South Reservoir Fishing Guide, Oneida County, New York

• Overview

  South Reservoir lies in Oneida County, in New York. It sits in mixed forest country. At 12 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Supplies mean a trip to Utica, 1.7 miles off. Washington Mills is 2.8 miles away, with New Hartford at 2.9 miles. The county edge is within a short distance of the bank.

• Where to Fish on South Reservoir

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Reported across Oneida County: brown trout, white sucker, yellow perch, common carp and rock bass. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. The shape of South Reservoir decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 69°F and January near 20°F on the long-run figures. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. After early April the shallows warm and the fish move up. Climate figures give an open season running early April to mid December. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. South Reservoir runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. Expect a half a mile walk in from where the car goes. A toilet block sits half a mile away. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Failing this one, try Cascade Reservoir Number 5, 0.2 miles away. None of that is settled for South Reservoir in what we hold.