The Catskill Mountains are blessed with hundreds of miles of world-class trout streams. Flowing through picturesque mountains and valleys filled with massive red oaks, grouse and bears, these waters hosted pioneering fishing greats Theodore Gordon, Henry Inman and William T. Porter as they introduced America to dry-fly fishing. Though scores of decades have passed, the upper stretches of many of these creeks are as pristine as they were back when Gordon, Inman and Porter plied their waters. As that simpler time gave way to a busier, growing nation, man turned to the Catskills to sustain the rapid growth. New York City embarked on an ambitious plan to harness, re-route and deliver water from these mountains to the growing metropolis by constructing an impressive string of dams, aqueducts and tunnels. A fortuitous byproduct of these engineering feats are the beautiful reservoirs that double as angling hotspots, namely for smallmouth bass.
These waters are deep within woodlands that are rich in eastern deciduous hardwoods. The massive red oaks may be close to 200 years old, some with trunks so large that three men could not link their arms around them. Much of the water’s edge is lined by heavily laden huckleberry bushes and mountain laurel thickets, most enjoyable in bloom when the water is at full pool.
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Black bears roam the Catskills, and an astute observer in the early spring may see one at the water’s edge or on a south-facing hillside. Meanwhile, the amount of avian life observed around these waters will keep even the most avid of bird watchers interested. It is not uncommon to see ravens, loons, diving ducks, kingfishers and eagles. Anglers may hear the ruffed grouse drumming their best pick-up lines for the shy hens. At night, sounds of coyotes running down prey on a hillside will make the hairs on your neck stand up while the barred owls ask, “who cooks for you all?”
Wildlife behavior on and around the reservoirs is often an indicator of just how good the fishing will be. Seeing deer running about and feeding in fields gives me confidence that the bass are on the same schedule.
Geographically speaking, these reservoirs are within a reasonably compact area, measuring approximately 60 miles east-west and 40 miles north-south. Schoharie Reservoir is on the northernmost edge, situated near the town of Gilboa. The Neversink and Rondout reservoirs are on the southernmost edge, both east of Liberty. The Cannonsville Reservoir is on the western side near Deposit, and the Pepacton Reservoir is next to Downsville. Ashokan, the oldest and largest reservoir in the “West of Hudson” or “Catskill-Delaware” system, is on the eastern side. Together, these waters cover approximately 40,000 acres, including many submerged towns and farmlands that once dotted these valleys.
In order to protect the drinking water for its numerous inhabitants, New York City planners had the foresight to create buffer zones around the watersheds. The city obtained tens of thousands of acres of forest land to preserve the purity of streams feeding the reservoirs. That buffer provides picturesque settings which abound with fish and game.
Some species have enjoyed great population increases due to these impoundments. Two such successes are the smallmouth bass and the bald eagle. In the land where trout is king, smallies are not necessarily held in high regard with the local human population. The bald eagles, however, are not nearly as discerning about what they fish for. They know the numbers of brown bass these reservoirs hold ensure constant success for their population.
Just as the eagle knows, any adventurous bass angler within 100 miles of New York City should know, or consider getting to know, these waters. Don’t expect to see or hear fancy bass boats power-fishing their way across the water. Instead, expect to see the occasional rowboat, barely visible and camouflaged within the surroundings. A squeaky oar may be the only indication that someone is nearby.
Assuming I already knew the answer, I once asked a Department of Environmental Protection employee why electric motors aren’t even allowed on New York City reservoirs. I expected to hear that they didn’t want batteries ending up on the bottom or invasive species hitchhiking their way to establishing new colonies on these waters. Instead, to my surprise, he responded, “Tradition. It’s always been this way.”
After hearing that, I thought to myself, “How many times have I been on a body of water and wondered what it might have been like in the old days, 50 years ago maybe?” Well, I didn’t wonder anymore, because I could experience it firsthand. Indeed, you don’t need a time machine to get back to the fishing days of old, just a free access permit, your gear and some good footwear.
