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

[mr.clean]

Thank you Hardwater diehard you beat me to posting about the dam access at Toronto Reservoir. The group fighting to have access restored is called Friends of Toronto Reservoir. We fishermen due owe the residents of Chapin Estates some praise thanks to their asking for property tax reassessments because those owning waterfront property could not use their docks si Alliance power corp. has raised water levels in the reservoir. at one time most of the area by Muscoe road access point was muddy or dry land the water levels were so low. It is still a good walk from Muscoe road parking area to main body of the reservoir.
Steve

[beachwoods 16]

Thanks for the toronto info.  If I get out that way I will post. I know it was open last year.

[Gamalot]

I just got back from my second trip over there today. I did find the East Access launch on the Toronto dam end and yes it is open. The ice looks fine, shore line is locked up and I do see where guys have drilled holes however I did not drill any myself so can't say how thick it is. 6:00 AM - 5:00 PM so the sign says and the road is clear now with all gates open and no blocks along the way.

[hardwater diehard]

I just got back from my second trip over there today. I did find the East Access launch on the Toronto dam end and yes it is open. The ice looks fine, shore line is locked up and I do see where guys have drilled holes however I did not drill any myself so can't say how thick it is. 6:00 AM - 5:00 PM so the sign says and the road is clear now with all gates open and no blocks along the way.

Thanks saved me a trip...where are these gates ? Are they Chapin Estates or belong to the Electric company ? 

[Gamalot]

Thanks saved me a trip...where are these gates ? Are they Chapin Estates or belong to the Electric company ?

At the end of Pine Grove road you hit a closed Chapin gate and the road goes hard right. Half way up that road you hit another Chapin gate chained open. At the end when you get to the dam and launch is another Chapin gate but it is open to allow you into the launch area.

I was there many, many years ago with my uncle who was an Orange & Rockland big wig. Chapin and Eagle Creek energy were not in the picture and those gates were just locked chains the hot shots for O&R had the keys to. There is an even better lake up there that not many even know about but it is not at all open to the public, Hull Pond. You can get up to the Cliff Lake dam during the summer months but Hull pond is to the left over the dam and off limits. Well over 50 years ago the hierarchy of O&R reserved that for themselves and stocked it with Walleye and Trout. I was there just once when I was about 12 and it was a young boys dream fishing hole. No clue what it is today and every bit of a 3 mile hike to even get there on the sly.

[Dave327]

Thanks GAMALOT for the conditions update. I'm going to head up to Superior tomorrow.

[kb]

With all the rain and warm temperatures that we've had here in Dutchess, I guess I'll spend tomorrow fixing the car and Sunday doing something else.

 Winter it was great while it lasted guys, at least I got out last weekend and hit the perch pretty good

[dinks]

I'm going up tomorrow  hr half drive but probably take my sweet ole time..still think shoreline needs a ladder but as gamolot posted  should be safe with this blast of winter  ..not that I know yet but I have to try even if it is ponds up there..be safe use safety gear..

[seadog8]

I stopped over to Stissing Lake on my way home from work this afternoon.  edges are not safe and there is open water in the deep part.

[mr.clean]

Kb don't pack your ice fishing gear away yet hopefully late January and month of February will have colder temperatures and ice thick enough for you and other to fish in Dutchess county.
seadog8 thank you for the report. No offense meant to you or others but could we all get into the practice of including name of county where a body of water is located ,I'm and am sure others are not familiar with locations of all the different bodies of water in south eastern New York. As an example over by Kb in Dutchess county is White Pond, Sullivan county has White Lake if I were to post had a great day fishing on white people would wonder which body of water I was fishing or worse yet make a trip and find open shorelines or water because they went to the wrong lake. My thanks in advance for your cooperation with this request. I will get off my soap box.

 Camelot thank you for making a road trip and posting your findings about access to the dam area of Toronto Reservoir . Also thanks for the history lesson never heard of Hull Lake. I know the name for Chapin estates comes from a 19Th century millionare who made his fortune during the Industrial Revolution believe he was the original property owner.
. Also for everyone information the lake you pass by to the right of Pine Grove road in Smallwood(shortly after passing general store and post office is privately owned by the Civic Association of Smallwood . You must be an active civic association and lake club member to use this lake. The reason I know so much about Smallwood is because my family had a seasonal vacation bungalow there for 50 years.

 Ditto Dink's words of caution to all venturing out over this Holiday weekend.
Steve

[Gamalot]

This thread is for southern NY but you all have to remember there is some major differences between the lower counties below Orange and Sullivan and Ulster. That difference is both in elevation as well as temperature. When I go from Monticello to Middletown it is pretty common to for it to be 7-10 degrees warmer in Middletown. I am at 1400 feet where I live and it is 25 degrees right now at 8 PM Friday night and will probably go down below 20 by the morning. It could be close to 35 in Dutchess.

