Fishing at Hornell Reservoir Number One, Steuben County, New York

• Overview

  In New York, Hornell Reservoir Number One belongs to Steuben County. The bank gives way to pine and birch. At about 25 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. For supplies, Hornell is 4.3 miles out. Canisteo lies 8.1 miles off, Alfred another 12 miles. The county line runs close by, so rules can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Hornell Reservoir Number One

  Our records hold no depth for this water. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. Public occurrence data for Steuben County names brown trout, white sucker, tessellated darter and banded darter. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. On Hornell Reservoir Number One the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 21°F to 67°F. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about early April. Ice usually gives way near early April, and forms again about mid December. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Plan any trip to Hornell Reservoir Number One around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Hornell Reservoir Number Three at 0.7 miles is the sensible second choice. Nothing here settles the position at Hornell Reservoir Number One for certain.