2014 NYC DEP Reservoir Trout

[Gino@Rondout]

  So far, a nice start to my 2014 season. Hit Ashokan from shore at Brodhead Point yesterday, and my father and I each caught a 15" brown on Krocodiles. Another group fishing with bait also caught a small brown. Very windy, but the water in the upper basin is surprisingly clear.

Good luck to everyone this year!

[Gino@Rondout]

Had a long day driving around the Catskills today. Went to Brodhead Point on Ashokan first, only to find it to be way too crowded to fish with elbow room, so I casted at the weir for an hour without a bite. Drove up to Schoharie Reservoir to find it ice-free, but the water was too high to shore fish.
  Pepacton was my next stop, and unfortunately, most of the reservoir was covered with ice. There was a small space of open water near the Shavertown Bridge where some people were shore fishing, as well as a few random open patches at other locations, but other than the upper two miles, the majority of the reservoir was covered in deteriorating ice.

After some futile casting in the Beaverkill, I thought I'd end the day at Rondout Reservoir. I drove past Neversink, and most of the reservoir is covered in ice. There was only a small area of open water in a cove on the Bradley side of the dam and in a small cove near the intake center, where some people were shore fishing.
 
Fortunately, my finish on Rondout was a success! Rondout is 100% ice free.
I fished from shore on the 55 side from 5 to 7pm. My shiners on slip sinker rigs went without even a nibble, but on Krocs, my dad caught a 17" laker and a 15" brown. I caught an 18" laker, a 16" laker, a 16" brown and a 15" brown. Back for more tomorrow!

[jager61]

Aside from a few decent browns I've picked up casting from shore, since we've been back in the boats it's been all lakers. Been hearing about a few decent browns being caught trolling. Things should really start heating up towards the end of the month and especially into May!  

MK

[Gino@Rondout]

Got a 16" brown from shore today at Rondout on a Kroc, as well as a 15"er and a 20" my dad picked up. Also picked up a few ticks. Can't stand those little critters.

[jager61]

Looks like Roundout is coming alive! That's awesome Gino, continued success!

Mike

[troutslayer97]

Does anybody know where to get bait near the Roundout?  Heading over there for the first time sometime this week.  I live right by the pepacton and usuaolly fish that but I wanna try something new.

[Gino@Rondout]

You have 2 options for bait near Rondout. One is Tom's Taxidermy on Rte. 209 in Wawarsing and there is also Sundown Camp & Bait on Sundown Rd., which is above the reservoir. Both have sawbellies, shiners, worms, and any tackle you will need to fish in the reservoir.
 Good luck out there!
Gino

[troutslayer97]

Where would be my best bet for getting into a laker from shore?  Is there any hot spoons that work good for them or will your standard krocodiles and cleos work best?  And should I fish on the bottom with shiners or try to fish them with a slip bober?

[Gino@Rondout]

I find a 1/2-3/4 oz. Krocodile in Silver/Prism Lite to work best for lakers. As of yesterday, Sundown Camp & Bait has sawbellies. Sawbellies are BY FAR the best bait for lakers. Fish them either on a standard slip sinker rig or on a slip bobber rig. Both rigs work well, it really just depends on how windy it is, since slip bobbers can be pretty hard to fish from shore in a heavy wind. On the Rte. 55 side, two pulloffs above the dam, there is a huge rock ledge that drops off into 40-60 ft. of water right near the shore. This spot is excellent for lakers, even during the summer. This early in the spring, just about any spot from shore has the potential to produce nice lakers, since they are mostly in shallow feeding close to the surface until early-mid May.
Hope this helps. Good luck!
Gino

[rugermag]

Good advice from Gino!

[jager61]

Despite miserable conditions today, I managed 3 lakers jigging today on Kensico. Check out the beautiful colors on this laker!

[Raquettedacker]

Pretty fish Mike...  I cant wait, our spring trip is supposed to be in 12 days but there's still a lot of ice....

[jager61]

Pretty fish Mike...  I cant wait, our spring trip is supposed to be in 12 days but there's still a lot of ice....

Thanks Dom! Oh man, there must still be a decent amount of ice yet? Bill (WEC) said there was still 20+ " on IL last weekend. I know how much you look forward to this trip every year!! Love all the great pics, always seems like a ton of laughs and good times! Hope you can pull it off as scheduled!

MK

[trouter]

Thats a beauty mike. Reminds me of otsegos wild ones . Great pictures too.

[jager61]

Thats a beauty mike. Reminds me of otsegos wild ones . Great pictures too.

Thanks Trout !