If you prefer fishing from boat, all you need is a pair of oars and a sturdy 12- to 16-foot aluminum boat chained to a tree near the water’s edge (after a mandatory but free steam clean). The thought of rowing around large impoundments might give one angler angina while striking up a sense of adventure in another. For those willing to combine exercise with fishing in pristine conditions, you owe it to yourself to check out these gems. An exception to the “rowing only” rule is the Cannonsville Reservoir. A 3-year pilot program implemented in 2009 allows kayaks, canoes, sailboats and sculls. More information is available at www.nyc.gov/watershed.
Often it seems you are all alone out on one of these bodies of water, and many times that is true. Should you end up in a crowd of 10 rowboats over seven miles of reservoir, there’s no need to get antsy; nobody is in a hurry! You can only go as fast as you can row. It’s a type of “green” fishing that has minimal impact on the environment and maximum benefit to the sportsman.
Once on these waters, you’ll find a fisherman’s dream: rock quarries, building foundations, road beds, river and creek channels, stump fields, blowdowns, brush piles, landslides, driftwood jams and boulders galore. There are other factors that add interest to these impoundments. For example, water fluctuations throughout the season make for ever-changing environments. A stump field that sat in 40 feet of water in the spring may be sitting in 15 feet by early summer. Portions of the cover and structure end up high and dry while others, previously unattractive to fish, become prime holding and feeding areas.
When you combine this dynamically changing environment with the row-only restrictions, you end up with relatively unpressured waters. There’s no haphazard running-and-gunning here. Detailed daily fishing logs, keen observation, good planning and a willingness to get some exercise will maximize your time and effort.
Despite the occasionally challenging weather, the results of fishing these reservoirs speak for themselves. While the prohibition of any motors can make for an exhausting outing, it also eliminates nearly all boat traffic and allows anglers to get very close to fish – specifically smallmouth.
In my years of fishing and guiding on the Neversink Reservoir – and speaking with anglers that frequent some of the others – I have picked up on a pattern that presents a good bet for someone new to this experience.
Many anglers eagerly await their favorite times on the piscatorial calendar. They know that specific seasonal conditions that peak during a very short window – combined with distinct characteristics of local waters, produce some of the year’s best fishing. In the Catskill Mountain reservoirs, when pursuing New York City’s “monsters in the mountains,” there is just such a formula that creates an optimal environment for awesome smallmouth bass sight-fishing.
On many of New York State’s larger bodies of water, the official opener for bass is the third Saturday of June, which usually falls between the end of the spawn and beginning of the post-spawn period. Smaller male bass may still be guarding fry, but the larger females we are looking for are noticeably absent.
In the highland impoundments of the Catskills, these larger females back off into deeper water to recuperate from the spawn and suspend in the water column. They will loosely relate to large points and the break lines of adjacent flats in the main reservoir basins. The coves that held so many fish in the spring no longer accommodate substantial concentrations of bass.
By this time, the pelagic alewives or “sawbellies” that make up the forage base have completed their spawn, but these baitfish don’t relate to anything specific. Instead, they cruise open water at varying depths, dependent on light, water temperature and surface conditions. Generally speaking, the low-light conditions of dawn, dusk and overcast days keep the bait higher in the water column, often at the surface. Overcast conditions produce the most steady and consistent action throughout the course of the day. When a weak, slow-moving low pressure system approaches, I tell clients to dress for variable conditions – and bring some Neosporin for their thumbs because they’re going to get shredded from lipping smallmouth after smallmouth!
After the spawn, recuperated females get sassy and a weak weather disturbance really fuels the beginning of an aggressive feeding period. Now that the buffet is set, it’s time to start picking off the patrons one by one.
