Best Fishing and Boating in PA State Parks Gifford Pinchot by Alice Stitt State Park

Pinchot is a perfect place for introducing people to fi shing. Its plenti- ful panfi sh population makes success practically a certainty. photo-Art Michaels photo-Art Nestled between the ridges of north- area that takes one closer to nature. pools gives them the best chance of ern York County, Gifford Pinchot It offers many recreational options landing some good-sized crappies. State Park is an “all seasons” park with from fi shing, boating and camping to Largemouth and smallmouth bass are varied activities for every visitor. The swimming, hiking and disc golf. found throughout the lake. Some 5- park, with more than 2,000 acres, av- Pinchot Lake is a warmwater fi sh- pound largemouths have been taken, erages 600,000 visitors annually. The ery with an average depth of only 6 to and even larger hybrid striped bass in 340-acre Pinchot Lake is an angling 8 feet. The lake features gravel bars the 7- to 12-pound range have been and boating delight. and porcupine cribs, as well as other caught there. Walleyes, catfi sh and Through a land purchase by the manmade structures that have been carp are also popular quarries. Commonwealth in 1959, this park— added to enhance the habitat. Overall, bass and panfi sh are the named after the Pennsylvania gov- The lake has a good population of big draw for anglers. These fi sh are ernor, forester and conservationist panfi sh, including bluegills, pumpkin- caught throughout the year and pro- Gifford Pinchot—was formally dedi- seeds, sunfi sh and crappies, which can vide steady action. Shore fi shing is cated in 1961 by Governor David L. be caught from shore or from a boat. good—there is access to almost the Lawrence. Surrounded by ridges on Anglers know that the area around entire shoreline for bass and other all sides, it is a quiet and secluded the dam and in some of the deeper fi sh. Stripers can be caught most (article continued on page 34) www.fi sh.state.pa.us Pennsylvania Angler & Boater • September-October 2007 31 To Dillsburg, 9 Mi. Stone GIFFORD PINCHOT STATE PARK Road 650 550 Jug ch N 700 Creek Chur To I-83, 7 Mi. 500 177 Historical Pinchot Mt. Air Mason- y Road Marker, 1.4 Mi. Creek

600 0 0 6 Dixon Old Maytown Road Road School House 500 650

k

Roc 500 Fortney 600 0 Trail TRAIL INFORMATION 55 d

Hiking Trail Roa Bender Cemetery 550 Thundergust Creek Cross-country Skiing BOAT MOORING 2 & CABIN AREA 550 Equestrian Trail ine y Multipurpose Trail Alp Beaver Creek Mill 650 Road Ramse

Park EQUESTRIAN TRAILS 600 Road 500 177 Office 500 OVERLOOK Conley 500 Trai il Road ra Road xon T l - Di 600 ason 550 550 M e 0 550 id 50 s Dam 600 e k 550 600 a L 0 ad 50 o 500 450 York R wn Trail tz Trail ra Trail Creek G 650 Pineto 10 ire Area qu 9 S 1 450 450 Cabin8 Fishing Pads Lakeside 500 Old 2 Race 3 er 7 4 500 Beav Beaver 0 QUAKER RACE Gate 5 No. 2 55 500 Creek 0 DAY USE AREA 45 550 6 500

600 Trail No.3 No.1 Fishing Pier No. 3 Road Boulder

Quaker Point Bridge 500 Tr. 500 550 Lakeside LAKE Gate 550 177 Lakeside Gate Trail No. 4 450 BOAT MOORING 1 0 ROSSVILLE e 50 Boring 74 Trail d Trail i d s n e la Fern l 550 k d e 400 To Wellsville, & La i Tra h M il t Historical Warrington e 550 B No. 2 l 350 Meeting House & Cemetery Trail w e Road Trai N Park Office Special Regulations Apply PINCHOT Alpine 500 to Waterfowl Hunting. Campground Office Contact Park Office Blue Symbols 350 500 450 Mean Accessible 550 Lakeside Yurts and Camping BOAT MOORING 3 Public Phone Cottages Disk No. 1 Area Golf 500 Restrooms

Tr. Kun Area Ball Field Interpretive Center 600 Road kle Interpretive Exhibit 400 Lakesid Trail e Pinchot Gravel Trail Overlook Amphitheater Oak Trail 400 Mill Group 450 Trail Food Concession Camping 550 CONEWAGO DAY USE AREA Mockingbird Camping Trail CREEK 0 Picnic Area Tr. 50

350 Road

Farm 650 Picnic Pavilion Lakeside 500 600 Playground ot 450 450 350 Pinch Swimming Beach 0 Ridge Trail

