Anyone visit Beltzville Lake in PA?

[Mark42]

Beltzville Lake is in the Beltzville State Park. They have two launch ramps. I was wondering if anyone here ever used the ramps and what they can tell us about them. IE, dock conditions, ramp condition and construction, etc.

The lake is about an hour away, and just wanted to get some info (besides what is on the PA parks department website) about the launch facilities.

Thanks!

 

[lime4x4]

Re: Anyone visit Beltzville Lake in PA?

I boat there every weekend and during the week sometimes. Beltzville has 2 launches 1 main a 3 ramp and another one with 2 ramps. The main one is at pine run and the other one is at preachers camp. The preacher camp one can be tricking getting to. Narrow road twisting down a hill.We have a 27 footer we launch at pine run all the time. Both launches have 2 docks. If your planning on leaving the lake at night bring flash lites. Poor lighting. Also the docks at the main launch one is set in shallow water the dock closest to the bridge is set in deeper water. On weekends it can get crowded around the docks. Alot of people hog the dock while someone from there party goes to get there trailer. Only 1 person is allowed to operate the boat i guess..lol If u plan on going go early if possible to beat the rush. You can tube, water ski, fish or just hang out in a cove. Your also pretty much allowed to swim anywhere in the lake as long as u have a life vest on.Actually me and supernova are hopefully hooking up tonight up there and spending the night on the lake. And the ramps are concrete. Maybe we'll c u out there sometime
Anything else u need just ask

 

[calmwaters]

Re: Anyone visit Beltzville Lake in PA?

Hello!
Lime4x4, you say you are spending the night. Checked the web site and it says no overnight mooring. Have any trouble with this?? Have a bayliner 2252 and am only 1.5 hrs away might be a nice weekend away.

Harold

 

[Mark42]

Re: Anyone visit Beltzville Lake in PA?

Yeah, I wondered about that too. Website definitely says no overnighting. How do you keep the police away?

 

[calmwaters]

Re: Anyone visit Beltzville Lake in PA?

I have overnighted at bluemarsh lake and you are not to there. Just been way back in the coves. Have been doing so for years and only relized this year not to be. Guess it depends on how they patrol the lake. I cant see the harm if you are safe, you can be out all night if you are fishing or just awake, go figure.
Harold

 

[lime4x4]

Re: Anyone visit Beltzville Lake in PA?

okay take this for what it's worth...lol The park ranger patrol's the lake during the day with boats between 8 to 9 pm they go home. the park rangers that patrol in the cars usually go home at midnight. there are a few coves that aren't readily accessable from foot so they don't even bother. We have seen many times a guy from new jersey with a thirty foot boat who anchors in one of the back coves for 3 or 4 days. it's a chance u take. If u get caught u could always say when u went to get the trailer your tow vechile wouldn't start and it was 1 o'clock in the morning so what were you suppose to do...lol your also only suppose to swim in the beach area only. We go swimming in a cove by the damn and wave to the park rangers and they don't say anything as long as u have a life vest on.

 

[SuperNova]

Re: Anyone visit Beltzville Lake in PA?

As said before, you can be on the lake all night, but you have to be fishing or whatever--awake I guess. So you take a couple of fishing rods with you and pretend to be fishing if you have to. Personally I wouldn't worry too much about it.
--
Stan

 

[Mark42]

Re: Anyone visit Beltzville Lake in PA?

I was in PA this past weekend (without my boat), so I took a run over to the lake to check it out. Man, that place was hoppin' on a Sunday afternoon. Must have been 60 or more trucks with trailers parked in the launch lot. And the line to launch/retrive was easy 15 to 20 trucks long. Probaby 20 or more boats waiting to be pulled out. What a production line they have there with the 3 lane launch and separate tie down areas.

It was mind boggling to watch some of these guys back in with a 30 ft trailer like it wasn't even there and pull out a 26ft searay in no time.

I think I'll wait for a week day to give it a try. I'm used to launches where I'm usually the only one there. So this setup really blew my mind!

 

[lime4x4]

Re: Anyone visit Beltzville Lake in PA?

If one of those 30 foot trailers were attached to a lifted lime green and purple chevy pickup then that was me...lol It was a nice weekend to be on the water. The secret to beltzville is to get there early leave late..lol

 

[SuperNova]

Re: Anyone visit Beltzville Lake in PA?

And I was sitting next to lime4x4 on the ramp with a 30 foot trailer attached to a beige Suburban, although he loaded smoother and quicker than me. Yeah, if you want to run in Beltzville you'd better have your act together or all those people sitting on lawn chairs right at the top of the ramp won't let you soon live it down. And the marine patrol guy standing at the top of the ramp may just kick you off the lake for the weekend if you are really clogging things up. Like lime4x4 said, the secret is to get there early and leave late. It's a blast though and it won't be long until you are cursing all the idiots who can't load or unload properly and don't follow the procedures. Right, lime?
He knows what I mean.lol
--
Stan

 

[lime4x4]

Re: Anyone visit Beltzville Lake in PA?

Yeap.. That was pure luck that day...lol Usually it's a pain to load when the water is that rough.

 

[Mark42]

Re: Anyone visit Beltzville Lake in PA?

While I was there watching the goings on (about 5 or 6 pm), this young guy and his girl show in a blazer with about a 14' trailer. After about 10 minutes of back-and-fourth and jack-knifing, blocking the other people from getting onto the ramp, I decided to step in.

I asked him if he had ever backed up with a trailer before. He said "No, its not my truck or trailer. It's my father (or father inlaw) who is on the lake and told me to go get the trailer". So I offered help. Told him to pull forward and straighten it all out, then I walked next to him in reverse and I held the wheel. In a minute or two I had him with the tires at the waters edge. Funny, didn't see his father anywhere. He thanked me and I left.

Ya gotta wonder what people are thinking when they send someone with no experience backing up a trailer to go and get you out. Some people.

BTW, I was the guy with the little white dog and two kids watching the ramp.