SOUTHERN N.Y. THREAD (L.I., WESTCHESTER, PUTNAM, DUTCHESS, SULLIVAN, ORANGE COUN

[mr.clean]

 Good evening, Frozengills welcome to ice Shanty and the Southern ,NY thread. Thank you for the report on more lakes now being open to ice fishing in Harriman State park. Hopefully the warm up this coming week does not affect the ice to badly and cause some lakes to be closed. May you have a better day next time out on the ice.

The times herald record's website reports the following locations in Sullivan County.  I've rounded off the numbers Rock Hill-3 inches, Monticello-1 inch and Grahamsville -2 inches. I looked at WVOS's website around 8 PM and did not see any updates concerning the Swan Lake F.D. contest so looks likes the event is on registration opens at 6AM at Swan Lake Park 1658 Briscoe road,Swan Lake,NY. Contest starts at 7 AM. Once again best to all attending this contest and fishing elsewhere tomorrow.

 Steve

[Iron_Angler]

Iron Angler, thank you for the  reports on NYC reservoirs in Putnam county. Happy to read you have heard no reports of water rescues.

mr.clean, you're welcome.  Water is generally not your friend when below 70* 🤪   Frozengills, thanks for the Harriman report.  40 years locally, and I haven't fished anything in that park.  If you see a small dude with a big mustache fishing solo or 2-up don't hesitate to say hi!

[mr.clean]

 Iron Angler very true statement ,after a few seasons of ice fishing it is easy to become relaxed out on the ice and that is when something bad can happen to you or someone in your group. I don't know How far you live from Harriman or Sterling Forest state parks but if you go back to page 385 of this thread you will find a post I made on Jan.21,2022 which contains two phone numbers you can call to get info. on which lakes are open to ice fishing. the closest bait shop i know of to both parks is Davis Sporting on the North bound side of route 17 in Sloatsburg,NY.

The Palisades Interstate Park Commission manages both parks along with Bear Mountain (Hessian Lake) ,Rockland Lake and Fhanstock State parks. they require a minimum of 6 inches of ice before they will open lakes where they allow ice fishing to the public. So if traveling some distance I highly suggest calling before making the trip.

If anyone knows of other bait-tackle shops in the area of harriman and sterling forest please post their names hours and phone numbers. thank you.

 Steve

[kb]

Plenty of people out on Glenida, but not in the middle.   Spud your way out if you want to go deep

[Frozengills]

Art's tackle shop in Nanuet has plenty of shiners and other live bait for those interested. May not be very close to Harriman but it's not very far either. Here is the link if it will work for you. As always, good luck and stay safe.

https://www.artstacklenfly.com/

[Iron_Angler]

mr.clean, I'm just across the river on the west side of Putnam county; very familiar with the area including the roads in Harriman park and Davis Sports, just never fished any water or hunted any land in the park.

Regardless I'll record those phone numbers, and thanks for the formula, I was curious as to what the parks consider "safe". 

I don't know of any other bait shops in that area other than Davis.  There's Big Wave in Mahopac and Mohegan Sportsman in Mohegan Lake on my side.  All the other local shops have long since closed.   

[mr.clean]

Frozengills thank you for the info. and link to Art's Tackle folks coming to harriman/Sterling Forest from Putnam,Westchester counties and NYC could stop their on the way to the parks.

Iron Angler you are welcome .thank you for the names of two bait shops in putnam county. During the Summers of 1978 and 1979 i worked a at boy's camp in Harriman the policy was already in place at that time. the gentlemen who served as my fresh water and ice fishing mentor grew up in Sloatsburg,NY. so we ice fished in Harriman several times over the years. I'm sending you a personal message(PM) with some general info. on both harriman and Sterling forest.

 Steve

[Loudmouth879]

fished 4 times since 1/10 due to my work schedule 3 different bodies of water.... first trip headed out with my cousin and his son hand full of crappies. 2nd trip headed out with my 2 cousins and one of their sons only one bass 3rd trip was solo the same day as the 2nd trip 18 crappie handful of sunfish and a bass 4th trip was today headed out again with my cousin and his kid chased flags most of the day bunch of bass biggest 18" a few perch and a 12.5 crappie.


Ice started at 3-4" the first trip was around 7" the 2nd trip out and 10" today. Lakes were all in Orange County....

[jghunter]

Hey guys I'm fishing a pike contest this week and need suckers. They have plenty of them over 2 hours away just curious are there any places within an hour or so of Orange county that carry live suckers? Thanks

[Gamalot]

I could be wrong here but I do think anywhere you will fish a contest for pike might have a shop with the bait you want. I don't honestly know of any good pike fishing here locally until you get up above Albany and into the Adirondacks. I  have never seen a bait shop here near Orange, Sullivan or any of the surrounding counties that carry suckers.

[jghunter]

I'm fishing in the northern challenge near Tupper lake I'm going so early nothing will be open on Saturday morning.  you are correct all the local bait shops up there do carry them but they are all sold out over 2,000 anglers. Closest place I can find is wiggly worm about a 2-hour drive in Ballston spa

[Gamalot]

YUP! Back in my youth when I traveled to those events I always had a local up there who was charged with bringing the right bait and we brought the food and beverages. Around here at this time of year we can't even find a saw belly and that is the prefered forage of most of the fish we go after.
Good luck at the contest but you will do well to hook up with some guys who are local.

[hardwater diehard]

Some angler buddys found this place recently ..quick phone call could be helpful

https://www.kaseyscast-a-ways.com/

[jghunter]

Hardwater thanks but I already called them. No luck. I guess I'll be taking a trip up ito lake George tomorrow morning. Lol. 

