Foster Joseph Sayers Lake Fishing
A 1,729-acre Pennsylvania lake in Centre County.
Pick for bluegillPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo of Spring Creek: Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
A short guide to Foster Joseph Sayers Lake
The Fish and Boat Commission lists Foster Joseph Sayers Lake at 1,729 acres; it sits in Centre County. PFBC records list the owner as Bald Eagle State Park. Howard, under a mile out, makes the nearest town. Water leaves it for Bald Eagle Creek. It falls in the PFBC Northcentral Region.
PFBC names bluegill and pumpkinseed, channel catfish, crappie, largemouth bass, muskellunge and tiger muskellunge and smallmouth bass for it. Trailers go in at 7 access areas with ramps. It is enrolled in Panfish Enhancement Lake. The Commission lists it among its Best Fishing Waters.
PFBC Lakes_Point layer (acres from NHD), Census places, retrieved October 23, 2026.
For the bluegill herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 What anglers catch at Foster Joseph Sayers Lake
Each chip marks a fish PFBC connects with Foster Joseph Sayers Lake.
PFBC WWCW species listing by water and PFBC stocking schedules, retrieved October 23, 2026.
Ramps that put boats on Foster Joseph Sayers Lake
- Bald Eagle Launchpaved ramp, parking 10 spaces or more, dock, unlimited horsepower; owner Bureau of State Parks
- Hunter Run East Accesspaved ramp, parking 10 spaces or more, dock, unlimited horsepower; owner Bureau of State Parks
- Hunter Run West Accesspaved ramp, parking 10 spaces or more, dock, unlimited horsepower; owner Bureau of State Parks
- Lower Green's Run Access on Foster Joseph Sayers Lakepaved ramp, parking 10 spaces or more, dock, fishing pier, unlimited horsepower; owner Bureau of State Parks
- Marina Launchpaved ramp, parking roadside parking (no lot), dock, unlimited horsepower; owner Bureau of State Parks
- Upper Green's Run Access on Foster Joseph Sayers Lakepaved ramp, parking 10 spaces or more, dock, unlimited horsepower; owner Bureau of State Parks
- Winter/Summer Accesspaved ramp, parking 10 spaces or more, dock, unlimited horsepower; owner Bureau of State Parks
Other access areas near Foster Joseph Sayers Lake
- Bald Eagle AccessBald Eagle Creek, 10 miles northeast
PFBC access areas layer (ramps and fishing-only sites), retrieved October 23, 2026.
Level readings at Foster Joseph Sayers Lake
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Foster Joseph Sayers Lake Near Blanchard, Pa | 630.04 ft lake elevation | Oct 25 9:00 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Oct 25, 2026 9:33 pm ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
US Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District (CWMS) reading for Foster Joseph Sayers Dam (local gauge datum), recorded October 23, 2026; retrieved October 23, 2026. Values are provisional.
Creel counts and minimum sizes at Foster Joseph Sayers Lake
| Species | Creel and size | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Bass (June 13 to Sept. 30) | 6 (combined species); minimum 12 inches | June 13 through Sept. 30 |
| Bass (Jan. 1 to April 10, Oct. 1 to Dec. 31) | 4 (combined species); minimum 15 inches | Jan. 1 through April 10 and Oct. 1 through Dec. 31 |
| Bass (April 11 to June 12) | NO HARVEST – catch and immediate release only (no tournaments permitted) | April 11 through June 12 (no harvest begins 12:01 a.m.) |
| Muskellunge and tiger muskellunge | 1 (combined species); minimum 40 inches | Open year-round |
| Northern pike | 2; minimum 24 inches | Open year-round |
| Chain pickerel | 4; minimum 18 inches | Open year-round |
| Walleye and saugeye | 6; minimum 15 inches | Jan. 1 through March 14 and May 2 through Dec. 31 |
| Sunfish, crappie and other panfish | 50 (combined species) | Open year-round |
| Catfish | 50 (combined species) | Open year-round |
| Striped bass and hybrids | 2 (combined species); minimum 20 inches | Open year-round |
| American shad | 3 | Open year-round |
Foster Joseph Sayers Lake follows the inland table of the Summary, plus any program rule listed here.
Special rules at Foster Joseph Sayers Lake
| Program | Rule | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Panfish Enhancement Lake | Minimum lengths: sunfish (bluegill, pumpkinseed, redear sunfish) 7 inches; crappies (black and white) 9 inches; yellow perch 9 inches. Daily limit 20 per species; where more than one species is regulated on the same water, 20 of each with no more than 50 panfish combined. Listed here: Sunfish 7 inches. | p. 15 |
Rules unique to Foster Joseph Sayers Lake
- Lake Panfish Enhancement Special Regulations (Summary page)
- Miscellaneous Special Regulations (Summary page)
- Centre County listingBlack and white crappie: Daily creel limit is 10 (combined crappie species). No more than 5 fish may be greater than or equal to 9 inches in length. Total panfish daily creel limit may not exceed 50 when other panfish species are in the creel (see page 10 and 15 applicable to other panfish).
