Fishing Lakes in Montgomery County - Where to Fish Close to Norristown PA

I enjoy fishing but haven't been fishing my whole life so I am still constantly seeking out new areas to fish that are close to where I live.

I thought I'd do a little project on places to fish in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Specifically lakes, ponds, and reservoirs that are right in the Norristown, PA region. 

I tried Google searches on lakes and reservoirs near Norristown but the results are not real reliable. Some bodies of water are listed but are not open to fisherman. Some bodies of water are in the middle of a golf course. Some of the water is in a quarry. You get the idea.

So, I found some nice areas where you can actually catch fish. I'll add more over time. If you know of any close to Norristown, let me know. I'll check it out and add it.

Where

Green Lane Reservoir is a heck of a place to fish. Located in Green Lane Park, Green Lane PA, it is about 40 minutes from Norristown up towards the Red Hill Area. From Norristown, you'd lake Sumneytown pike all the way out until 29, make a quick right then quick left and you are there. I'll include a map for better directions.

The Fishing

The fishing is good. I got a real nice 14" bass on a twister tail not long before I wrote this article. I always catch something here.

The Setting

I've only fished there in the fall. At least during the fall it is not over populated with fisherman so I feel like I can have some peace here and 'get away'

The reservior is big enough that the two photos I took definitely do not show the whole body of water. They only show a small portion.

The Bottom

The bottom I where fished is very rocky with dark mud

Shoreline Access

The Shoreline is very accessible. If you are the type that just wants to park your car, jump out and fish, you can do that. If you want to get away from the lots and get back into the woods, there is a trail that runs parallel to the shore line. I usually go 100 yards or so up a trail then cut in to the shoreline.

Where

Deep Creek Lake is also in Green Lane Park in PA. You can get to Deep Creek Lake From Norristown using the same directions I gave you for Green Lane Reservoir.

The Fishing

I haven't fished here much. I haven't caught anything but that doesn't mean there aren't any fish. Every time I am here, there are more fisherman here than at its 'sister' body of water, Green Lane Reservoir. Maybe they know something that I don't know (which is very, very possible :-)

The Setting

The lake is fairly narrow and long and has a considerable bend to it (not pictured) that leads to a spillway that drops I'd guess 20 feet. If there was rushing water, It would certainly resemble a river but the water is calm and stable and definitely lake-like.

The Bottom

The locations I fished at Deep Creek Lake had a lot of plant life below the water. I was using lures that run on the bottom and I was pulling up a lot of vegetation. Not just dead vegetation and silt. Live, thick, standing vegetation. Next time I go here, I'll try a weedless hoping there is bass hiding in the underwater vegetation.

Shoreline Access

The shoreline is even more accessible than at the reservoir. You basically park and walk no more than 100 feet. You could walk farther to reach other shores farther from the lot, but at least as of the time of this article, the ones farther off have 'no fishing' signs posted.

Where

OK, this is not in Montgomery County, PA. It is in Bucks County.

Lake Luxembourg is located within Core Creek Park. This park is the furthest from Norristown, PA than any other body of water in this article. Figure 45 minutes from Norristown PA. It is easy to get to so I thought worth mentioning. Bascially a straight drive 99% of the way. It is located in Middletown PA. From Montgomery County PA, you basically take the PA turnpike east until Route 1, then Route 1 north to Maple Ave Exit. From this exit you are only 5 minutes from the park. See the map I added to this article.

The Fishing

I get plenty of crappie here and there are some decent pan fish. Other fisherman claim to have caught pike in this lake and that is enough to keep me coming back.

The Setting

The lake is a decent sized lake. You can't see the whole lake from any one vantage point on foot.

The shoreline varies depending where you stand. Some sections have no or few trees, just grass and dirt. Other sections are lightly wooded. Some of the shore is fine gravel and there a few places where the shore is heavy boulders and rock.

There are a lot of non fishermen strolling the park with dogs, dates, and families. There is not much privacy to a fisherman in the public picnic and trail areas. That said, the lake is pretty big with some areas away from the public facilities so there is a chance for some privacy if you want it.

The Bottom

Mud! This is a mud hole for sure. Some rocks but most of the shoreline I have patrolled shows soft mud.

Shoreline Access

Shore line is accessible from a couple of parking areas. In terms of access to the water, it is great for fishermen who do not want to walk far from the car to the lake. That said, it is also great for fishermen who want to walk hundreds of yards away from the lots to do a little more remote fishing.

Where

Loch Alsh Reservoir is in Ambler, PA and is the closest of the fishing water to Norristown that I have checked out so far.

