Brady's Lake Is For The Birds

Great Blue Heron Enjoying Some Lunch

As the crow flies; Brady’s Lake is just over 10 miles from Moscow, PA. To get there via vehicle, it becomes a little bit of a longer journey; 17.5 miles from the intersection of PA-435 and the Clifton Beach/River Rd in Clifton township. It might take close to a half-an-hour to get there, but Brady’s Lake is large enough to warrant several hours of exploration and/or good fishing.

Getting There:

Looking at a map, Brady’s Lake appears to be just a hop-skip-and-a-jump from the several communities in southern Lackawanna County. While it is in Monroe County, it lies close enough to that corner of the world where three counties meet, thus acting as a draw for people from all three areas. While woods roads that cut through State Game Lands #127 seem like shortcuts, they are gated and usually locked. If towing a trailer or toting a boat on roofracks, those roads aren’t going to be of much good anyway. From the intersection of PA-435 and Clifton Beach/River Rd, drive towards Thornhurst and then bear right on to Locust Ridge Rd. and follow that until it ends on PA-940. Travel 1.3 miles East on PA-940 to Brady’s Lake Rd, a gravel road, and then follow that for about 3.0 miles until reaching the parking lot.

On The Water:

The launch is solid asphalt ramp and can allow for trailers to unload. Powered boats are allowed, but must run electric engines only. Paddlers can enter at the same place as well and getting going is easy. The dam which contains the lake dates back to 1915 and can be viewed before heading up-lake. Stubbly remains of saplings protrude along the west side of the lake and can cause some havoc for kayaks and canoes and should be avoided by larger boats. It’s best to stick to the center. The lake narrows about a 1/3 of the way back and after that the shoreline in the west opens up more and getting close to the edge is easier and offers more opportunity to view wildlife and plants. On the east side, lilies and other emergent plants can become thick in places but a keen eye might spot a wading heron or sunning turtles. Scanning the trees, it’s not out of the question to see an eagle perched, looking for a meal. An eagle nest is also located among the branches closer to the north end of the lake as well. Should eaglets or juveniles be present, their shrill cries are easy to identify and can be heard often. A camera, especially one that has a good zoom lens, would be worth bringing as would be binoculars. If fishing, the waters hold bass and panfish. Murky and brown from the high amounts of tannin, seeing anything below the water is tough. Submergent plants such as Coontail can provide good cover for fish, but can also swallow lures, so use caution when casting and reeling in the bait.

Bald Eagle Taking Flight

Round trip distance on the lake is about 3.5 miles. Whether fishing or spotting wildlife, allow for at least three hours, but it is very easy to spend more there if the fish are hitting and the birds are flying. Many people visit the lake simply to explore by foot or fish from shore, so a packed parking lot may not signify great traffic on the water. The three mile dirt road approach and the accessibility of other public and private lakes in the area probably deter many casual outdoorsmen, but don’t be daunted. Go explore and enjoy Brady’s Lake.

The Wild Life at Lake Shohola

The Wild Life at Shohola Lake, Pike County, Pennsylvania

About halfway between Hawley and Milford on the south side of US Route 6 lies Shohola Lake. I'm not sure when Shohola Creek was dammed to form the lake, or if it was done primarily for flood control or to enhance wildlife habitat (or both.) In any event, the lake and the surrounding area has become a home for mammals, reptiles, and birds of all sorts.

Immediately below the lake is the waterfall, the usual attraction. The fast water crashing over the rocks and splashing into a gorge is allegorical to the amount of excitement it provides. Although it is definitely a must-see while there, the quiet vastness of the lake offers more in the long run.

There are two launch areas on the lake. The first one has a large paved lot and easy ramp access for boaters with trailers. It is very close to the dam at the north end of the lake. I rarely use this launch since it makes for an extremely long trip up the lake and back. It is good if you have more than four hours to paddle or if you are using a motor. If you lack that sort of time or use manpower to move your craft, choose the second launch further up the lake. It too has a ramp, but the launch area is dirt and you must move your vehicle about 100 yards up to the parking area before embarking on your journey. I prefer the second launch because it puts me closer to the better wildlife viewing areas and I generally paddle for about two hours when I go there.

Early season explorers will find the water fairly open in most sections of

the lake. Lake level and plant growth contribute significantly to where you can easily travel later in the season. Subsurface and emergent plants can dominate the lake at times leaving only a defined channel where the creek flows through the lake. Overall, the lake is fairly shallow allowing Watershield to blanket much of the water. Spatterdock and White Lillies make occasional appearances, poking out of the water here and there.

The shallow water does make for some tricky paddling at times. Many stumps and bog mats protrude here and there throughout the lake. However, these obstacles generally serve as excellent perches for birds and reptiles.

Painted turtles catch some afternoon sun .

Cormorants frequently take up summer residence at the lake.

The reasons the lake has such an abundant population of wildlife has a lot to do with the fact that much of the lake is a designated propagation area. One side of the lake is practically inaccessible by foot, and observation areas for those without boats are located far from the lakeshore. Additionally, power restrictions for watercraft make the area a welcome place for nesting, breeding, and residency. Similarly, standing dead trees act as great hunting perches for Osprey and Bald Eagles and nests for cavity dwelling waterfowl, such as Wood Ducks and Woodpeckers.

A trip here on any given day from May through October should yield at least one Bald Eagle sighting. Wintertime viewing may not be as successful if the lake is frozen over. While eagles have been know to stay in the area through the winter mating season, often the birds will fly a few miles to the Delaware River to fish during the daytime.

To get to Lake Shohola, take Exit 34 off Interstate 84 to State Route 739. Travel north on 739 for 0.7 miles to Well Road. Turn right on Well Road and travel 3.8 miles to U.S. Route 6. Turn right onto Route 6 and travel east two miles to the Shohola Falls Water-fowl Management Area. An access road to the boat launches can be found just west of the large parking area on Route 6.

Map of State Game Lands 180