^Tn^Z^Ei*] - Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission

Lakes of North-East Pennsylvania
"The Big Drink"
Wallenpaupack has been my summer vacation
spot for the past twenty-two years.
I have fished it in every cove and have
had some mighty good fishing. As I look
back over these many years I must confess
that the big lake still possesses some mighty
big fish even though it is fished as heavily
as any lake in our grand Commonwealth.
Brown trout, bass, pike, pickerel, calico
bass, rock bass, sunfish, perch and catfish
together with the carp make this wide expanse
of water their home. The variety
certainly has produced some excellent fishing
and the Big Drink is still the mecca for
thousands of fishermen.
I was present at the big lake when it
was first opened to fishing and I cannot
forget the fine pickerel which we caught
from the shore on spoons, plugs and just
the ordinary angle worm. Of course such
fishing cannot continue forever and it has
slowed up since then. There were no boats
on the lake on the opening day except those
used by the wardens and the shores of this
gigantic lake were lined with anglers from
all parts of the state. Lake Wallenpaupack
has an estimated circumference of 57 miles.
Situated in Wayne County, high atop the
grandiose Poconos, glimpses of its limpid
blueness can be discerned from the highways.
But as soon as you come to its rugged
shore line the view of its wide expanse of
water is breath taking. It is a man made
lake which covers untold acres of farm land,
deep valleys and trees; some stumps which
still can be seen in water that varies in
depth depending upon the pumps which
carry the water to the generating plants of
the Penn Power and Light Company, located
nearby.
In the spring this lake is fed by many
creeks which disgorge the melted snow into
the parent body. At this time the lake becomes
extremely high and its waters back
into the woodlands surrounding it. In the
late summer and fall the opposite is true
and the lake reaches a very low level,
especially if the rainfall is light. Near the
Wilson Dam buoys are strung across a section
not far away from the giant ramp.
Past these buoys you cannot fish. I have
looked into the deep water near the retaining
wall of the Wilson Dam and I have
seen fish as long as some caught in Canada
swimming lazily near the screens lined
against the giant pipe-line which extends
under the highway, nearby. This section of
the lake is extremely deep and produced
very good pike until it was closed off for
propagation purposes and during the recent
war, for security reasons.
This lake is a well known summer resort
and is catering to vacationists from as far
off as Florida. Many thousands of people
from New York and Jersey come here year
after year. Cottages are springing up all
around and lots are expensive even though
located at great distances from the lake.
From early in June until bass seasons end
in November hundreds of campers stay in
24
By Joseph A. Yanchik
their tents unmindful of the cold nights as
the season, wears away. Of course these
campers have their luxuries such as electric
lights and running water. Many trailers are
also parked in the fields surrounding the
lake. At night the strumming of guitars at
the public camping places fills the air with
harmony while here and there huge bon
fires cast their red glow against the trees.
Here and there the "put put" of a motor boat
is heard as it plows through the still waters.
Many lights blink from the boats of fishermen
who fish this lake far into the night.
Some of the outstanding places to visit at
this lake are The White Beauty View and
the Tafton House near the Wilson Dam.
Then, of course, there is the Public Camping
spot at Wilsonville and Seeley's Landing.
There are numerous landings where parking
and tenting is permitted. There is one
unforgettable feature about Lake Wallenpaupack
and that is the beauty of its sunsets.
Artists looking for inspiration need not
go further than the Big Drink. It has fish,
facilities for swimming and boating and its
scenic wonders are beyond comparison.
Truly, this lake's magnificence is unparalleled
I have had some surprises on this lake.
I never believed the story that a fish would
leap into your boat unexpectedly until one
night when fly fishing I was floating quietly
in a shallow cove filled with weeds and
stumps when a huge pickerel leaped into my
boat and hit my ankle with a thud. I still
have the marks to show from that impact.
Now I believe a fisherman when he tells
me that a fish jumped into his boat. And I
recall the day when I heard a splash near
a stump and upon investigation found a
large pickerel with a pretty large perch in
its jaws stuck under the root of the stump.