600 East Camp Salem Old 55 Pinchot www.fish.state.pa.us Area Cem. Road Lifeguard Station 400 Boat Rental 350 400 550 CAMPGROUND Boat Launch & Mooring Trail Trail Road 350 Ice Skating Marysville 500 350 PERRY 81 22 Palmyra 422 Ridge Hershey Showerhouse/Restrooms DAUPHIN 322 Alpine Harrisburg CONEWAGO 450 Middlesex 11 322 Camping Mechanicsburg STRAIGHT HILL AREA 76 Middletown 76 350 500 76 400 Modern Cabins 81 Carlisle 74 Elizabethtown 283 74 350 450 83 200 0 200 400 METERS 500 CUMBERLAND 382 LANCASTER Dillsburg 177 Map courtesy of the Pennsylvania Sanitary Dump Station GIFFORD 441 Department of Conservation and Natural Resources 74 PINCHOT Parking 550 800 1600 FEET 94 Wellsville 921 24 0 800 30 194 Unpaved Road Dover 74 ADAMS East Samuel Berlin York S. Lewis 500 State Park No Hunting 15 30 YORK New Red Lion SCALE: 1" = APPROX. 1058 FEET Oxford 450 State Park Hunting 400 83 Pennsylvania Angler & Boater • September-October 2007 www.fi sh.state.pa.us 400 CONTOURS ARE ON Gettysburg To Dover, www.fi sh.state.pa.us Pennsylvania Angler & Boater • September-October350 2007 32 33 600 York, 12 Mi. 50 FT. INTERVALS 500 To PA 74 often around boat mooring area #2. If you don’t own a boat, the park has Live bait as well as artifi cials are typi- several types of boats for rent, includ- cal offerings. ing paddleboats, canoes, kayaks, row- Park manager Bill Rosevear re- boats and boats with electric trolling vealed that there are some “really big motors. The two boat rental areas are fi sh” in Pinchot Lake. He knows of located at the Quaker Day-Use Area one veteran angler who has repeat- and the Conewago Day-Use Area. edly caught some very nice muskel- PA Fish & Boat Commission and lunge. Big bass are also taken at the Department of Conservation & Natu- yearly bass tournaments, some in the ral Resources rules and regulations 20- to 25-inch range. “It’s all in how apply for all the park’s fi shing and you fi sh for them,” says Bill. boating and other activities. One bass angler, who said he had With more than 300 campsites, been coming to the lake since he was Gifford Pinchot State Park provides 12 years old, discovered that the giz- one of the Commonwealth’s larg- zard shad that inhabit the lake are a est state park campgrounds. The

help to him when fi shing for hybrid campsites are open the second Fri- Stitt photo-Alice stripers. “They come to the surface in day in April and close by the end of When ice conditions permit, ice fi sh- a school, and you can tell they are be- October. They can accommodate ing for largemouth bass and crap- ing chased. That’s when I drop down tents or recreational vehicles. There pies is a popular pastime. The park a silver spoon and land a big one,” the are also camping cottages and yurts reports that the ice can sometimes angler said. Pinchot Lake is part of available for rent, and a large area for reach thicknesses of a foot when the the Big Bass Program. organized group tent camping. The temperature drops below freezing for Fishing from a boat is your best ap- campground has a swimming beach, days at a time. And with over 18 miles proach when traveling between the boat launch and mooring area as of marked trails, wintertime visitors lake’s hotspots. The lake is governed well as modern bathhouses, toilets with snowshoes, skis or hiking boots by electric-motors-only regulations. and showers. In addition, 10 mod- have much to explore. Anglers can be seen fi shing from a va- ern cabins, located near the park of- Gifford Pinchot would be proud riety of craft, from bass boats to kay- fi ce and boat launch #2, are open for of this state park named in his honor. aks to rowboats and canoes. There rental year-round. Reservations are With over 2,000 acres for visitors to are also handicap-accessible fi shing required for all sites. explore, a beautiful and sheltered lake pads located near boat mooring #2. During the summer, the park hosts for fi shing and boating, many picnic The three boat accesses on Pinchot many events and activities including areas, miles of trails, and ample and Lake provide 24-hour access. The rowing regattas, competitive sailboat modern camp sites, it is obvious why most popular launch is #2, midway on races, bass tournaments and triath- visitors return year after year to enjoy the lake. It is located off of PA Route lons. The environmental education the whole host of activities at Gifford 177 and has a large parking area and staff also has a schedule of programs Pinchot State Park. a restroom. Launch #3 is located on including pontoon boat tours, natural the opposite side of the lake from history and interpretive events, nature launch #2, off of Alpine Road. It has hikes, and guest speakers. Check the More Information a small parking area and restrooms. park’s calendar of events to see what is Visit the park online and check Boat launch #1 is more isolated at happening on the weekends as well as state park regulations at www. the southwestern and most shallow during the week. dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/ end of the lake. This shallow section Note that sometimes crowds can parks/giffordpinchot.aspx, or is connected to the main part of the be a challenge to both anglers, boat- contact Gifford Pinchot State Lake by a narrow channel. Many pad- ers or other park visitors. Mornings Park, 2200 Rosstown Road, Lew- dlers choose to use this launch for a and evenings and mid-week may be isberry, PA 17339-9787; camp- more quiet area to view wildlife. In your best bet to visit the park if you ground offi ce: 717-292-4112; addition to the launches, there are don’t want the hustle and bustle of park offi ce: 717-432-5011; email: more than 286 shoreline mooring and the weekend traffi c. [email protected]. canoe rack spaces that may be rented Wintertime doesn’t slow the visi- For general state park infor- from April 1 to November 1. The tors to Gifford Pinchot State Park. Ice mation or to make reservations, mooring areas include many larger fi shing, ice skating, ice boating, snow- call toll-free: 1-888-PA-PARKS, spaces designed to accommodate sail- shoeing and cross-country skiing all Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m. boats and pontoon boats. take place during winter at Pinchot. to 5 p.m.

34 Pennsylvania Angler & Boater • September-October 2007 www.fi sh.state.pa.us