.sf-pa{–ink:#161B2E;–deep:#26356B;–teal:#1F3F7A;–mist:#F1EFEA;–foam:#FAF9F6;–lure:#F4BFD0;–lure-ink:#5A1F3A;–line:#E2DED6;–muted:#4F5263}.sf-pa .sf-hero{background-color:#26356B;background-image:radial-gradient(820px 480px at 6% 100%,rgba(244,191,208,.30),rgba(244,191,208,0) 62%),radial-gradient(760px 460px at 94% 0%,rgba(236,226,200,.24),rgba(236,226,200,0) 60%),linear-gradient(160deg,#2F4180,#26356B 46%,#121830);clip-path:polygon(0 0,100% 0,100% calc(100% – 30px),88% calc(100% – 58px),74% calc(100% – 22px),58% calc(100% – 50px),42% calc(100% – 14px),26% calc(100% – 46px),12% calc(100% – 18px),0 calc(100% – 40px));padding-bottom:86px}.sf-pa .sf-hero::before{background:linear-gradient(95deg,rgba(22,27,46,.84) 0%,rgba(22,27,46,.52) 52%,rgba(22,27,46,.16) 100%)}.sf-pa .sf-eyebrow{border-radius:2px 12px 2px 12px;background:#161B2E;color:#FCE4EC;border-bottom:3px solid #F4BFD0;padding:5px 14px 3px;letter-spacing:.07em}.sf-pa .sf-hero .sf-sub{color:#EEF0F8}.sf-pa .sf-hero[style*=”background-image”]::before{background:linear-gradient(95deg,rgba(22,27,46,.90) 0%,rgba(22,27,46,.66) 46%,rgba(38,53,107,.32) 80%,rgba(38,53,107,.20) 100%),linear-gradient(0deg,rgba(14,17,30,.72),rgba(14,17,30,0) 50%)}.sf-pa .sf-bar{background-color:#161B2E;background-image:radial-gradient(560px 230px at 96% 0,rgba(244,191,208,.20),rgba(244,191,208,0)),linear-gradient(100deg,#161B2E 40%,#2A3A72)}.sf-pa .sf-bar p{color:#E6E9F4}.sf-pa .sf-band–white,.sf-pa .sf-band–white:nth-of-type(even){background-color:#fff;background-image:radial-gradient(900px 520px at 94% 6%,rgba(38,53,107,.14),rgba(38,53,107,0) 64%),radial-gradient(780px 470px at 4% 96%,rgba(244,191,208,.40),rgba(244,191,208,0) 62%),radial-gradient(640px 400px at 50% 50%,rgba(236,226,200,.16),rgba(236,226,200,0) 62%),linear-gradient(135deg,#FFFFFF,#F9F8F4,#EFECE4)}.sf-pa .sf-band–white:nth-of-type(even){background-image:radial-gradient(900px 520px at 6% 6%,rgba(38,53,107,.14),rgba(38,53,107,0) 64%),radial-gradient(780px 470px at 96% 96%,rgba(244,191,208,.40),rgba(244,191,208,0) 62%),linear-gradient(225deg,#FFFFFF,#F9F8F4,#EFECE4)}.sf-pa .sf-band–mist{background-color:#F1EFEA;background-image:radial-gradient(860px 520px at 10% 8%,rgba(244,191,208,.38),rgba(244,191,208,0) 64%),radial-gradient(720px 460px at 92% 94%,rgba(38,53,107,.14),rgba(38,53,107,0) 62%),linear-gradient(200deg,#F7F6F2,#F1EFEA,#E5E1D7)}.sf-pa .sf-band–deep,.sf-pa .sf-band–ink{color:#EEF0F8}.sf-pa .sf-band–deep{background-color:#223061;background-image:radial-gradient(900px 540px at 92% 6%,rgba(236,226,200,.12),rgba(236,226,200,0) 62%),radial-gradient(800px 500px at 6% 94%,rgba(244,191,208,.12),rgba(244,191,208,0) 62%),linear-gradient(150deg,#2A3A72,#223061,#18224A)}.sf-pa .sf-band–ink{background-color:#161B2E;background-image:radial-gradient(900px 540px at 8% 6%,rgba(38,53,107,.62),rgba(38,53,107,0) 62%),radial-gradient(760px 480px at 94% 96%,rgba(244,191,208,.12),rgba(244,191,208,0) 62%),linear-gradient(150deg,#20263E,#161B2E,#0D1020)}.sf-pa .sf-band–deep .sf-src,.sf-pa .sf-band–ink .sf-src{color:#D3D8EA}.sf-pa .sf-band–deep .sf-head p,.sf-pa .sf-band–ink .sf-head p,.sf-pa .sf-cta p{color:#E4E8F4}.sf-pa .sf-band–deep .sf-card p,.sf-pa .sf-band–ink .sf-card p,.sf-pa .sf-band–deep .sf-fact span,.sf-pa .sf-band–ink .sf-fact span{color:#E0E4F2}body.sfs .sf-pa .sf-band–deep .sf-list li span,body.sfs .sf-pa .sf-band–ink .sf-list li span{color:#E4E8F4}body.sfs .sf-pa .sf-band–mist .sf-list a:not(.sf-btn),body.sfs .sf-pa .sf-band–white .sf-list a:not(.sf-btn){color:#1C3A72}body.sfs .sf-pa .sf-band–mist .sf-list li>span,body.sfs .sf-pa .sf-band–white .sf-list li>span{color:#4A4D5E}.sf-pa .sf-barrow .t{background:linear-gradient(90deg,#26356B,#5B6FB4)}.sf-pa .sf-band–deep .sf-barrow .t,.sf-pa .sf-band–ink .sf-barrow .t{background:linear-gradient(90deg,#E89AB3,#F4BFD0)}.sf-pa .sf-pill{background:#E7E3EE;color:#2A2F55}.sf-pa .sf-btn:hover{background:#F9D6E1}.sf-pa .sf-card-img,.sf-pa .sf-tile{background-color:#26356B}.sf-pa .sf-q p{color:#30334A}.sf-pa .sf-band–deep .sf-kicker,.sf-pa .sf-band–ink .sf-kicker,.sf-pa .sf-band–deep .sf-fact b,.sf-pa .sf-band–ink .sf-fact b{color:#F7CCDA}.sf-pa .sf-kicker{color:#26356B}.sf-pa .sf-pf-card h3{color:#0C1F2C!important}.sf-pa .sf-band–deep .sf-btn–ghost,.sf-pa .sf-band–ink .sf-btn–ghost{border-color:rgba(255,255,255,.48);background:rgba(13,16,32,.38)}body.sfs .sf-pa .sf-band–deep a:not(.sf-card):not(.sf-tile):not(.sf-btn),body.sfs .sf-pa .sf-band–ink a:not(.sf-card):not(.sf-tile):not(.sf-btn){color:#F7CCDA}.sf-pa .sf-tablewrap{color:#161B2E;border-color:#E2DED6}.sf-pa .sf-table td{color:#161B2E}.sf-pa .sf-table th{background:#26356B;color:#fff}.sf-pa .sf-table tr:nth-child(even) td{background:#F6F4EF}body.sfs .sf-pa .sf-tablewrap a,body.sfs .sf-pa .sf-band–deep .sf-tablewrap a:not(.sf-card):not(.sf-tile):not(.sf-btn),body.sfs .sf-pa .sf-band–ink .sf-tablewrap a:not(.sf-card):not(.sf-tile):not(.sf-btn){color:#1C3A72}.sf-pa .sf-band–deep .sf-q,.sf-pa .sf-band–ink .sf-q{background:rgba(255,255,255,.07);border-color:rgba(255,255,255,.18)}.sf-pa .sf-band–deep .sf-q p,.sf-pa .sf-band–ink .sf-q p{color:#E8EBF6}body.sfs .sf-pa .sf-band–deep .sf-faq .sf-q p,body.sfs .sf-pa .sf-band–ink .sf-faq .sf-q p,body.sfs .sf-pa .sf-band–deep .sf-q h3,body.sfs .sf-pa .sf-band–ink .sf-q h3{color:#FFFFFF}body.sfs .sf-pa .sf-band–deep .sf-pill a:not(.sf-card):not(.sf-tile):not(.sf-btn),body.sfs .sf-pa .sf-band–ink .sf-pill a:not(.sf-card):not(.sf-tile):not(.sf-btn),body.sfs .sf-pa .sf-pill a{color:#1C3A72}.sf-pa .sf-band–deep .sf-card .sf-more,.sf-pa .sf-band–ink .sf-card .sf-more{color:#F9D6E1}.sf-pa .sf-bar .sf-crumbs,.sf-pa .sf-bar .sf-crumbs span,body.sfs .sf-pa .sf-bar .sf-crumbs a{color:#FFFFFF}.sf-pa .sf-note{color:#161B2E}body.sfs .sf-pa .sf-note a{color:#1C3A72}@media (max-width:760px){.sf-pa .sf-hero{clip-path:polygon(0 0,100% 0,100% calc(100% – 14px),80% calc(100% – 30px),58% calc(100% – 10px),36% calc(100% – 28px),16% calc(100% – 8px),0 calc(100% – 22px));padding-bottom:58px}}
For the bluegill herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 $79.99
