BB I always heard that that place has excellent smallie fishing, and have always wanted to go there. What did you have to do to put a boat down there?
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dep/html/press_releases/98-04pr.shtml It seems like a lot but over all the whole process is not that bad. Check out the link but here is a quick version ... shoot away with any questions at all.
-1st you need to get a DEP fishing permit, it's free and you can fill it out online and print out in 5mins.
-For a boat you need fill out additional forms right online, make an appointment to have it steam cleaned & documented with DEP and then you leave at the res.
They have designated boat yard where you leave the boat ALL year and keep it chained up when not in use. It is a huge body of water that is split in 2 by a
spillway. When you go there for appt they are very helpful and supply you with maps and such (not avail ahead of time) but i have a few i copied.
-As for the fishing, weill it's ROW ONLY ! Not even elec motors, so forget it if it's going to be windy at all. There are a lot of coves, cliffs, rocks and such. Very
Smallie friendly living conditions
, it is loaded with them but i have lacked to find size ??? There are big browns & rainbows, some walleyes and pan fish too.
I have yet to even try and target anything else. In fact i put the boat there to have a close to home smallie spot. Have only caught one LMB (i'm in the lower
basin) supposedly the upper has a better LM population. But we have had 50+ smallies in a trip before.
-You can only put Alum boats, Min 12' long, has to be a jon or v-bottom ... NO canoes or kyaks. I picked up an old boat for a few hundred bucks over the winter
just for the pupose of putting there. Since you have to leave it there 365 there is always the chance it could get damaged or stolen, so i would not put
anything new.
The scenery is stunning, and everything is FREE, the whole process ... except for having to buy another boat. Unless you already have one kicking around ? It does NOT have to be NYS registered, the DEP has there own serial # and stickers for it.
Last year was the 1st full year i had mine there, i learned last fall that the water levels change A LOT !
I went during the summer, didn't return until Oct/Nov to find a bunch of the coves i previously fished were no longer there, it was crazy. Had to carry the boat a little further down to the water, but still plenty of structure to fish.
If you have any questions at all , let me know.
BB
post edited by bassinbrian - 2009/10/09 00:54:56