2026 Pennsylvania Fishing Summary (PFBC), pp. 10-17, retrieved October 23, 2026.
Trout stocking dates at Foster Joseph Sayers Lake
Count on 1 PFBC stockings at Foster Joseph Sayers Lake this year, chiefly channel catfish; counts per visit stay unpublished.
| Date | Species | Program | Section | Meeting place |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Channel Catfish (yearling) | warmwater/coolwater |
PFBC Adult Trout Stocking Schedule, Fingerling Trout Schedule and Warmwater/Coolwater stockings (2026), retrieved October 23, 2026. Pennsylvania stocking.
Management reports on Foster Joseph Sayers Lake
- May 2018 Trap-net Survey2018
- May 2016 Trap Net Survey2016
- May 2011 Trapnetting Survey2011
- Sayers Lake 20062006
- June 7-11, 20042004
- 2002 Foster Joseph Sayers2002
PFBC Biologist Report Listing layer, retrieved October 23, 2026; older reports are history, not a current survey.
Nearby lakes and Foster Joseph Sayers Lake, side by side
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Ramps | Species | Stocked trout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foster Joseph Sayers Lake | 1,729 | 7 | 7 | ||
| Poe Lake | 17 miles southeast | 24 | 1 | 0 | yes |
| Colyer Lake | 17 miles south | 77 | 2 | 7 | |
| Black Moshannon Lake | 23 miles west | 250 | 1 | 5 | |
| Halfway Lake | 24 miles east | 6 | 0 | 0 | yes |
| Whipple Lake | 26 miles southwest | 22 | 1 | 0 | yes |
PFBC Lakes_Point, access areas and species listings, retrieved October 23, 2026.
Around Foster Joseph Sayers Lake
Reservoirs and lakes close to Foster Joseph Sayers Lake
- Poe Lake17 miles southeast
- Colyer Lake17 miles south
- Black Moshannon Lake23 miles west
- Halfway Lake24 miles east
- Whipple Lake26 miles southwest
Where Foster Joseph Sayers Lake anglers stock up
- Riglin's Outdoorsbait and tackle shop, Howard, under a mile
- Jim-S Mino & Baitbait and tackle shop, Howard, 4 miles
- Rich's Bait Shopbait and tackle shop, Howard, 7 miles
- J D's Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Mill Hall, 9 miles
- Richardson Chest Fly Box Cobait and tackle shop, Bellefonte, 9 miles
- Life On the Fly Angling Apparelbait and tackle shop, Bellefonte, 9 miles
Hire a guide for Foster Joseph Sayers Lake
- American Fly Fishing Companyfly fishing guide, Bellefonte, (570) 240-1896
- Innovative Anglingfishing guide, Bellefonte, (412) 852-2477
- William Nefffishing guide, Bellefonte, (724) 771-3948
- Oak Hall Outfittersfishing guide, Boalsburg, (814) 466-4026
- Tess Weigandfishing guide, Coburn, (717) 989-4980
- The Feathered Hookfishing guide, Coburn, (814) 380-4445
Overnight bases around Foster Joseph Sayers Lake
- Milesburg9 miles
- Bellefonte10 miles
- Mill Hall10 miles
Foster Joseph Sayers Lake by county
- Centre Countyseat: Bellefonte
Piscifun reels to bring along to Foster Joseph Sayers Lake
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
A photo guide to fish at Foster Joseph Sayers Lake
Photo: United States Fish and Wildlife Services, Public domain
Photo: James Mann from Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada, CC BY 2.0
.jpg){kind=link}
Photo: Jeangagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, CC BY 2.0
Before you go to Foster Joseph Sayers Lake: common questions
Where in Pennsylvania is Foster Joseph Sayers Lake?
You will find it in Centre County, PFBC Northcentral Region, under a mile from Howard.
How large is Foster Joseph Sayers Lake by PFBC count?
Roughly 1,729 acres.
Which access area serves Foster Joseph Sayers Lake?
There are 7 ramp access areas; Bald Eagle Launch is the largest.
Does Foster Joseph Sayers Lake hold bass and panfish?
PFBC lists bluegill and pumpkinseed, channel catfish, crappie, largemouth bass, muskellunge and tiger muskellunge, smallmouth bass and yellow perch.
Does Foster Joseph Sayers Lake have special regulations?
Bass (June 13 to Sept. 30): 6 (combined species); minimum 12 inches; June 13 through Sept. 30. The Panfish Enhancement Lake listing changes some limits.
Which Pennsylvania license and permit fit Foster Joseph Sayers Lake?
Anyone 16 or older needs a Pennsylvania fishing license: $27.97 for residents, $60.97 for nonresidents and $14.47 for resident seniors, fees included.
When does PFBC stock Foster Joseph Sayers Lake?
1 visits in 2026, from 2026.
Who sells minnows on the way to Foster Joseph Sayers Lake?
Drive under a mile to Riglin's Outdoors.
Who reports the level of Foster Joseph Sayers Lake?
Above: USGS and the Corps of Engineers.
Spend an evening casting Foster Joseph Sayers Lake
Check the Summary rows before a fish goes on the stringer.