Lower lake

[Spider1]

made it up to Promised land lower lake and paddled around a bit. Early morning and the fog was hanging over the water and the eagles were flying around getting ready for a trout breakfast.



it's hard to make them out, a cheap cell phone camera and a hundred yards or so equals a black dot in the trees to the left of the channel.


I ended up anchoring in the middle and trying a few different baits and lures. The Phoebe kept getting short hits but the power bait on the bottom got me some 'bow.



I ended up with 3 of them. The trout were launching themselves all day. I tried to see what they were after but couldn't see anything until later in the day. There was some white fly coming off the surface in the afternoon, the trout were after the emergers and launching themselves to get them before they hit the surface. I tried a few dries but they didn't want them once they got above the surface and I didn't have any nymphs with me. I bet a gold-ribbed hairs ear woulda done it. Let it sink then strip it up in short strips like a nymph heading to the surface. I gotta put a couple in the box for the next time... hopefully this week some time.

[HenryDavid]

Nice pics, you anchored in the middle of the channel ?  I've been through there on my toon but every time it was windy.  I've seen a few variety of caddis lately, one had powdery colored wings, looked almost white from a distance.

[Spider1]

no, I was in the middle of the lake, a little off to the left. I've never gone through the channel. been on the other side and never saw anything that special but I'm gonna paddle through there this year just cuz I can    I met a guy there while I was fishing. He said the week before he caught a nice small mouth and a musky??? I don't think I was buying it. I caught a plenty of large mouth in there and plenty of pickerel too. smallies and muskies??? I think he was smokin something better than I was, lol!

[HenryDavid]

So you were on the Lower end, dam side.  I never launched from there, only the upper (lower lake) side on the Bear Wallow access where the cabins are.  I've gotten nice pannies right off the weed beds.  I had heard of musky in the lower lake and thought I had seen one once while I was exploring the creek channel between upper and lower lakes.

Now when ice fishing I've only fished the upper end a couple times and couldn't find much open water, it was all choked with weeds.

Last time I fished it in open water the upper side had an area that had signs posted for Eagle nesting area, you were not allowed to take your boat in there, it was really shallow and choked with weeds anyway.  I always figured that would make a perfect spot to dump a body if ever need be.  There were nice lily pads off of the right side of the upper boat launch, caught bass and thick pannies on poppers.  I've caught smallies and good sized pickerels in the channel.

I'd like to get up there this bass season, and Peck's Pond before they drain it.

[Spider1]

I was on the upper section of the lower lake a couple times and found the same thing. Weeds. I ice fished it once and I had thick, heavy weeds right to the bottom of the hole. So there are smallies in there??? I'm gonna make it a point to target them there just so I can say I did, and musky too. The shallow weedy area would be perfect for them I guess. I know that at sundown, the crappie make a circuit through the lower section of the lake coming from the channel. I wonder if they spend the day under the weeds and come through the channel in the evening to feed. Thanks for the info, I'm gonna make the channel and upper section a target area this year.

[HenryDavid]

Maybe we can meet up or get a small group together for a little outing.  I've caught very nice Calicos on the shallow end but only one or 2, could never get into a school.  Have you ever fished Egypt Meadow or Bruce Lakes ?

[Spider1]

the crappie in the lower lake move in a school, but they move fast. During the ice season, that means a lot of hole hoping and trying to stay ahead of them. On soft water, you hook one or 2 and then they are gone. You can't keep up with them. Not like the upper lake. If you get into crappies they may hang around an area for 10 or 5 minutes before moving on.

Any time you want to hit Promised land just let me know. It's close so if the Mrs doesn't have plans for me that I can't weasle out of, I can be there in a flash. Speaking of flash, he would show up too... that is, if he ain't a no-show, lol! Chez is good for it I bet.

I've never taken the walk to Egypt Meadow or Bruce lake. I hear from you guys that they are good lakes. Can you fish them from shore or do you need hip boots? What's in there?

[chez]

ID BE IN ON A YAK TRIP TO THE PROMISED LAND.
I still didn't get my LAUNCH PERMITT,,I BETTER GET IT DONE

[Spider1]

I told ya he'd be good for it

You can get your LP at the office by the lower lake. I don't recall what their hours are but I do know they ain't open on weekends.

[HenryDavid]

Chez, Frances Slocum office has Launch Permits also, if you're not in a hurry you can get one online.  A trip up to that region is definitely in the books for me.  I could probably camp at Promised Land and spend days fishing Pecks, Egypt Meadow, Bruce and both upper and lower lakes. 

