Old favorites and rejuvenated waters combine to produce some excellent springtime bassin' on eastern Pennsylvania's warmwater lakes. Though the location of these east state waters certainly has not changed, nor have any new lakes been added, population trends, water quality and even the opening and closing of some impoundments makes for a changing scene in bass fishing, and the constant revision of any top-lake list.

For instance, one eastern favorite, Leaser Lake in Lehigh County, is now effectively shut down due to dam repairs, while another lake, Gouldsboro Lake in Monroe County, recently reopened when its dam repairs were completed.

Spring is truly a hot time for bass on most Eastern Region waters. While it's certainly worth fishing lakes with reliable reputations, why not put some less familiar or slightly forgotten waters on your list this season?

The following are sure to satisfy the most discriminating bass angler this spring:

MAUCH CHUNK LAKE
This year, there should be more bass in Mauch Chunk Lake than there normally is. That's because the 330-acre lake in Carbon County has received some of the fish salvaged from shrunken Leaser Lake, which was drawn down for dam repairs.

Last November, Mauch Chunk was stocked with a number of species from Leaser Lake, but it is unknown how many of them were bass. Even if only baitfish were transferred, that will have a positive effect on Mauch Chunk's bass.

In recent years, Mauch Chunk has come on as a fine bass fishery in the Northeast Region. Anglers speak of being increasing satisfied with their bass outings on this lake. Of course, spring is a key time for good fishing.

As temperatures increase, the western end of the impoundment is the first to heat up, in terms of water temperature and bass strikes. The western end is generally the shallowest area of the lake -- on the opposite end from Mauch Chunk's earthen dam. A wide, meandering channel snakes its way through the upper end, and on both sides of the channel are wide flats. As the early weeds reach toward the surface, the shallow flats will be active.

Another good area on the upper end is the large cove east of Boat Launch B.

Mauch Chunk Lake is part of a Carbon County municipal park, so access is excellent. The impoundment is on the Lentz Trail Highway west of Jim Thorpe.

For more information, call the park office at (570) 325-3669.

GOULDSBORO LAKE
After being shut down for some three years while its spillway was repaired, Gouldsboro Lake in Monroe and Wayne counties is now open and promising some hot spring fishing. Plus, with renewed bass stockings, there should be more good angling to come.

No one knew how long it would take to refill the 250-acre lake that lies in the central Pocono Mountains, but apparently, it took less time than expected. (It cost $861,000 to repair the dam.)

Last fall, the lake appeared to be at full pool. There were no bare spots in its upper reaches away from the dam. The state park received notification from the state Department of Environmental Protection and began withholding water to fill the lake last January. It was not long after that fishermen began swarming in.

All this is making Ted Van Buskirk, who operates the boat concession at Gouldsboro State Park, pretty happy.

"Weekends have been real busy," Van Buskirk said, sitting comfortably under an extended tarp by a line of waiting boats. "But there is plenty of room on weekdays."