Shawnee State Park fishing conditions · Pennsylvania

Tonight 7 pm to Monday 4 amWalleye

The bite peaks at 80.

Right now: 72 for walleye, worth the tripTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Walleye, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

724 pm
68
68
767 pm
76
76
7610 pm
80
80Sun
761 am
76
76
764 am
76
80
807 am
76
76
7610 am
80
80
761 pm
76
76
804 pm
80
76
767 pm
76
76
7610 pm
80
80Mon
761 am
76
76

Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Water: No reading
Wind: 16 mph
Light: Daylight
Sky: Chance Light Rain
Air: 48°F
Barometer: Steady
Moon: 5% lit

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are Pennsylvania regulations for these waters.

Walleye

Sander vitreus

80Worth the tripTonight 7 pm to Monday 4 am

Water

No water reading here right now. Walleye bite in 50–72° water, best near 62°.

Why

Walleye feeds aggressively in low light. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 10–40 ft down.

Keep

15" minimum · 6 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 15" minimum, 6 a day. Closed from Mar 15 until the first Saturday in May (May 1 in 2027).

Verified Oct 21, 2026 · Pennsylvania

Last checked 17 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Mar–May, Oct–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on walleye

Largemouth bass

Micropterus salmoides

68MarginalTonight 7 pm to Monday 4 am

Water

No water reading here right now. Largemouth bass bite in 55–85° water, best near 72°.

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 3–25 ft down.

Keep

15" minimum · 4 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Big Bass Program: 15" minimum, 4/day combined bass species. Catch and immediate release only Apr 11–Jun 12.

Verified Oct 21, 2026 · Big Bass Program lake

Last checked 17 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on largemouth bass

Smallmouth bass

Micropterus dolomieu

68MarginalTonight 7 pm to Monday 4 am

Water

No water reading here right now. Smallmouth bass bite in 55–78° water, best near 68°.

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 3–30 ft down.

Keep

15" minimum · 4 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Big Bass Program: 15" minimum, 4/day combined bass species. Catch and immediate release only Apr 11–Jun 12.

Verified Oct 21, 2026 · Big Bass Program lake

Last checked 17 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on smallmouth bass

Northern pike

Esox lucius

68MarginalTonight 7 pm to Monday 4 am

Water

No water reading here right now. Northern pike bite in 50–70° water, best near 63°.

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 4–30 ft down.

Keep

24" minimum · 2 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 24" minimum, 2/day. Open year-round.

Verified Oct 21, 2026 · Pennsylvania

Last checked 17 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Year-round. More on northern pike

Chain pickerel

Esox niger

68MarginalTonight 7 pm to Monday 4 am

Water

No water reading here right now. Chain pickerel bite in 45–80° water, best near 60°.

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 3–15 ft down.

Keep

18" minimum · 4 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Pennsylvania inland: 18" minimum, 4/day, open year-round. Certain fish-culture lakes are catch-and-release Apr 1–May 31.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Pennsylvania

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Oct–May, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on chain pickerel

Crappie

Pomoxis spp.

68MarginalTonight 7 pm to Monday 4 am

Water

No water reading here right now. Crappie bite in 50–80° water, best near 65°.

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 3–20 ft down.

Keep

50 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. No minimum, 50/day combined with sunfish, perch, catfish and other panfish. Panfish Enhancement lakes are 9" and 20/day.

Verified Oct 21, 2026 · Pennsylvania

Last checked 17 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Jun, Sep–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on crappie

Yellow perch

Perca flavescens

68MarginalTonight 7 pm to Monday 4 am

Water

No water reading here right now. Yellow perch bite in 45–70° water, best near 58°.

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 5–30 ft down.

Keep

50 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Pennsylvania inland: no minimum size; 50/day in the combined panfish group. Some Panfish-Enhancement waters set a minimum length.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Pennsylvania

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Oct–May, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on yellow perch

Muskellunge

Esox masquinongy

33Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Muskellunge bite in 55–78° water, best near 68°.

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Muskellunge is here May–Oct. Holds 10–40 ft down.

Keep

40" minimum · 1 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 40" minimum, 1/day combined with tiger muskellunge. Open year-round.

Verified Oct 21, 2026 · Pennsylvania

Last checked 17 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: May–Oct, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on muskellunge

Channel catfish

Ictalurus punctatus

33Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Channel catfish bite in 60–85° water, best near 75°.

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Channel catfish is here Apr–Oct. Holds 5–30 ft down.

Keep

50 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Pennsylvania inland: no minimum size; 50/day in the combined panfish/other-gamefish group (shared with perch, crappie, suckers, etc.). Panfish-Enhancement waters may differ.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Pennsylvania

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Oct, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on channel catfish

Common carp

Cyprinus carpio

33Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Common carp bite in 52–86° water, best near 72°.

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Common carp is here May–Oct. Holds 1–15 ft down.

Keep

50 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Pennsylvania inland waters: no minimum, open year-round, 50 a day combined with sunfish, yellow perch, crappie, catfish, rock bass, suckers and white bass.

Verified Oct 18, 2026 · Pennsylvania

Last checked 20 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: May–Oct, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on common carp

The water

Water temperatureNo reading
Barometer29.98 inHg, steady

Sun, moon & solunar

Sunset today5:06 pm
Sunrise tomorrow6:51 am
MoonWaning crescent, 5% lit
Minor solunarToday 3:30 pm–4:30 pm
Major solunarTonight 10:10 pm–12:10 am
Minor solunarTomorrow 6:00 am–7:00 am

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

No current report covers these waters.

We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. PA Fish & Boat Commission has the state’s fishing pages.

Licenses and rules: state fishery agencies · fish-consumption advisory

About this spot

The 451-acre Shawnee Lake in Bedford County, a Big Bass Program lake stocked with warmwater game fish. Smallmouth and largemouth bass, northern pike, walleye, muskellunge, pickerel, catfish, crappie, yellow perch and carp; perch, pike, walleye and pickerel through the ice. An ADA-accessible fishing pier is by the Diehl Boat Launch.

WaterLake
AccessPier, shore and ramp
RulesPennsylvania
WhereBedford County · 40.0341, -78.6343

Nearby

Public spots within 40 miles, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Lake Koon18 mi · PennsylvaniaBest now until Monday 4 am

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Lake Gordon20 mi · PennsylvaniaBest now until Monday 4 am

68Marginal

Rocky Gap State Park — Lake Habeeb23 mi · MarylandBest tonight 8 pm to Monday 4 am

68Marginal

Evitts Creek24 mi · MarylandBest now until Monday 4 am

68Marginal

Evitts Creek Ponds26 mi · MarylandBest now until Monday 4 am

68Marginal

Wills Creek — Cumberland Narrows26 mi · MarylandBest tonight 10 pm to Monday 4 am

74Worth the trip

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Shawnee State Park?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Shawnee State Park you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Shawnee State Park?

Shawnee State Park is listed on this site for 10 commonly-targeted species: Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, and 6 more. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Shawnee State Park?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Shawnee State Park against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Shawnee State Park have?

Shawnee State Park has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Shawnee State Park?

state agency regulations apply at Shawnee State Park. Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Shawnee State Park tidal water?

No. Shawnee State Park is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.