Any successful outing requires a well-considered and flexible game plan that can be adjusted based on conditions and observations. This is particularly important when fishing the New York City Catskill watershed reservoirs. Because they are designated as rowing-only waters, one should be fully aware of the day’s weather forecast, down to the hour. Anglers can quickly find themselves in a predicament when conditions deteriorate. In the local microclimate, they may encounter thunderstorms and stiff winds that make rowing nearly impossible. My experiences have taught me that these reservoirs should not be taken lightly. Those venturing out into these deceptively giant bodies of water should prepare for all conceivable weather conditions.
Long-casting topwater baits like a Heddon Super Spook Jr., Rapala Skitter V or Berkley Drift Walker will give you the necessary distance. I prefer a plan that targets not only smallies but also considers the large pickerel and trout that inhabit these waters.
Starting from a mid-reservoir locale, I proceed toward the large primary points that are scattered throughout the main basin. A slow, steady approach is best while scanning for signs of bait and/or breaking fish. Begin working these large steep points by fan-casting 80 to 100 yards off the bank. If the water is slick, consider using topwaters. Just remember not to set the hook as the fish explodes on the bait. Keep working it until the lure disappears or you feel the weight of the fish. Smallies are notorious for smashing topwater baits three or four times before they get a firm hold.
If the water has a slight chop, try higher end topwater prop baits or a spinnerbait. If you have never been fortunate enough to experience a good smallmouth spinnerbait bite, you’re in for a treat. Fish absolutely hammer these baits and can easily trash any cheap model thrown at them.
Another option suitable for all conditions is the lowly curly-tail grub. Try pairing a 4-inch Berkley Gulp Freshwater Grub with a basic ¼- or 3/8-ounce Berkley Fusion19 swimbait jighead for a presentation with practically no negative cues.
This bait can be used at any depth in the water column and at any speed, from burning and slow rolling to complete dead sticking.
As you approach a point, slowly maneuver until you can reach the shoreline cover with any of the aforementioned baits. The 45-degree breaks on these boulder-strewn banks provide bass an easy transition from deep water to tight cover, depending on their mood. Their suspending nature allows them to drift onto and off of these points with ease.
Continue to the next point by paralleling the shoreline at 50 to 100 yards out. Don’t rush, there is plenty of scenery to soak in while scanning for active fish and bait.
Here’s a neat trick for when you do make contact: Always have an off-white, 4-inch soft-plastic stickbait rigged either wacky or Texas style. When your partner is fighting a fish, carefully look into the water and find it. More often than not, there will be anywhere from three to six bass in hot pursuit, looking to scarf up what the hooked fish regurgitates. The Yamamoto 4-inch Senko in cream white is a dead ringer for these partially digested baitfish.
Toss this tasty little morsel 10 feet out from the boat and dead-stick it. Many times you will see the bass inhale it. Wait for the bait to disappear into the depths. If your line stops or twitches, it has been picked up, so set the hook. Do not have the drag too tight since you now have a big doggie on a short leash! Half the fun with this strategy is watching the show unfold in the ultra-clear water. Continue on to the next point and keep repeating the process.
However, things change in open water situations and rods from 7 to even 8 ½ feet have a distinct advantage over the shorter rods.A long rod complemented with the proper reel, line and a balancer will outperform a traditional 6-foot rod in terms of open water casting distance. Spinning or baitcasting gear rated for 8- to 17-pound-test line is ideal. When accuracy is needed, 6- to 6 ½-foot rods can help dissect tight shoreline cover. When fish are breaking just out of range for the short stick, it pays to have the extra length. Manufacturers such as Rogue and G. Loomis have multiple rods to fit the bill.
These are merely a few suggestions that have consistently worked for me. We’re only limited by our imaginations, so be creative and let the fish teach you something new. Taken together, all these tactics create a great summer game plan to help investigate and learn these majestic upstate reservoirs. If the tough economy or time constraints prevent travel to exotic locations, fish the forgotten monsters in the mountains. Pristine, quiet and highly productive waters await the intrepid angler looking for an adventure close to home.
4 Blade Bait Lures for Smallmouth Bass
