Fishing Hornell Reservoir Number Three in Steuben County, New York

• Overview

  Look for Hornell Reservoir Number Three in the Steuben County part of New York. It sits at 1,516 feet above sea level. It covers about 19 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Most waters listed here for Steuben County are larger. The closest town, Hornell, is 5 miles distant. Then Canisteo, 8.6 miles, and Dansville, 12 miles. Rules can differ a short way off, since the county line is near.

• Where to Fish on Hornell Reservoir Number Three

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Across Steuben County, recorded fish include brown trout, white sucker, tessellated darter and banded darter. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. At Hornell Reservoir Number Three the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 67°F on average, January about 21°F. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough early April. Expect the water usable from around early April until roughly mid December. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. Anyone fishing Hornell Reservoir Number Three regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. Mapping records no facilities at all near this water. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Hornell Reservoir Number Two, 0.4 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. None of that is settled for Hornell Reservoir Number Three in what we hold.