystown lake this Sat. 2024

mikesjet reply :

Hello,

As in my earlier intro post I stated I am going to Raystown this Sat. Can't wait I have only been a couple time this year and have learned alot but def. did not master any part of that lake. The learning curve seems to be huge for that place. Crystal clear water, deep and there was a heck of a lot of boat traffic earlier in the summer. Traffic has dissipated and fishing is more pleasant. I am armed for anything this time, Gitzits, other tubes, sencos, cranks, spinnerbaits, I have a good selection of most of the groups of lures. Hope to do well but if anything it is still better than sitting on my butt at home.

Mike

YakAttack reply :

Good luck, keep us posted on your results. I was thinking of going there too this morning, but decided not to with the weather and just getting over the flu.

mikesjet reply :

Did ok for me today. Got there around 1pm and fished until 5pm. I landed one smallmouth and one largemouth. Both on a silver and black skitter pop. One very curious thing that I did see was, two smallmouth about 15" floating. One was still barely alive and the other dead, but both had alot of the same characteristics one side almost paralyzed and bloated. Nice day though, I didn't start fishing a slider until 4 but didn't really get into it. Still learning that new baitcaster.

Mike

DoNKeYMEAT reply :

Myself and a few friends are going down in late October for a week... I'll let ya know what we learn incase you plan on getting out late in the season... We will probably be putting in at 7 Points Marina most of the week... This will be the first time there for most of us, so any more info you can provide will be helpful...

mikesjet reply :

Well, there is a large rock point straight out from the marina water is right around 40feet off of it and the wind usually slams into it and there is bait clouds around it. I do know of another large cove down toward the dam that has some downed trees and it goes from about 2 feet at shore to 20feet deep at the tree tops. I have no where near unlocked this lake.

Mike

YakAttack reply :

Glad you had better luck out there than we had at Raystown this morning.

We got there at 530 and it was like we were in the middle of a t-storm for about 3 hrs. It rained so bad, that my buddies biliage pumps kicked on a couple times by the float that triggers them. Wind was blowing about 25mph too.

We fished till about 11 and only managed a couple bites on topwater. Didnt hook up or land any. Guess the storm had them shut off.

mikesjet reply :

I am addicted now, gotta go again!!! I am taking off Tuesday and heading up there again for a day of fishing by me self. I know I am gonna be sore in the evening lol. I am gonna hit that lake hard.

YakAttack reply :

Good luck and be careful there tomorrow. There calling for pretty nasty weather.

DoNKeYMEAT reply :

Quote
Good luck and be careful there tomorrow. There calling for pretty nasty weather.

The whole state has been getting whacked pretty good the past few days... Fishing in bad weather is fun though... Not only is it a challenge but it keeps you on your toes...

I was vertical jigging for lake trout this past spring up on Seneca Lake(NY) with a friend and the waves were 2-3 feet... The waves were crashing over the bow if I didn't use my electric motor to ride up them... We must have caught 20-25 fish in just a few hours, one of my best days ever...

mikesjet reply :

Got on the lake at 12:30pm and fished til 5pm. Landed two smaller ones around 1.5lbs and one under a pound. Missed alot and woke up a few big lunkers in some flooded trees. Everything on that same silver and black skitter pop. I did chase striper for like an hour when they were smashing into schools of bait on the surface. No luck always too late lol. Water temp on the surface was 70deg. F

YakAttack reply :

Sounds like you had a decent day anyway.

Are you fishing around 7 points?

mikesjet reply :

I usually launch at James Creek and fish in the coves there or just across by Trough Creek.

YakAttack reply :

I usually fish the other end, I launch out of Snyders Run, and usually fish the back water there.

SPEEDBEAD. reply :

I dont have a boat big enough for Raystown, no gas motor. When I was growing up, parents had a "pleasure" boat up there. Never did any fishing. I have only fished it a couple of times, nothing too big.

More than willing to put gas in your boats if you are looking for a tag along....

YakAttack reply :

Speedbead,

My boat isnt huge either, I have to stick to the coves and no-wake zones but your more than welcome to come along whenever.

I have a 1448 Lowe Jon with a 9.9. I do venture out into the main lake at times, depending on conditions and traffic. No need for gas money or anything. Right now the water pump is out on my motor, so its trolling motor only for me right now. I managed a 3# down there yesterday.

SPEEDBEAD. reply :

Nice. Where are you located?

YakAttack reply :

Altoona, about 30mins west of Raystown.

mikesjet reply :

I will let you know next time I am going, I will be coming from the eastern part of PA. I live near carlisle. 16' spectrum with a 60hp jet, the motor might be bigger than yours but I still get blow out of the water from the skiers, scoundrels!!!.

SPEEDBEAD. reply :

Where at around Carlisle? I live in Fayetteville and work in Chambersburg.

mikesjet reply :

Newville

SPEEDBEAD. reply :

Good deal, straight shot up 81 from here...

DoNKeYMEAT reply :

If anyone is interested in meeting up the week of Oct. 20th I will be down Raystown with a few friends... I know one of the days we will be going out on a charter and anyone is welcome to join us...

mikesjet reply :

Hey,

I am heading to Raystown again this Sat. with my father in law. Cant wait I now have my registration issue straightened out and I good to go for two years.

Can anyone tell me about blue marsh lake in PA? I see that they do not have a HP limit just a speed limit. I'm want to go there but I know nothing of the fishing.

Mike

mikesjet reply :

We had a pretty good time. Caught a few but there were definitely more fishermen that expected. I got one nice one around 2.5 lbs., got it on a zara spool jr. It came up from about 15ft. of water around some fallen trees. Funniest things is that when it came up with a large spook in its mouth a four inch bluegill fell out of its mouth and swam away. I am gonna get there again I hope this week or weekend coming.