Spider, both hike in lakes are fish able from shore but Bruce has very limited shoreline.  The shore is pretty brushy and there's only a couple openings.  I'd say Egypt Meadow has more clear shoreline but being a back woods lake it's still mostly brush.   I wouldn't count on much wading cuz the bottom is soft in Egypt Meadow and the shores on Bruce drop off deep and quick.  A belly boat or something you can hike, bike or roll in is definitely worth the effort.

I've floated them both and I'd say I prefer Egypt Meadow only because of the many small coves and protection from the wind, a much shorter hike in also.  Bruce is a bigger lake and even on calm days it can still be windy and a rougher ride.  I was on the far end one summer day when a nasty storm was moving in fast.  I paddled back like a muther and took out, packed up and was heading back out the trail and ran into a gent and his dog, he say "Afraid of the rain?,  this will pass over quickly"  and before I got 1/2 way out the sun came back    The sky looks closer up there, so stormy skies look more threatening I guess.  If you're on Egypt Meadow on any part of the lake you're not far from the shoreline.

Everyone knows they drained Egypt Meadow a few years ago and I haven't been back there since the drain.  I used to get very nice calicos, bass and panfish, typical Pocono Lake variety along with the pickerel.  Bruce has nice largemouth (never caught a smallie but I was told they are in there, musky as well).  I've got a lot of smaller perch in Bruce, like most perch lakes there are some really nice ones if you can find them.  The panfish are good sized as well.  I was on Bruce one time after dark and the bass were getting pretty active.  I had several misses and finally hooked into a nice pig largemouth.  It was a little intimidating floating out there at night but I definitely want to try that again.  Loads of lily pads, not accessible without floating it.

[Spider1]

I have wheels for my kayak, I can get it back there pretty easily. heck, that's what the wheels are for. I might have to give it a try this Sunday if it doesn't rain. I wouldn't wanna do it right now during the week or on saturday and take the chance of messing up some guys turkey hunt. Not to mention the fact that a guy walking in the woods dragging a 12' kayak might look like a turkey to some guys

[chez]

I have wheels for my kayak, I can get it back there pretty easily. heck, that's what the wheels are for. I might have to give it a try this Sunday if it doesn't rain. I wouldn't wanna do it right now during the week or on saturday and take the chance of messing up some guys turkey hunt. Not to mention the fact that a guy walking in the woods dragging a 12' kayak might look like a turkey to some guys

YOU BETTER PLANT YOUR BUTT HOME SUNDAY..
ITS MOTHERS DAT.LOL

[Spider1]

lol, been married a long time... she would consider me going fishing for the day as a present!!! LOL! But you might have a point... I'll have to go in the afternoon after I get her good an fed up with me, LMAO!!! Hell, by the time I'm done, she'll prolly tell me to go fishing!    oh yeah, I'm gooood

[chez]

lol, been married a long time... she would consider me going fishing for the day as a present!!! LOL! But you might have a point... I'll have to go in the afternoon after I get her good an fed up with me, LMAO!!! Hell, by the time I'm done, she'll prolly tell me to go fishing!    oh yeah, I'm gooood

LOL,,,YOU GOT IT MADE BRO...........

[HenryDavid]

Spider, there are 2 trail heads leading back to Egpyt Meadow.  The 1st one is closer and was done over since I was on it, back then it wasn't much of a trail, especially not for hauling anything.  The 2nd more popular trail is Bruce Lake Road more like a dirt road than any trail.  It gets a reasonable amount of use by hikers and used to be used by bicycles.  Since I was back there (excluding 1 trip) they had changed regulations stating that bicycles were no longer allowed on the trails.  That one occasion I ignored the posting and within a couple minutes saw a DCNR truck coming back out    I expected to be sited but instead they just continued on, they had a canoe in the back of the pickup, so maybe they didn't want to tell me I couldn't have a bike back there while they were transporting someone else's canoe, I never found out.

The one time I took the upper trail in I backpacked my pontoon.  I had the curved foot rests sticking up out of the pack and was dressed pretty much in tan.  I ran into an archer who was on his way out, he said do you know what season this is?  I was dumbfounded, he said I could've easily been mistaken for a deer    since then I wear blaze orange during hunting season.  But on Bruce Lake Road I doubt you'd have any problems, many people walk that trail every day.

If they no longer allow bikes I would either have to rig a wheelie system for my pontoon or get a belly boat.  I don't think I have it in me to backpack the pontoon again, it was a major struggle.  I have a bike and trailer that fits an ample amount of gear. 

The 1st trail in to  the north shore of Egypt Meadow is probably just a tad more than 1/4 mile in.  The Bruce Lake Road (trail) is about 3/4 of a mile to the other end of Egypt Meadow where you cross a bridge.  It is at least another mile to Bruce Lake including a modest incline. 

Here's an older photo of the bridge on Bruce Lake Road, dam work has probably changed it or maybe it's not even there anymore.


If I find any more pics I will put them up.