[hardwater diehard]

Hardwater thanks but I already called them. No luck. I guess I'll be taking a trip up ito lake George tomorrow morning. Lol.

I am not a pike fisherman by any means ..but I thought they preferred dead and smelly bait...some store bought mackerel seams to be a good choice .

[jghunter]

Correct dead bait works but live suckers is key. Especially in Simon pond next to Tupper lake Pike are a little small. Usually do good with the suckers they don't want to touch the shiners and they're hard to keep alive.

[mr.clean]

Goog evening, Jghunter do a Google search for bait shops in the Amsterdam,NY area I was last in that section of NY. back in Fall of 2009 so this shop may be gone but on route 30 headed north fro Amsterdam there was a bait shop .Sorry i don't remember the name. also if you continue north on route 30 route 68 will overlap route 30 in the Village of Speculator (Hamilton County I think) route 8 makes a left turn headed towards Piseco,NY on this stretch of highway there was Tanner's outdoor sports/tanner's sports believe they carry bait fish. If you head back to route 8/30 intersection in heart of Speculator and continue North of route 30 you will eventually get to Tupper Lake there might be some other roads in between. This also takes you through Indian lake,NY. possibly some bait shops in that town/village. Sorry I can not be more specific but like i said last time in the part of NY. was back in Oct. of 2009. Best to you at the contest. I'll due some internet searching if I find anything will send you a PM.

On a different subject did you go to the Swan Lake F.D. contest if so what are your impressions of the contest and how did you/your group do fishing that day.

Loudmouth879 congratulations on the crappie. best to you rest of this ice fishing season.

Steve

[jghunter]

Mr clean thanks. No I didn't make it to the contest. And tomorrow I will be heading to Ballston spa or Amsterdam either one the things you do for fishing.

[mr.clean]

jghunter thank you for answering my questions about the swan lake contest. A quick google search showed two baits shops in Amsterdam,NY. sent you PM with info. on them.
 Steve

[moose66]

Just an FYI as of today all of the lakes in Harriman are closed. That place is such a joke. Only Blue Lake and the lakes
In Sterling are open.

[jghunter]

They see 40 degrees and panic

[Gamalot]

Must be those damn republicans!

[Seven Lakes]

Who makes these decisions?  I fished several lakes in Harriman/Sterling in the last week.  The thickest ice I found was on Lake Sebago, nearly 12 inches. 

[jghunter]

Okay I found a great bait shop about an hour and a half from Orange county. It's called Conroy's It a mom and pop store near Troy New York. Had every live bait imaginable suckers in three different sizes. great place owned by an older gentleman.

[flounderman]

Been hitting the ice hard the last  5 weeks when the wind doesn’t blow. Made at least a dozen trips near and far with mixed success. Early season was lights out catching largies and picks on tip-ups. That slowed down. Changed gears, last few trips traveling light punching lots of holes learning lakes jigging for active panfish. Catching has been steady.
 Good luck to all the local tourney fishers the next few weeks👊

Landed a beast 15 1/4” crappie the other day.


 

[mr.clean]

Moose66 thank you for the info. on Harriman State park lakes now being closed. This is not a new practice over the past 15 or so years I've found the palisades interstate park commission quick to close lakes after a few days of above or near forty degree temperature. When I inquired why this happened I was told the same group of rangers patrolled both Harriman and Sterling Forest,there were not many rangers so it was hard for them to check ice conditions at all of the lakes on a daily basis. So out of concern for safety they were quick to close lakes in the larger Harriman State park and just check Sterling Forest lakes. This is why I strongly urge everyone to make a phone call before heading to either park after a couple days of warmer weather. Plan to arrive at the parks around 9AM or later so offices/visitor's center are open this allows you to check if anything has changed especially if you called in the morning of the day before your planed trip.

Like many of you i'm not to happy with this practice but don't see it changing in the near future which is a shame since it means many of us now have to travel longer distances to ice fish.

Jghunter good to read you found a weel stocked bait shop where you can get the suckers for your trip to the Northern Challenge at Tupper lake this weekend. If you have this shop's hours,phone number and location/address please go to page 1 of the Ice fishing new York forum/board lok for topic NY.News&Info.(found near top of page) which includes a bait shop list and add shop's information if it is not currently listed. Sadly small bait-tackle shops are decreasing in number so always good to know about well stocked places. may the owner of this shop have someone to take over the business since you say he is an older gentlemen.

speaking of bait shops does anyone know if Tom's located on Prosperous Valley road in the Fair Oaks-Bloomingburg,NY area(off of route 17M ) is still open I heard the owner Tom passed this past Summer. Like many bait shops this was/is a small place operated out of the garage of Owner's house. My thanks in advance for answer to this question.

Flounderman, glad you are having a good ice fishing season. Best to you also with the remainder of this season.

 Steve

[Gamalot]

Yes, Tom's bait in Fair Oaks appears to be gone. Tom did pass away (R.I.P.) and I don't believe his wife or daughter wanted to keep running the shop. Try calling them.(845) 733-4642

[jghunter]

Mr.clean I added Conroy's to bait shop list.
If toms is closed you can try o&h bait shop chester ny 10918. 845-469-2566. Just call them first little shop out of house.

[mr.clean]

 Gamalot thank you for the info. On Tom's and the phone Number.

Jghunter  I know where O&H bait shop is in Chester,NY. Thank you for taking my suggestion and posting info. on Conroy's . 

Steve

[Fishmaniac2021]

Hello fish-hunters, who loves to freeze their buns 
Did anyone fish Greenwood lake by any chance and know’s what the ice condition is like? North end preferably.

Thanks in advance 🙏🏼