Harrisburg Hunters' and Anglers' Association
Sheesley Lake
Sheesley Lake, centrally located on the club grounds, is a 5-acre stocked lake for fishing year round from ½ hour before sunrise until dark for members only.
During the summer, we hold our annual Kid’s Fishing Derby at the lake. It is also used during the Capital Area Sportsmen for Youth Field Day held at our club.
Fishing Regulations
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No live minnows allowed as bait.
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No ice skating, swimming or boating is permitted on the club lake.
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No limit on bluegills.
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Catch and release is recommended.
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Pennsylvania Fishing Regulations apply and a license is required.
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Refer and adhere to Ground Rules posted.
History of the Lake
The lake is named in honor of Earl Sheesley, who was a member of the Board of Directors in the late 1940’s. He was the driving force behind the creation of the lake. In the 1940’s, if you wanted to create a lake, the club president simply carried a box of explosives out to the site and made it happen. Actually, the explosives carved out an area to make ditches to drain the field. The blast opened a ditch to drain the swamp and permitted the use of heavy equipment to build an earthen dam to back up spring water and create the lake. A total of 900 feet of ditches were dug to drain the land. Excavation of the site started in October of 1947. The lake was completed in August of 1949. Water began to collect in the lake and reached the desired level (4-8 feet) in January 1950.