Mike

YakAttack reply :

Sounds like your falling in love with that place.....lol

I havent been down for a couple weeks. I would like to hit it once or twice more before winter sets in.

DoNKeYMEAT reply :

Quote
We had a pretty good time. Caught a few but there were definitely more fishermen that expected. I got one nice one around 2.5 lbs., got it on a zara spool jr. It came up from about 15ft. of water around some fallen trees. Funniest things is that when it came up with a large spook in its mouth a four inch bluegill fell out of its mouth and swam away. I am gonna get there again I hope this week or weekend coming.
Mike

Well keep us up to date... And good luck....

mikesjet reply :

Thanks and I def. will keep youn'z posted.

paangler3117 reply :

Raystown can be pretty tough in the fall for me. I have been catching them scattered on wood. 2 feet to 20 feet. There is SO much bait in that lake, fall bass seem to scatter everywhere! We have been getting them on steep rock ledges into the channel too. I usually launch out of shy beaver. The lake is a lot different above the bridge. Almost like two different lakes. Upper end is shallower and water clarity is always a little less. She gets real clear and deep from jamescreek down!

Good luck guys, Jim

DDH reply :

this is my lake! STAY OFF!! haha

last weekend and this past week. i have caught 4 fish over 5 lbs...and numerous smaller ones.

this lake is nothing like any other lake in the country.. have fun trying to figure it out.. its very hard..

Ill be out sat (pre fishing) then have a tournament sunday out of 7 points launch.

paangler3117 reply :

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.. have fun trying to figure it out.. its very hard..

thats what makes it fun!

jim

DDH reply :

yea.. i agree.. this year i have just started fishing my strengths and not fish so much "by the boooks" and it has paid off... tremendously!!

this lake is so different than any lake in the country.... so the books dont even matter n e way.. i concentrate my fishing on the dirtier water.. which is from James Creek up..

mikesjet reply :

Thank you for the tips, even if you didn't to do it. LOL I will have to try above the 944 bridge next time. This is the first year I have fished the lake and I am not upset with what I have done so far, never been skunked but never any really nice ones. Best so far was a 19in. largemouth.

Mike

DDH reply :

if your out there this weekend, or anytime.. look for me.. i have a 201 stratos pro xl... w/ a 250 VMax.. im one of the only boats out there w/ a 250...

ME:

My Boat:

Say Hi, if you see me out there..

DDH reply :

here are our 2 biggest fish in a tourny 2 weekends ago... the biggest (left) went 5.53 and the other was over 4.

DDH reply :

the 5.53 (left, if looking that the pic) My buddy in the pics is the one who caught both of them.. the 5.53 is his Personal Best.. it was awesome to watch him and be there to see his reaction..

DoNKeYMEAT reply :

Here is the update from my trip.... We got out fishing 3 out of 4 days... We didn't go out on Tuesday the 21st because it was supposed to be bad weather...

Monday the 20th we were fishing out of 7 Points, didn't do much all morning... We finesse jigged some ledges in the morning and threw everything at the weed beds directly across and north of 7 Points... Nothing... Most of midday and early afternoon was spent vertical jigging for lake trout but no luck... Around 3:30 we hit the point around marker 6... There are weed beds and it is realtively shallow there... 3 fish were caught there before the area went silent... 2 on a popper and 1 on a white and chartreuse spinner slowly reeled over the weed tops... Smallest was 16" and caught on spinner... The ones taken on the popper were 20" and 22".... The key to fishing this spot was to avoid the super shallows, and focus on fishing the areas that are about 5-12 ft deep... Stay off in the deeper water 15-30ft and attack everything in front of you....

DoNKeYMEAT reply :

Wednesday the 22nd we launched out of Snyders Run... Not much to say about this entire day... We threw everything at them and didn't see much action... Couple hits here and there but nothing took... Fished till about noon, then when we decided to troll while we ate lunch and relaxed...

Once again fish came in the afternoon...

We caught several smallies on Spooks and on a Rainbow Trout colored Husky Jerk... We were directly at the point where the #2 marker is... Biggest fish of the day was caught on the east shore near susquehannok on a bluegill colored Fat Rap... There are some weeds and rocks over there that we fished with little luck but I did manage to get a good smallie about 19"...

DoNKeYMEAT reply :

Thursday the 23rd sucked... Don't know if it was the cold front moving in or what but we got skunked.... Nothing, nada, zilch... Launched at 7 Points and we hopped from shallow point to shallow point back and forth all morning all the way down to the lower lake... We tried topwater, texas rigging, jigging the ledges of points, spinners, deep cranks, wacky style.... Nothing worked... We talk to a few other people throughout the day and no luck for them either.... The lodged we stayed at was run by a guide and apparently he didn't have any luck either that day(told to me by wife on friday)...

All in all I think we did pretty good going on to a new lake completely blind and I can't wait to do it again next year... A few of us are already planning on going back during the spring....

We stayed at a great lodge called 7 Points Lodge, which was great... Plenty of parking for boats and outdoor power hookups... Clean, well stocked, and very close to the water... About 4 miles to the launch at 7 Points, and it seemed closer then that... The gentleman that has the lodge is also a Striper Guide and from what I've read on striper sites, he's one of the best at the lake... Didn't get a chance to try him out but will next year....

Here is some further info:

http://www.7pointslodge.com

http://www.striper-guide.com/mainpageIE.htm

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Raystown lake this Sat. 2024

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