Ranked #1
Outdoors Activities in Quakertown, PA
Educational Bass Fishing Adventures
On Lake Nockamixon in Quakertown, PA
Call/Text: (267) 730-3203
Email: awgulfishing@gmail.com
About Lake Nockamixon
1.) Introduction:
Hey everyone, my name is Captain Anthony Awgul and I'm the full-time fishing guide on Lake Nockamxion in Quakertown, PA. Here's everything you need to know before coming fishing and boating at Pennsylvania's premier trophy bass fishing destination!
2.) Overview:
Located in Quakertown, PA, Lake Nockamixon is a popular destination for fishing, boating, and outdoor recreation. Lake Nockamixon covers 1,450 acres of the 5,286 acres of Nockamixon State Park. The lake is about 7 miles long and has about 24 miles of shoreline. The deepest point of the lake is about 90 feet deep! Lake Nockamixon is one of the top 10 largest lakes in the state of Pennsylvania and is known for its scenic beauty and diverse wildlife.
Lake Nockamixon is a manmade lake that opened in 1974. After the government condemned 290 properties to build the park, a 120 ft tall dam was constructed to dam the Tohickon Creek and fill the new lake. To this day, there are various features from the old Tohickon Village still underwater (Including road beds, bridges, house foundations, and more).
The name "Nockamixon" is derived from the Lenape Native American word “nocha-misk-hanne,” which translates roughly to "at the place of soft soil." The Lenape, who originally inhabited much of Pennsylvania, used descriptive names for locations based on their natural features or prominent landmarks. The area around Lake Nockamixon, with its lush forests and fertile land, likely inspired the name due to the softer, rich soil found along the streams and valleys.
Lake Nockamixon has received a notorious reputation for being a very difficult fishery. Despite the tough fishing, the lake has become recognized as Pennsylvania's premier trophy bass fishing destination. In the past few years alone, the Awgul Fishing Guide Service has landed:
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165 bass over 5 lbs,
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35 bass over 6 lbs,
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20 bass over 7 lbs,
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And even 3 giant bass over 8 lbs,
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In addition to thousands of quality bass between 3-5 lbs!
Lake Nockamixon offers a diverse range of fishing cover and unique structures throughout its waters, providing excellent habitats for various fish species. The lake is rich in aquatic vegetation, such as lily pads and milfoil grass, which create ideal ambush zones for predatory fish like largemouth bass. Anglers will also find bluff walls, ledges, brush piles, and rock piles scattered around the lake. Additionally, remnants of old road beds and a couple of submerged bridges from the former town add historical intrigue and unique fishing opportunities. The Pennsylvania DCNR has enhanced the lake further by installing numerous artificial fish habitat structures.
3.) Lake Nockamixon Fishing & Boating Notes:
-Lake Nockamixon is usually open 24/7 year round
-The lake has a 20 horsepower engine limit for boating (No power loading or idling allowed with engines over 20 horsepower either)
-If your boat has an engine over 20 horsepower, you can use an electric trolling motor or kicker engine below 20 horsepower as long as you don't turn on your engine over 20 horsepower (No need to keep the engine trimmed up)
-Non registered vessels must purchase a launch permit from the State Park Office
-Anglers 16 years and older who desire to fish the lake must purchase a Pennsylvania Fishing License
-Lake Nockamixon participates in Pennsylvania's special "Big Bass Program" (Anglers can only harvest 4 bass per day 15" minimum size during allowed season)
4.) Boat Launches and Shore Fishing Access:
Lake Nockamixon has four public boat launches that are free to use. They are:
1.) Haycock Boat Launch (Located on the north end of the lake on the west side)
2.) Tohickon Boat Launch (Located in the middle of the lake on the west side)
3.) Lake Nockamixon Marina (The lake's largest boat access, located in the middle of the lake on the west side)
4.) Three Mile Run Boat Access (Located on the south end of the lake on the east side).
