Lake Wilhelm Fishing
A 1,739-acre Pennsylvania lake in Mercer County.
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Lake Wilhelm, size and setting
In Mercer County, Lake Wilhelm is a lake of 1,739 acres by PFBC count. Maurcie Goddard State Park owns the water, per PFBC. Roughly 3 miles separates the lake point from New Lebanon. Overflow heads into Sandy Creek. PFBC handles it from its Northwest Region office.
Listed fish include bluegill and pumpkinseed, crappie, largemouth bass, muskellunge and tiger muskellunge, northern pike and walleye. There are 9 access areas with ramps on its shore. Program rules apply: Brood Stock Lake. PFBC flags it as a Best Fishing Water.
PFBC Lakes_Point layer (acres from NHD), Census places, retrieved October 23, 2026.
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PFBC sources behind Lake Wilhelm: its species listing for the water, state records and planned stockings.
PFBC WWCW species listing by water and PFBC stocking schedules, retrieved October 23, 2026.
Ramps and access areas on Lake Wilhelm
- Launch #3paved ramp, 40 trailer spaces, dock, 20 hp; owner Bureau of State Parks
- Launch #1paved ramp, 25 trailer spaces, dock, 20 hp; owner Bureau of State Parks
- Launch #4paved ramp, 25 trailer spaces, dock, 20 hp; owner Bureau of State Parks
- Marinapaved ramp, 21 trailer spaces, dock, fishing pier, 20 hp; owner Bureau of State Parks
- Launch #2paved ramp, 20 trailer spaces, dock, 20 hp; owner Bureau of State Parks
- Sheakleyville Road – Gamelands 270 Accessboat ramp, 12 trailer spaces, dock, unpowered boats only; owner PGC
- Long Boom – Gamelands 270 Accessboat ramp, 5 trailer spaces, dock, unpowered boats only; owner PGC
- Lake Wilhelm – Old Launch #1boat ramp, 3 trailer spaces, 20 hp; owner Bureau of State Parks
- Marina Pointboat ramp, 3 trailer spaces, fishing pier, 20 hp; owner Bureau of State Parks
Boat launches within a tow of Lake Wilhelm
- Shaws LandingFrench Creek, 9 miles north
- I-79 Access – SGL 213Geneva Marsh, 10 miles north
- Wells – SGL 213 AccessGeneva Marsh, 11 miles north
PFBC access areas layer (ramps and fishing-only sites), retrieved October 23, 2026.
The keeper rules anglers follow at Lake Wilhelm
| 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 |
These Commonwealth inland waters rows cover Lake Wilhelm unless a program or special regulation below says otherwise.
Extra regulations at Lake Wilhelm
| Program | Rule | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Brood Stock Lake | April 1 through May 31: muskellunge, tiger muskellunge, northern pike and pickerel catch and release only; other species follow inland rules. | p. 15 |
Listed exceptions at Lake Wilhelm
- Brood Stock Lakes Program (Summary page)
2026 Pennsylvania Fishing Summary (PFBC), pp. 10-17, retrieved October 23, 2026.
Fish stocked in Lake Wilhelm this year
Stocking at Lake Wilhelm in 2026: 1 entries, mainly walleye, without fish numbers.
| Date | Species | Program | Section | Meeting place |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Walleye (fingerling) | warmwater/coolwater |
PFBC Adult Trout Stocking Schedule, Fingerling Trout Schedule and Warmwater/Coolwater stockings (2026), retrieved October 23, 2026. Pennsylvania stocking.
Survey reports for Lake Wilhelm
- Spring 2024 Trap Net and Night Boat Electrofishing Surveys2024
- Spring 2018 WE,MKY, Panfish Trap Net Survey & Largemouth Bass Night Boat Electrofishing Survey2018
- Spring 2010 Trapnetting and Night Electrofishing Surveys – Week of April 19th and May 18th, 20102011
- 2004 – Part 12004
- 2004 – Part 22004
- 2004 – Part 32004
PFBC Biologist Report Listing layer, retrieved October 23, 2026; older reports are history, not a current survey.
How Lake Wilhelm stacks up nearby
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Ramps | Species | Stocked trout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Wilhelm | 1,739 | 9 | 7 | ||
| Lake Latonka | 10 miles south | 260 | 1 | 0 | |
| Tamarack Lake, Crawford County | 13 miles north | 562 | 5 | 6 | |
| Erie Nwr Pool Number Nine | 14 miles northeast | 56 | 0 | 3 | |
| Erie Nwr Pool K | 14 miles northeast | 15 | 0 | 4 | |
| Sugar Lake | 14 miles northeast | 90 | 1 | 6 |
PFBC Lakes_Point, access areas and species listings, retrieved October 23, 2026.
Neighbors of Lake Wilhelm
Pennsylvania lakes near Lake Wilhelm
- Lake Latonka10 miles south
- Tamarack Lake, Crawford County13 miles north
- Erie Nwr Pool Number Nine14 miles northeast
- Erie Nwr Pool K14 miles northeast
- Sugar Lake14 miles northeast
Minnows, worms and line near Lake Wilhelm
- Lake Wilhelm Marina & Snack Shopmarina, Sandy Lake, 1 mile
- Baits Are Usbait and tackle shop, Utica, 7 miles
- R & L Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Greenville, 11 miles
- Jigger Wholesalebait and tackle shop, Franklin, 13 miles
- Rod Z Rodsbait and tackle shop, Franklin, 14 miles
- Maurer's Trading Postbait and tackle shop, Franklin, 14 miles
Permitted guides near Lake Wilhelm
- Dutch Fork Fishing Charterscharter, Girard, (724) 230-6233
- Urban Fly Companyfly fishing guide, Hermitage, (724) 977-2477
- Hooked On Fishin'fishing guide, Mercer, (724) 944-8766
- Netfish And Chillfishing guide, Stoneboro, (724) 841-7975
Keystone towns within reach of Lake Wilhelm
- Cochranton9 miles
- Greenville13 miles
- Mercer14 miles
The counties Lake Wilhelm touches
- Mercer Countyseat: Mercer
Spinning and casting reels from Piscifun for Lake Wilhelm
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Photographs of lakes and creeks by Lake Wilhelm
Photo: Tim Engleman from Saxonburg, PA, CC BY-SA 2.0
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Photo: VitaleBaby, Public domain
Photo: Chris Light, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Onestoploser, Public domain
Lake Wilhelm: what Keystone anglers want to know
Which Pennsylvania county holds Lake Wilhelm?
Look in Mercer County, PFBC Northwest Region, about 3 miles from New Lebanon.
How large is Lake Wilhelm on PFBC maps?
1,739 acres of water.
Where can I launch a boat at Lake Wilhelm?
9 ramp access areas, led by Launch #3.
Which gamefish live in Lake Wilhelm?
Listings show bluegill and pumpkinseed, crappie, largemouth bass, muskellunge and tiger muskellunge, northern pike, walleye and yellow perch.
Which Summary rules govern Lake Wilhelm?
Bass (June 13 to Sept. 30): 6 (combined species); minimum 12 inches; June 13 through Sept. 30. Add the Brood Stock Lake rules on top.
What does an out-of-state angler pay at Lake Wilhelm?
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.
Do PFBC trout trucks visit Lake Wilhelm?
PFBC lists 1 stockings in 2026; the earliest is 2026.
Where can I pick up nightcrawlers near Lake Wilhelm?
Lake Wilhelm Marina & Snack Shop is about 1 mile from the water.
Hitch the trailer for Lake Wilhelm
The license page lists every Pennsylvania fee and season.