Blair County 30 mi
Photo: Clyde Charles Brown, CC BY-SA 4.0 
Raystown Lake 36 mi
Photo: Ron Shawley, CC BY 3.0 
Glendale Lake 44 mi
Photo: VitaleBaby, Public domain 
State College 66 mi
Photo: JohnDziak, CC BY-SA 4.0
Pennsylvania lakes and reservoirs
Pick for bluegillPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 $79.99
Shawnee Lake Fishing
A 451-acre Pennsylvania lake in Bedford County.
Pick for bluegillPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo, nearby stand in for Shawnee Lake: David Brossard, CC BY-SA 2.0
Bedford County
Shawnee Lake: the basics
PFBC mapping credits Shawnee Lake with 451 acres of water in Bedford County. Ownership on the PFBC record: Shawnee State Park. Groceries and gas wait in Schellsburg, about 1 mile off. PFBC gives Shawnee Branch as the receiving water. 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. Boaters use 3 access areas with ramps. Special program status: Big Bass Program. It carries the PFBC Best Fishing Waters tag.
451acres
3ramp access areas
9species listed
1scheduled stockings
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 Species
Fish worth casting for at Shawnee Lake
The chips for Shawnee Lake join the PFBC warmwater and coolwater listing, state records and the stocking schedule.
Bluegill and pumpkinseed Chain pickerel Channel catfish Crappie Largemouth bass Northern pike Smallmouth bass Walleye Yellow perch
PFBC WWCW species listing by water and PFBC stocking schedules, retrieved October 23, 2026.
Access
PFBC access areas at Shawnee Lake
- #2 Picnic Area Accesspaved ramp, 50 trailer spaces, electric motors only; owner Bureau of State Parks
- Colvin Accessboat ramp, 25 trailer spaces, electric motors only; owner Bureau of State Parks
- Kegg Run Launch Areaboat ramp, parking 10 spaces or more, fishing pier, electric motors only; owner Bureau of State Parks
Public ramps near Shawnee Lake
- Fort Bedford Museum AccessJuniata River, Raystown Branch, 7 miles east
PFBC access areas layer (ramps and fishing-only sites), retrieved October 23, 2026.
Limits
Harvest limits at Shawnee 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 Shawnee Lake, the Summary inland rows hold except where a listing below names it.
Big bass and panfish rules at Shawnee Lake
| Program | Rule | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Big Bass Program | Largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass: 4 (combined species), minimum 15 inches, harvest Jan. 1 through April 10 and June 13 through Dec. 31; April 11 through June 12, catch and immediate release only, no tournaments. | p. 11 |
Special listings for Shawnee Lake
- Big Bass Special Regulation (Summary page)
- App. Trout Waters
2026 Pennsylvania Fishing Summary (PFBC), pp. 10-17, retrieved October 23, 2026.
Stocking
Planned stockings at Shawnee Lake
The 2026 schedule lists 1 stockings at Shawnee Lake, led by walleye; no per-trip numbers are published.
| 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.