Lake Nockamixon has many shoreline fishing accesses, including:
1.) All four public boat launches
2.) Lake Nockamixon Marina pier
3.) Lake Nockamixon Fishing pier
6.) Shoreline access off Mink Road
7.) Shoreline access off Ridge Road
8.) Shoreline access off Old Bethlehem Road
9.) Shoreline access off Old Haycock Road
10.) Lake Nockamixon Boat Rental cove shoreline access
5.) Species of Fish:
The lake is stocked and home to a variety of fish species, including:
-Largemouth Bass
-Smallmouth Bass
-Musky (Both purebred musky and tiger musky)
-Striped Bass (Both purebred striped bass and hybrid striped bass)
-Chain Pickerel
-Channel Catfish
-Flathead Catfish
-Walleye
-Crappie (Black crappie and white crappie)
-Bluegill
-Yellow perch
-Common carp
The predatory fish in Lake Nockamixon typically prey on a variety of fish species, including:
-Panfish (Crappie, bluegill, and perch)
-Gizzard shad
-Alewives
6.) Best Fishing Lures:
When targeting bass on Lake Nockamixon, artificial lures are often the most effective choice for anglers. Modern lures are crafted to be more efficient and versatile than live bait, realistically mimicking the prey that predatory fish actively pursue. These lures enable anglers to fish more effectively across various types of cover and structure, increasing the chances of landing bass in any environment. Note that in addition to being a full-time fishing guide, I've also developed my own complete line of specialized bass lures and tackle that I use daily to target bass on Lake Nockamixon. My company, Menace Baits, offers an entire selection of expertly crafted lures and tackle designed to maximize your performance on these waters. You can explore and shop the full Menace Baits product line at www.menacebaits.com.
When fishing shallow vegetation, my top producing lures include soft plastics, spinnerbaits, vibrating jigs, shallow diving crankbaits, and topwater baits. When fishing hard cover and structure, I prefer deep diving crankbaits, jigs, swimbaits, drop shot rigs, and ned rigs.
7.) Lake Nockamixon Maps & Resources:
1.) Lake Nockamixon Artificial Fish Habitat Structure Map
2.) Lake Nockamixon Depth Contour Map (High Quality File):
3.) Lake Nockamixon Fishing School (Daily Fishing Reports & Seminars)
4.) Captain Anthony Awgul's Fishing Reports & Blog
8.) Seasonal Breakdown:
I offer fishing guide services year-round, weather permitting—continuing as long as the lake remains ice-free! To help you plan your fishing trip, I've written out a seasonal breakdown of typical fishing conditions on Lake Nockamixon throughout the year:
December through Early March:
Fishing Difficulty: Very Difficult
Seasonal Pattern: Wintertime fishing
Best Times of Day to Fish: Middle of Day
Notes: Wintertime fishing can be cold and tough, but if the weather cooperates and there's no ice on the water it can be a great time of year to catch big bass and avoid boat traffic. If you're up for the challenge, bundle up and let's go fishing for some bass in their wintertime haunts!
Late March to Early April:
Fishing Difficulty: Average
Seasonal Pattern: Prespawn
Best Times of Day to Fish: Late Morning, Middle of Day
Notes: Bass tend to be pretty aggressive during the prespawn season as they prepare to breed later in the spring. Fish caught during this timeframe also tend to weigh more than average as they feed heavily and start moving up towards their shallow spawning grounds. Just be prepared to potentially face some cold weather during this time of year!
Mid April through early May:
Fishing Difficulty: Excellent
Seasonal Pattern: Spawn
Best Times of Day to Fish: Middle of Day
Notes: The bite during this time of year can be excellent since bass become very aggressive, territorial, and predictable as they spawn. It's important to note that during this "No Harvest Season," all anglers must catch and immediately release all bass (Although I practice catch & release year round), and anglers may not make repeated cast on visible bedding bass. Most of the musky that we catch are caught during this season too!
Mid May Through Early June:
Fishing Difficulty: Average
Seasonal Pattern: Postspawn
Best Times of Day to Fish: Morning & Evening
Notes: After bass finish spawning, they can become difficult to catch for a period of time. During the postspawn season, the fishing can be tough to catch for a couple of weeks as they recover from the spawn before moving into their summertime pattern. However, they still need to eat and we'll still be out on the water! Usually during this time of year, the crappie fishing really heats up!
Mid June Through August:
Fishing Difficulty: Difficult
Seasonal Pattern: Summertime
Best Times of Day to Fish: Morning & Evening
Notes: Throughout the summer season, bass can be found all around the lake. Fish can be anywhere from shallow to deep while holding to various types of cover and structure. Although the techniques we use during this season aren't always the easiest, the warm water can sometimes make bass pretty active, so break out your sunscreen and let's go wet a line!
September through Early October:
Fishing Difficulty: Very Difficult
Seasonal Pattern: Early Fall Transition
Best Times of Day to Fish: Morning & Evening
Notes: When the water temperature finally starts cooling, the fish usually start moving. The fall transition has historically been an unpredictable time of year for fishing since the bass will be moving around and changing their behavior so much. If you're up for the challenge, let's go see if we can get some fish to bite!
Early October through November:
Fishing Difficulty: Average
Seasonal Pattern: Fall
Best Times of Day to Fish: Middle of day
Notes: The fall can be a great time to catch active and feeding bass while avoiding the boat traffic. When we do find fish, they might be very aggressive as they're prepare for winter, so we'll still be out on the water when it starts to cool down while everyone else starts worrying about football and hunting!