I would not personally go out on SB in the morning but I think White Lake, Superior and Toronto should be fine. SB has a constant flow and I don't trust that. It is pretty common for the shore lines to be bad while the ice a few feet out is usually OK. Land heats and warms up faster with the sun and rain and that destroys the shore ice quick. Just keep in mind that unless I actually drill holes and measure the ice I am making no claim about SAFE ice. My auger is still in storage and I have not measured any ice yet. Some here are OK with just a couple or few inches while I don't go until I see a solid 6. At 65 I don't swim so well any more and I darn sure don't need any help with shrinkage. I don't think the lakes up here made any ice today but they sure did not lose any either with the wind and only around 34 degrees all day long. This time of year I don't go ice fishing by myself on a lake where no other guys are fishing.

[Gamalot]

With all the rain and warm temperatures that we've had here in Dutchess, I guess I'll spend tomorrow fixing the car and Sunday doing something else.

 Winter it was great while it lasted guys, at least I got out last weekend and hit the perch pretty good

Sounds as though you are kissing it good bye when in reality it is just getting a late start. Heck, I have been ice fishing in Sullivan county in April some years and on good solid ice. Last year was a real fluke and I never even got my gear ready but other years I have fished from before Christmas and right through opening day of trout season. No crystal ball here but I bet we can fish at least up until March 15th this year or later. I have been an Ice dog for well over 50 years and it seems to me the later it gets safe the longer it lasts. February almost always has a real cold snap with temps well below zero for a week or two. I grew up on Masten Lake and before we had power augers we used a spud. Plenty of years as a kid we had to go through 25 inches of solid ice with that darn thing and we spent half of our time fishing just cutting the holes. We went back the next day and right to the same holes from the day before just to save the time and energy opening up the previous days holes. The new augers of today make that all seem like too much work so don't get so discouraged so quick. I am just getting my gear ready this weekend and you are already thinking about packing yours up. Just pray we don't get a week or two in the 40s and with warm rains.

[NYBasser]

Thanks GAMALOT for the conditions update. I'm going to head up to Superior tomorrow.

Will be up there tomorrow as well. I'll be on the north side of the lake, no shanty this time.

[beachwoods 16]

Sounds as though you are kissing it good bye when in reality it is just getting a late start. Heck, I have been ice fishing in Sullivan county in April some years and on good solid ice. Last year was a real fluke and I never even got my gear ready but other years I have fished from before Christmas and right through opening day of trout season. No crystal ball here but I bet we can fish at least up until March 15th this year or later. I have been an Ice dog for well over 50 years and it seems to me the later it gets safe the longer it lasts. February almost always has a real cold snap with temps well below zero for a week or two. I grew up on Masten Lake and before we had power augers we used a spud. Plenty of years as a kid we had to go through 25 inches of solid ice with that darn thing and we spent half of our time fishing just cutting the holes. We went back the next day and right to the same holes from the day before just to save the time and energy opening up the previous days holes. The new augers of today make that all seem like too much work so don't get so discouraged so quick. I am just getting my gear ready this weekend and you are already thinking about packing yours up. Just pray we don't get a week or two in the 40s and with warm rains.

Boy that is exactly how I grew up ice fishing. that whole using the same holes the next day, Two feet with a spud. You have a few years on me but I certainly share that memory. Your right, we still have a bit of winter to make it happen. Lets all hope the weather man is wrong once again.

[hardwater diehard]

Rebecca's future forecast for the end of January to bring back the cold

As I've been saying for some time, It was in the 15-20th January, now it's in the 20th-23rd January, the pattern is going to change. Here is the American GFS 18Z, showing how soon after the 20th changes are underway in Canada that will lead to a much colder pattern then we've seen the last 7-10 days. The Euro is showing the same thing. I expect the overall pattern of western ridging, eastern troughing, and an active southern storm track to continue into March 2017

https://www.facebook.com/Rebeccas-Northeast-weather-and-education-page-254982781215764/?fref=ts

[Gamalot]

Rebecca's future forecast for the end of January to bring back the cold

As I've been saying for some time, It was in the 15-20th January, now it's in the 20th-23rd January, the pattern is going to change. Here is the American GFS 18Z, showing how soon after the 20th changes are underway in Canada that will lead to a much colder pattern then we've seen the last 7-10 days. The Euro is showing the same thing. I expect the overall pattern of western ridging, eastern troughing, and an active southern storm track to continue into March 2017

https://www.facebook.com/Rebeccas-Northeast-weather-and-education-page-254982781215764/?fref=ts

Nice Diehard, see if you can place an order with her. I would love to see a bunch of days with light winds, day time temps around 30 degrees and going down in the teens after sunset. My old bones just can't take the cold as good as they used to and I hate wind on the frozen waters.

