Every now and then a guest pulls in with a rod and an expectant look. They want to know: is this worth a morning, or should I just paddle? The honest answer: it’s worth the morning. This is a lake where kids catch fish on their first cast, and adults with the right setup catch good ones.
Shehawken Lake is small by most lake-fishing standards — 54 acres, spring-fed, shallow at the south end and deeper along the west shore where it drops to about 20 feet. What it lacks in size it makes up for in biomass. Because only electric motors are permitted, the water stays calm and pressure stays low. The bass don’t get hammered the way they do on bigger, louder lakes.
If you’re staying at the cabin and thinking about bringing tackle, this post is for you. If you’re researching Shehawken before booking, consider this proof that the fishing is real.
What you’ll actually catch.
Three species do most of the work on Shehawken:
Largemouth bass
The headline fish. Most bass are in the 12–16 inch range, but 4-pound-plus fish are caught regularly. They hold against the weed beds on the east and south shores, and under the overhanging trees along the west shore. On calm mornings they’ll cruise the shallows feeding on anything that moves.
Best results: topwater early and late in the day (frogs, small poppers), and soft plastics mid-day (Senkos in watermelon or green pumpkin, rigged wacky-style, work beautifully). The dock itself holds bass in the early morning — I’ve watched guests pull fish from the shade of the gazebo before breakfast.
Yellow perch
The steady producer. Perch are in the 6–10 inch range, schooling, and they’ll hit almost anything. Small jigs tipped with a worm. Live minnows under a bobber. Tiny inline spinners. If you have a kid with you and you want to make sure they catch fish, this is the species to target. Fish the drop-offs along the west shore in 8–15 feet of water.
Chain pickerel
The surprise. Pickerel in this lake run 14–20 inches, and they hit hard. They hold in the shallow weed beds and ambush anything that swims past. A small spinnerbait or an inline spinner fished through the weeds will get you hits. Use a wire leader — pickerel have teeth and they will cut light mono.
Guests have reported occasional bluegill, pumpkinseed, and bullhead catches, especially around the dock in summer. The lake is not stocked with trout, so don’t waste a morning throwing spoons expecting browns. Trout water is 20 minutes away on the West Branch Delaware.
Where to cast, spot by spot.
Off the cabin’s private dock
Underrated. The dock sits over 5–8 feet of water and there’s structure underneath from the pilings. Bass hold there in the morning and evening. Perch school under the dock all day in summer. If you’re here with kids and a short attention span, the dock is the highest-value fishing spot simply because it’s always accessible.
The east shore weed bed
Row out about 200 yards from the dock and you’ll see a shallow weed bed. This is pickerel territory. Cast parallel to the weed line with a spinnerbait or a weedless frog. Bass also hold here — especially at the edges where the weeds meet deeper water.
The west shore drop-off
Deeper water against the west shore, where the bank drops quickly to 15–20 feet. This is where perch school mid-summer when the shallows heat up. Fish vertical with small jigs or drop-shot rigs. Bass also stage here before moving shallow at dawn and dusk.
The south end shallows
Very shallow, stained water, lots of lily pads. Topwater country in summer. A small frog lure worked slowly across the pads will produce explosive strikes. Patience helps. Don’t overwork the lure — let it sit, twitch, sit, twitch.
Gear: what to bring, what to leave.
You don’t need much. If you’re driving from the city, here’s the minimum kit:
- One medium-action spinning rod, 6’6” or 7’, spooled with 10-pound mono or 20-pound braid with a fluoro leader
- A small box of lures: a pack of 4” Senko-style worms (watermelon, green pumpkin), 2–3 inline spinners (Mepps 2 or 3), one small topwater popper, one weedless frog, a few jig heads 1/8 oz with small soft-plastic trailers
- Hooks and a bobber if you plan to use live bait with kids
- A wire leader for pickerel
- Pennsylvania fishing license — required for anyone 16+. Buy online in 5 minutes at pa.gov
What you don’t need: a boat, a depth finder, expensive flipping sticks. Shehawken is a small lake you can fish entirely from the dock, the row boat (included at the cabin), or by wading the south shallows.
Seasonal patterns, honestly.
Spring (April–early June)
Bass move into the shallows to spawn when water temps hit the mid-60s — usually mid-to-late May. Pre-spawn is the single best time to catch a big bass on this lake. Pickerel are aggressive from ice-out onward. Perch are schooled up and easy.
Summer (June–August)
Early mornings and late evenings are the window. Mid-day heat pushes bass deep or under heavy cover. Topwater at 6am is hard to beat. Perch fishing stays steady all day in deeper water. Bring bug spray — mosquitoes can be real in July along the weeds.
Fall (September–October)
Arguably the best season that nobody knows about. Bass feed heavily before winter. Pickerel are at their most aggressive. Water temps drop, fish go on the move. If you can only come once, come in October.
Winter (December–March)
Ice fishing in sustained cold winters. Perch through the ice with tiny jigs and waxworms. Pickerel hit tip-ups. Check ice thickness carefully — spring-fed lakes can have thin spots even when the shore looks solid.
Rules, etiquette, and the one thing that’ll get you in trouble.
Shehawken is a private lake with shared etiquette among the cottages. A few things to know:
- Electric motors only. No gas motors, no jet skis. Enforce it by just not bringing one.
- PA fishing license required for anyone 16 and up. No exceptions, no “it’s a private lake” loophole.
- Catch and release is encouraged but not required. Respectful guests keep a perch or two for a shore lunch and release the rest. Bass are almost always released.
- Don’t fish in front of occupied cottages. Every cottage on this lake has a dock, and dock-front water is considered that property’s fishing space. Give neighbors 50 feet of clearance.
- Pack out what you pack in. The lake is this clean because everyone keeps it that way.
The one thing that actually gets guests in trouble: live bait restrictions. Pennsylvania has rules about what live bait can be moved between watersheds. Buying minnows at a PA tackle shop is fine. Bringing New York baitfish across the state line is not. If you’re unsure, stick with artificials.
A final note for the parents.
The most memorable fishing on this lake is almost always a kid’s first catch. One recent guest’s review mentioned their 7-year-old caught bass, yellow perch, and pickerel during the stay. That wasn’t luck. The dock is genuinely stacked with fish that will hit a worm on a bobber.
Bring cheap gear. Don’t over-coach. Let them cast into the weeds and get a hook stuck occasionally. The slow rhythm of dock fishing at sunset is one of the things the cabin does best, and you’ll talk about it in the car ride home.