History
Raystown Lake is Pennsylvania's largest man-made lake and is an impound of the Raystown Branch of the Juniata River. The dam was completed in 1973 and is used as a flood-control dam protecting areas from Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, to the mouth of the Susquehanna River as it flows to the Chesapeake Bay.
Geography
Raystown Lake is located in the Allegheny Mountains, about four hours from Baltimore, Washington DC, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.
Size
Raystown Lake is an 8,300-acre lake created by the completion of the Raystown Dam in 1973. It is part of the Raystown Lake Recreation Area, which is made up of 118 miles of shoreline owned by the United States government and maintained by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Features
Raystown Lake features a diverse population of fish, including walleye, bluegill, largemouth and smallmouth bass, carp, Ccatfish and trout, among many others, but the lake is known for its striped bass. More than 100 bass tournaments area held on the lake every year by different chapters of the Pennsylvania B.A.S.S. Federation.
Warning
The State of Pennsylvania requires a valid fishing license. Review all fishing regulations prior to fishing at Raystown Lake.
Article Written By A.C. Bauer
A.C. Bauer is a seasoned adventurist with explorations spanning four continents, including hiking Machu Picchu, snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef, running the Ice Age Trail and road biking out of her front door. She has written marketing materials for eight years and worked for Red Bull, Disney and Dick's Sporting Goods, and received a master's in recreation and sport science from Ohio University.