It was unable to back out of its predicament
on account of its dorsal fin and I collected
both fish very easily. Or the time when I
observed a mother duck and her little brood
near a stump teaching her young ideas on
how to dive and how the little ones swam
atop her back like planes on a flat top. As
usual my camera was not with me and I lost
another of nature's tin types. I also recall
the day when an otter showed me how poor
a fisherman I was. This, sleek, black fellow
would slide from a short stump into the
water and would crawl back with a perch in
his mouth which he gobbled up bones and
all. That was the only otter I have ever
seen at the big lake and he had a fishing
technique of his own. These are the pleasantries
I have experienced here by the Big
Drink is very treacherous during a storm.
Take it from me, Mr. Angler, whenever you
see cumulus-stratus clouds on the horizon of
the lake, pull up your anchor and scram for
shore. This lake becomes a raging, whitecapped
monster whose waves will upset your
boat or pound it to pieces against the rocks
on the shore. Last summer this writer's row
boat was unceremoniously tossed upon a
slanting rock and before I could get it off
of its precarious perch I and my equipment
was baled out into about five foot of W at ^
I was lucky that I was near the shore. **fL
ger lurks in the big waves on the Big P r)J1 j
The only complaint that I have ^ t
about Wallenpaupack is that there *5
numerous carp in its murky depth. To tf
1 can subscribe as I have seen these B
fellows scooping up various food along %
shore lines. However, if you should h°
one of these babies you better know bo*
•0$
to handle a fly-rod and make sure that T
line and leader are in good condition. SUJ
fresh water carp are good eating maybe
will make for good sport in the future.
The surrounding mountains frame the l a
with a color of fresh green in the surn^ 1
and myriad colors in the fall. You will ^
Lake Wallenpaupack, not only for its re cr ,
ational facilities such as steamer rides ^v
its excellent fishing but also for its *"
altitude where health abounds. Give ll
try sometime and you will thank the P eI Xe
sylvania Fish Commissioner for one of
best fishermen's paradises in Pennsylv 311 .
The roads surrounding it are in exceU^
condition and you can't go wrong when 1
go to Wallenpaupack.
Cummings Pond
This is a small lake not far from OraJJjC
Penna. It is state stocked and is grad" a *
making a come back. It covers about tw el \j,
five acres of land and its average deJL
isn't over ten feet in its deepest part. *• „
is a very muddy lake as you will ^ *
when you try to lift your anchor. B~Le
and gooey it sticks to you like clay. On .
left of Fanti's boat site are many stretch (
of lily pads which extend around that V
of the lake and grow thicker toward
right shore line of the lake. Some Dea ut
tiful bass and pickerel have been lifted
of these pads. Catfish, sunfish and perch ,
much smaller. Carp, also, inhabit the ^ a ' j
and they are fine sport on a fly rod
light line. ,
This lake's ownership is being c ' a 0t
by two families although the lake is
divided by means of floating logs as is j
case of Perrin's Marsh which is descr jB
i
in another article. Boats can be refl
from both parties at a dollar for the
There is no limit as to the number who ,
the boat for the buck. The deepest P ar
the lake is to the right of Fanti's Ian 1 M
Ice"
tb e
There I have seen some fine bass **
on plugs. This is a grand place to take
kids. There is a covered fire place for c ° s,
ing, picnic benches and fine groves of " gi
I consider it a good spot for a lot of sU D "VJg
fun and pretty moderate fishing. ** jy
close to many towns it is fished inten e
and extensively. From the time the
melts on it until the snow flies again, ~Jjjj
mings is a busy pond. This pond is ".jy
most of the time on account of its B° M$
bottom. I have seen catfish caught here y
had a distinctive yellow color, particuJ e
around the belly. This, I presume, is
to the yellow lily pads which seem to x
crete the yellow color that I have not .^
on the lake. The sunfish are
whitis» ,
color and are small. However, if you .^
the Missus or Junior to get a lot of aC
then take them to this fine pond.
PENNSYLVANIA ANG^ t'