Surveys
Fisheries surveys of Shawnee Lake
- 2005 trapnet demonstration2005
- Sampling Technique – Trap Netting and Gill Netting March 21-24, 20052005
- Night Electrofishing May 20032003
PFBC Biologist Report Listing layer, retrieved October 23, 2026; older reports are history, not a current survey.
Compare
Sizing Shawnee Lake against nearby water
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Ramps | Species | Stocked trout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shawnee Lake | 451 | 3 | 9 | ||
| Beaverdale Reservoir | 16 miles north | 42 | 0 | 0 | |
| Koon Lake | 18 miles south | 233 | 1 | 6 | yes |
| Elton Sportsmen's Dam | 19 miles northwest | 4 | 0 | 2 | yes |
| Gordon Lake | 20 miles south | 146 | 2 | 9 | |
| Quemahoning Reservoir | 20 miles northwest | 899 | 5 | 8 |
PFBC Lakes_Point, access areas and species listings, retrieved October 23, 2026.
Nearby
Near the Shawnee Lake area
Lakes in the same region as Shawnee Lake
- Beaverdale Reservoir16 miles north
- Koon Lake18 miles south
- Elton Sportsmen's Dam19 miles northwest
- Gordon Lake20 miles south
- Quemahoning Reservoir20 miles northwest
Bait and lures on the road to Shawnee Lake
- Coach Ed's Bait and Tucklebait and tackle shop, Schellsburg, under a mile
- Towns End Bait and Supplybait and tackle shop, Schellsburg, under a mile
- Poor Bob's Bait & Tackle, 1352 Imlertown Rdbait and tackle shop, Bedford, 9 miles
- Morgs Bait & Tackle Shopbait and tackle shop, Everett, 15 miles
- Tackle Box, 964 Barn Stbait and tackle shop, Hooversville, 17 miles
- Bass Elmer Jrbait and tackle shop, Friedens, 19 miles
Guides and captains for Shawnee Lake
- Raystown Lk Striper Guide Servicecharter, Raystown Lake, Hesston, (814) 658-2088
- Fly Fishing Showfly fishing guide, Somerset, (814) 443-3638
Boroughs and towns close to Shawnee Lake
- Bedford7 miles
- Everett15 miles
- Windber17 miles
Which counties Shawnee Lake reaches
- Bedford Countyseat: Bedford
Piscifun
Piscifun tackle picked out for Shawnee Lake
.jpg){kind=link}
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Photographs
A photo look at the water by Shawnee Lake
Photo: Clyde Charles Brown, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Ron Shawley, CC BY 3.0
.jpg){kind=link}
Photo: VitaleBaby, Public domain
Photo: JohnDziak, CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers
Short answers about fishing Shawnee Lake
Which PFBC region covers Shawnee Lake?
Bedford County, PFBC Southcentral Region, about 1 mile from Schellsburg.
What acreage does Shawnee Lake have?
About 451 acres.
Does PFBC map a boat ramp on Shawnee Lake?
PFBC maps 3 ramp access areas; start at #2 Picnic Area Access.
Which fish bite for Keystone anglers at Shawnee Lake?
Expect bluegill and pumpkinseed, chain pickerel, channel catfish, crappie, largemouth bass, northern pike and smallmouth bass.
Which creel limits apply at Shawnee Lake?
Bass (June 13 to Sept. 30): 6 (combined species); minimum 12 inches; June 13 through Sept. 30. It is also a Big Bass Program.
Can a visitor fish Shawnee 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 Shawnee Lake on the 2026 stocking schedule?
1 stockings are scheduled for 2026, the first on 2026.
Which listed Pennsylvania shop is the shortest drive to Shawnee Lake?
Try Coach Ed's Bait and Tuckle, under a mile off.
Plan a day at Shawnee Lake
Check the limits above, then pick an access area.