Morris Reservoir Fishing near West End, New York

• Overview

  You will find Morris Reservoir in Otsego County, New York. The surface lies 1,401 feet up. West End sits 11 miles from the bank. Oneonta lies 13 miles off, Norwich another 14 miles. Others within reach: Pickens Pond a touch under 1.7 miles, Allen Pond at 2.7 miles, Silver Lake a touch under 4.3 miles, Lake of the Twin Fawns at 6 miles and Crystal Lake a touch under 6 miles. A county boundary sits nearby, which can matter for local access rules.

• Where to Fish on Morris Reservoir

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Species logged across Otsego County include brown trout, brook trout, white sucker, common carp and yellow perch. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. At Morris Reservoir the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 67°F and January about 20°F. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around early April. Ice clears near early April and comes back about mid December in a typical year. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. That shapes the year on Morris Reservoir.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. If the gate is shut, Pickens Pond at 1.7 miles is the nearest alternative. None of that is settled for Morris Reservoir in what we hold.