HARVEYS LAKE
Robert Moase, Area 4 fisheries manager, rounds out our list with his top choice of a good July trout lake within his management area.

Harveys Lake is eastern Pennsylvania's largest natural lake at 658 acres. It is owned and managed by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.

This body of water falls under the Fish and Boat Commission's Miscellaneous Waters with Special Regulations category. On Harveys Lake, the daily limit on trout is three fish. Only one trout over 18 inches in length may be harvested. The season on this lake runs from 8 a.m. on the opening day of trout season through March 31. This lake receives both winter stockings and in-season stockings, plus 4,300 adult brown trout were released in a pre-season stocking. Some big brown trout swim within its confines.

Located in Luzerne County, the lake is northwest of Wilkes-Barre off state Route 415. Route 415 may be accessed off Route 309 north from the city of Wilkes-Barre.

This lake allows unlimited horsepower motors, large parking lots and paved launch facilities.

If there is one common thread that ties all these lakes together, it is their locations. All are off the beaten path in scenic landscapes between large mountains, and the thick, surrounding forest cover helps protect their cool water status. Many of these lakes are found in state parks or on Pennsylvania game lands or Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission-managed regions.

They are also bodies of water with significant depth, another important factor in maintaining water temperatures cold enough for trout to remain active in July.

Of course, July trout anglers must be prepared to reach that cold water with a bait or lure to enjoy any measure of success. Trolling with downriggers or drifting lures and baits within the thermocline is the established method of fishing for July trout, thus making fishing from a boat the best choice for seeking July trout. But even shoreline fishing may be successful if anglers come equipped to access the thermocline.

All area fishery managers agree that when fishing cold water in a summer lake, the focus is on points, coves, deep dropoffs, stream or river channels and spring water inflows with proper oxygen levels. All of these come into play if you are going to be successful at July trout fishing. The best tactic remains the one that enables you to know the water you are fishing from the bottom up.

So do not hesitate to visit one of these appealing summer trout hotspots. You will not have to worry about the bass-fishing crowd.

For additional information on Pennsylvania's July trout lakes, call the following Area Fishery Management offices: Area 2 at (814) 755-3890, Area 3 at (814) 359-5118, Area 4 at (570) 477-5717, Area 5 at (570) 588-6388, Area 6 at (610) 847-2442 or Area 7 at (717) 776-3170.

Or call the state headquarters of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission at the Harrisburg office at (717) 705-7800. You can also visit the Fish and Boat Commission's Web site at www.fish.state.pa.us.

To plan a trip near one of these lakes, visit the Pennsylvania Tourism Promotional Agency's' Web site at www.state.pa.us. For additional general information, contact the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) at (888) 727-2757