Charleston Lake in August

Post by **psufishing** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 9:24 am

I am taking my father up to Charleston Lake in the middle of August and was wondering about the fishing on Charleston Lake and at that time of the year. He said he fished this lake every summer as a kid but hasn't fished the lake in at least 20 years. I can use all the hints, maps and assistance anyone can give me.

Also, we are planning to fishone day on a small lake right up the road from Charleston called Long Lake. 20 years ago there were so many largemouth bass and pike here you were tired after a couple of hours. The last time we were there (2 yrs ago), things really have changed. They used to only allow electric motors now anything goes. Has anyone fished here? It is off Country Rd 3 and Black Rapids Rd.

Post by **Markus** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 9:31 am

Shoot Muskimagnet a PM, he has a cottage on the lake and may be able to offer you up a few tips.

Post by **ontariodreaming** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 11:20 am

Hey PSU,

I too am going to the charleston lake area in August. Staying on Red Horse but do plan to fish day or so at Charleston. Here are a few URLs for maps. I have the first one an it is OK.

http://www.fedpubs.com/subject/outdoor/fishonteast.htm

http://www.nrtco.net/~fmp/

http://www.adventurefishingmaps.on.ca/

PS: Also a PSU grad and new member...

Post by **ganman** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 3:34 pm

I'm not sure if this is the lake your talking about. Long Lake is also called Fodey Lake. It's on the highway between Lansdowne and Lyndhurst it is a few miles south of the Black Rapids Rd junction. It's west of the highway and is barely visible through the trees. I have lived in the area all my life and never knew it to have any restrictions regarding motors. Access was/is such you couldn't get anything other than a canoe or cartopper in anyway. I'm curious, were you told that by an individual who claimed to own property on the lake? If so he was the same guy who stole signs from a nearby fish sanctuary and nailed them up around the lake. He owns no property on the lake that I know of, a relative or possibly on inlaw does. Someone put no trespassing signs (I wonder who) where we used to launch, now fisherman put in further down where the road runs right beside a swampy bay. I'm out there all the time and although the put in looks well used I have never seen anyone fishing the lake lately. My guess is it was fished more 20 years ago than it is now.

Post by **psufishing** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 4:23 pm

My dad knew it as Fodey Lake when he was a kid but someone told him it was Long Lake. I am not sure about the boatng restriction other than some people who lived or vactioned on the lake said something at one time and we never ssaw gas powered motors. Then two years ago when we returned, we saw a few people with them. I remember how great the fishing was 20 years ago.

How is it now?

Two years ago we caught some fish but everything seemed smaller. Ton of crappie though.

Post by **psufishing** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 4:32 pm

ganman, what did the guy look like who posted those signs? We met a real nice guy buy pretty scruffy who lived somewhere near the lake. All I can remember is his name was Wolf and he brewed his own beer. He also lived in a school bus while he was building his house. If this was the guy, he didn't seem to care we were fishing.

We put in near that swampy area last time but used to put in just up the road (50 - 100 feet) near the birch and arbivida tree.

Post by **Cancatchbass** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 6:30 pm

There is (or was) a nasty fellow that used the area for growing certain illegal plants. Rumour has it he has damaged peoples' vehicles when they parked to fish the lake.

There were huge (for the size of the lake) pike in there. A friend once caught one approx. 10 pounds.

CCB

Post by **ontariodreaming** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 7:16 pm

While we are in the area, has anyone fished Red Horse Lake or the two other lakes to the North west of Charleston. I believe one is Higley. Both are near the outlet of charleston.

Post by **Cancatchbass** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 7:42 pm

Red Horse is a decent lake, but not as productive as Gananoque Lake or Singleton (other lakes in the chain).

There is no public access to Higley. Unfortunately. I used to know a guy who owned a cottage there, but he sold it some years back. The other cottagers are very unfriendly to uninvited guests.

CCB

Post by **ontariodreaming** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 7:45 pm

Can you navigate a 16 ft deep V between Red Horse and Singleton and Red Horse and Gananoque Lake?

Post by **Cancatchbass** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 8:21 pm

Yessir! You sure can.

There are a couple of scary areas, but boats routinely go all the way from the Gananoque River (above the dam) to Lyndhurst Lake (the lake north of Singleton).

CCB

Post by **ontariodreaming** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 8:26 pm

Thanks CCB...

I guess it gets a little scary we can row... Which lake would you go to for Bass and Pike? I do plan to troll Red Horse for Trout but probably will rent a boat on Charleston for a day or two too.

Post by **wolfe** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 8:34 pm

PSUfishing & Ontariodreaming -

Welcome to the board; both of you joined same day...!...& both from PA?

My husband is also PSU graduate (architecture).

You'll find (as you can see by the response to this thread) many helpful folks on this site.

Good luck with your inquiry and have a fun, productive trip to Ontario in August.

W.

PS: I am NOT the old scruffy guy who lived in the bus, I assure you!!!

Post by **wolfe** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 8:35 pm

Just noticed Ontariodreaming is from MD, not PA. What part? I had relatives close to Baltimore.

W.

Post by **ganman** » Mon Jul 19, 2004 9:24 pm

Lol..this is all making me laugh...scruffy guy in a bus named wolf...yep thats the guy.....thats short for Wolfgang and he's not some backwoods Canadian trapper but rather a recluse from the 60's....an old hippy. Yes he would damage cars and leave nasty notes etc. Use to tick him off when you slipped up quietly in a canoe and caught him and his lady friend sunbathing au natural. Likely he's dropped a few pegs after the deerhunting incident with the good ole boys from Lansdowne.

You Americans will find this all a little funny but that area has a bunch of Vietnam era draft dodgers hiding out. Most were 'Anti's" (anti hunting, anti fishing, pro cannibis). They must have followed Abbie Hoffman (aka Barry Freed as he was known along the river) north. My father lives a few minutes from there and I was out there tonite... not a sole fishing. Somehow I suspect if the fishing has declined it might be either cyclical or environmental. Twenty years ago alot of bass were kept out of that lake.

Best bass fishing for largemouth anyway is in Gananoque Lake which is guarded fiercely by landowners and it'll cost 10 bucks to launch at a dirt/mud ramp at Sand Bay...thats if the guy likes you. I've had a bit of a charge of heart about such matters after experiencing Sunday on Dog Lake, sharing it with dozens of high powered bass boaters from NY State holding a tournament there. I strongly feel such events are not welcome and should be discouraged. Dog/Cranberry are great waters but I think they are seriously reaching capacity. Though talk to me next time after dropping 10 bucks at Gan Lake and I might have a change of mind. Sometimes better than Gan Lake is Lower Beverley. There is a free ramp in Lyndhurst. For smallies its hard to beat Charleston.

Anyway, look me up when your up this way.

Fish-Hawk.Net

Charleston Lake in August

Charleston Lake in August

Hmmmm....

Hmmm...

Yep!