About 15 minutes from Norristown. Take 73 toward Ambler. Left onto Butler Pike, drive through downtown Ambler, turn right on Woodland Road, Woodland becomes Loch Alsh Rd and the reservoir will be on the left

The Fishing

Bass and sunfish is what I have caught so far. Some decent sized bass too considering how small this location is (more on that below)

The Setting

Very small reservoir. Very round in shape You can see the entire reservoir from any vantage point on the shoreline. You can walk around the reservoir in about 5 minutes. The reservoir has a busy street within 60 feet or so from one edge, houses very close on both sides and some woods on the one end of the reservoir.

Flat dirt shoreline with no trees in the way.

Usually someone is fishing here but considering the proximately and easy access there are surprisingly few. This reservoir could easily be shoulder to shoulder with fishermen.

The Bottom

The usual dark rocks and mud but there is also a brick structure sticking out of one end of the water.

Shoreline Access

Immensely accessible. There are two small parking lots. You open your car door and you are only about 30 feet or so 'as the crow flies' from fishing.

Good spot for those (from Norristown region) who just want a super easy fishing trip.

I couldn't find a link for this body of water. I can tell you that no boating is allowed. There is a picnic area nearby and during most of the warm weather months there is a porta potty facility but it has since been removed for fall/winter. PA fishing license required. I do believe this is trout stocked but I do not know when the actual stocking occurs.

First of All....

.... OK, I got ahead of myself on this one... this is actually a stream and not a lake or reservoir, but since I already took some pictures, I'll throw it in there anyway because I'm stubborn like that :-)

Where

Wissahickon Valley Park is about 5 miles from the Norristown Exit of the PA Turnpike. The location I was at is easy to get to. Just take Germantown Pike East (if coming from the Turnpike or points near Norristown) about 5 miles. Then I took a right onto Bells Mill road and travelled maybe a quarter a mile or so until I came to the water.

The Fishing

I fished this spot on a cold November day. I didn't catch anything but wasn't there more than a couple of hours. In all fairness to Wissahickon creek, I've heard it is not the best place to fish except during the spring and part of the summer when the rains have come and the water is deeper. I was hiking there in early May and did see on angler with a couple trout on the stringer.

The Setting

The creek was about 50 feet across from where I was standing. Absolutely no fisherman where I was but that looks different when the weather is nicer.

The shoreline is fairly easy to get around on. Flat dirt with some rocks. Trees line the shore line. The shoreline is down in a valley that doesn't appear too deep. At least not deep by Pennsylvania standards but still pretty scenic.

Hiking trails are on both sides of the creek and there are plenty of hikers and the occasional person on horseback. Lots of activity here. This is part of a popular Philadelphia park system and the area surrounding the park is heavily populated.

The Bottom

Rocky! Lots of rocks. In the shallows, even small rocks stick out above the water.

Under the bridge where I was fishing it gets pretty deep. I could not see bottom. For the heck of it I threw on a crankbait that I'd estimate had a bill that would allow it to drop 5 feet or so and I wasn't touching bottom.  I lost my 9 foot crankbait at one of the other locations I review above. I wish I had it. Would've been fun to see how deep it was.

The Access

The creek is very accessible. Not a lot of thick growth along the shoreline. The trail on one side of the creek is a very well maintained path. So well kept, people push strollers down it.  The trail on the other side isn't particularly hard to navigate but is more of a 'hiker's' trail with rocks and some climbs. Either side of the creek is very easy to get to.

This Bucks County park is closer to Norristown than Core Creek Park (Lake Luxembourg) but it breaks my heart.  Beautiful, wooded, diverse nature and animals, gorgeous body of water, with one end backing up to a scenic defunct railroad line.

Absolutely NO FISHING ALLOWED at least as of the date of this article.

I actually fished here as a kid but 25 years later when I recently went back there are no fishing signs all over.

This is located in Ambler, PA much closer than Loch Alsh Reservoir when coming from Norristown. Take 73 toward Ambler and you'll see it on your left.

The grounds actually have a couple of nice but small ponds on it.

Some of you may be wondering if there is fishing there. I wondered myself since I swear I saw online photos of guys fishing one of the ponds. I went there recently and .....

NO FISHING ALLOWED

I'm not sure if they ever allow fishing here but when I went, the signs were very clear...in summary... don't even think about casting out :-)

That is about all the Lakes, Ponds, and Reservoirs I could find in the immediate area.  As mentioned, if you know of any, feel free to comment and I'll check it out.

Thanks!