Ontelaunee Lake Fishing
A 1,082-acre Pennsylvania lake in Pennsylvania.
Pick for bluegillPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo of Blue Marsh Lake: Augustin Liviu, CC BY-SA 3.0
Ontelaunee Lake: the basics
PFBC mapping credits Ontelaunee Lake with 1,082 acres of water in Pennsylvania. Groceries and gas wait in Leesport, about 3 miles off. Fisheries staff of the Southcentral Region manage it.
PFBC species listings include bluegill and pumpkinseed, chain pickerel, channel catfish, crappie, largemouth bass and northern pike. It carries the PFBC Best Fishing Waters tag.
PFBC Lakes_Point layer (acres from NHD), Census places, retrieved October 23, 2026.
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The chips for Ontelaunee Lake join the PFBC warmwater and coolwater listing, state records and the stocking schedule.
PFBC WWCW species listing by water and PFBC stocking schedules, retrieved October 23, 2026.
PFBC access areas at Ontelaunee Lake
Boat ramps for Ontelaunee Lake are not in the PFBC data; see the nearby list.
Public ramps near Ontelaunee Lake
- Leesport AccessSchuylkill River, 3 miles southwest
- Jim Dietrich Park Water Trail LandingSchuylkill River, 5 miles southwest
- Epler's LandingSchuylkill River, 6 miles southwest
- Peter Yarnell Park LandingSchuylkill River, 6 miles northwest
- Kaercher Creek AccessKaercher Creek Dam, 7 miles north
- Dry Brooks Boat LaunchBlue Marsh Lake, 8 miles southwest
PFBC access areas layer (ramps and fishing-only sites), retrieved October 23, 2026.
Harvest limits at Ontelaunee 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 |
For Ontelaunee Lake, the Summary inland rows hold except where a listing below names it.
2026 Pennsylvania Fishing Summary (PFBC), pp. 10-17, retrieved October 23, 2026.
Fisheries surveys of Ontelaunee Lake
PFBC Biologist Report Listing layer, retrieved October 23, 2026; older reports are history, not a current survey.
Sizing Ontelaunee Lake against nearby water
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Ramps | Species | Stocked trout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ontelaunee Lake | 1,082 | 0 | 8 | ||
| Kaercher Creek Dam | 7 miles north | 32 | 1 | 6 | yes |
| Antietam Reservoir | 8 miles south | 14 | 0 | 0 | yes |
| Carsonia Lake | 9 miles south | 7 | 0 | 3 | |
| Blue Marsh Reservoir | 9 miles southwest | 1,150 | 3 | 9 | |
| Trout Run Reservoir | 14 miles southeast | 42 | 0 | 6 |
PFBC Lakes_Point, access areas and species listings, retrieved October 23, 2026.
Near the Ontelaunee Lake area
Lakes in the same region as Ontelaunee Lake
- Kaercher Creek Dam7 miles north
- Antietam Reservoir8 miles south
- Carsonia Lake9 miles south
- Blue Marsh Reservoir9 miles southwest
- Trout Run Reservoir14 miles southeast
Bait and lures on the road to Ontelaunee Lake
- Underdog Tacklebait and tackle shop, Reading, 5 miles
- Indian River Marinebait and tackle shop, Bernville, 8 miles
- Cabela's Hamburgsporting goods store, Hamburg, 8 miles
- Rick's Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Reading, 8 miles
- Tulpehocken Creek Outfittersbait and tackle shop, Reading, 10 miles
- Haggerty Luresbait and tackle shop, Reading, 11 miles
Guides and captains for Ontelaunee Lake
- Blue Mountain Fishing Lakescharter, Schuylkill Haven, (570) 754-7934
Boroughs and towns close to Ontelaunee Lake
- Blandon2 miles
- Leesport3 miles
- Shoemakersville4 miles
Piscifun tackle picked out for Ontelaunee Lake
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A photo look at the water by Ontelaunee Lake
Photo: Fachwerkhaus54, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Shuvaev, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: JohnDziak, CC0 1.0
Photo: gailf548, CC BY 2.0
Short answers about fishing Ontelaunee Lake
Which PFBC region covers Ontelaunee Lake?
Pennsylvania, PFBC Southcentral Region, about 3 miles from Leesport.
What acreage does Ontelaunee Lake have?
About 1,082 acres.
Does PFBC map a boat ramp on Ontelaunee Lake?
None is on file with PFBC.
Which fish bite for Keystone anglers at Ontelaunee Lake?
Expect bluegill and pumpkinseed, chain pickerel, channel catfish, crappie, largemouth bass, northern pike and white perch.
Which creel limits apply at Ontelaunee Lake?
Bass (June 13 to Sept. 30): 6 (combined species); minimum 12 inches; June 13 through Sept. 30.
Can a visitor fish Ontelaunee 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.
Is Ontelaunee Lake on the 2026 stocking schedule?
It is not on the 2026 PFBC stocking schedules.
Which listed Pennsylvania shop is the shortest drive to Ontelaunee Lake?
Try Underdog Tackle, roughly 5 miles off.
Plan a day at Ontelaunee Lake
Check the limits above, then pick an access area.