[fishon723]

Good luck to all you guys heading out tomorrow. I can't get out til Sunday. Maybe Superior, not sure yet.

[cmpnd1]

Has anyone been on Sheldrake or Morningside? Looking to take a ride from Orange county on Sunday. Lakes here are not good. Protected coves are solid 5-6 inches but open in most large areas. Tough to get on due to warm weather.
Chomping at the bit to get some ice time for jigging and tip up fishing.

[kb]

Sorry guys, it was really just a statement of frustration.  I'm far from packing it in.   Esp after the lack of ice last year, I'm sitting here just waiting to go... 

With the warm temps and rain predicted in the next week, it won't be anytime soon.   That is what I was eluding  too.

[beachwoods 16]

Sorry guys, it was really just a statement of frustration.  I'm far from packing it in.   Esp after the lack of ice last year, I'm sitting here just waiting to go... 

With the warm temps and rain predicted in the next week, it won't be anytime soon.   That is what I was eluding  too.

[beachwoods 16]

Sorry guys, it was really just a statement of frustration.  I'm far from packing it in.   Esp after the lack of ice last year, I'm sitting here just waiting to go... 

With the warm temps and rain predicted in the next week, it won't be anytime soon.   That is what I was eluding  too.

I hear the Frustration part. I had shoulder surgery on 12/20 and it is hard to to get it together to get out. After last year I am jonesing like a lot of us. Spots in Sullivan co. have good ice. I have managed two short trips with my son, and one solo jigging trip. Hoping to make it happen tomorrow. 

[BlueSail]

 ...You can get up to the Cliff Lake dam during the summer months...

I have great soft water fishing memories of Cliff Lake - A huge pike, great tasting hybrid striped bass  5+ lbs, the largest SM bass I have ever seen, monster LM bass and a couple types of trout. Eagles, beaver, mink and deer and the place to ourselves most of the time. Once a friend had a fish finder that showed a huge school of something real deep in deep water but we were fishing for big ones so didn't try to find out what they were. Now that I enjoy perch fishing I wonder if it was a school of them, and if so I bet there were some trophies!

Now that lake would be an ice fisherman's dream come true - if the fishing is like it was twenty yrs ago when I was last there! And I believe back then no ice fishing allowed..

[beachwoods 16]

My favorite part of shanty is learnig new things. Thanks Blue sail and gamelot, hull pond and cliff lake ... pretty cool.

[Gamalot]

To get to Cliff you have to go over the SB dam and that gate closes around November 30. No ice fishing up there and even if the lower gate was open now there is a second gate that is never open so it's about a 3/4 mile walk from it. Younger guys out for adventure could drag a kayak on a trolley up to Cliff and probably have the place to themselves but the water was very low this fall so I don't know how it might be in April when the gate opens. Consider Hull pond as a fantasy because it has never been open to the public and I am very sure they would drag you to jail if caught there.

I did go past Dingle Dazey yesterday but don't know the deal with it. Could be they have completely closed off all fishing there because I see no evidence of activity but have in past years.

If you have friends who own property on Wanasink, Yankee or Lake Louise Marie I would certainly try all of them. I target trout specifically and can't be bothered with any of the other fish you guys go after. Not many places here to legally fish trout through the ice so I will have to start searching and learning the technique for Walleye. I never cared much if I get skunked because ice fishing to me is just peaceful and gets me out of the house for the day. My Brittany usually does the visiting while I stick close to my Clam 2 man pop up redesigned for me and the dog.

[Rather-B-Fishin]

Gamalot
What is dingle dazey?

[Gamalot]

A small pond off route 42 in Forestburgh and always was a great pickerel pond.

[beachwoods 16]

Stopped at a couple of little lakes in my neck of the woods today, if it is any indicator I am sure many found good ice today. I kind of figured as much as I had 7 inches of good ice on thurs. evening on lake huntington.

[mr.clean]

Good afternoon folks, Gamalot thank you for telling us where dingle Daisy is located, I assume it is a privately owned  body of water like so many others in Sullivan county. To my knowledge Cliff lake is closed during the Winter because the area is a nesting grounds for Bald Eagles during this time of year.
Cmpnd1 if you have gone through the last few pages of this thread it appears most folks are fishing at Lake Superior in the Town of Bethel so far this season. I suggest calling Sport Nuts bait shop in Rock Hill and see what info. they may have on Morningside and Loch Sheldrake. (845-794-20000) If you go to Loch Sheldrake test the ice around state access it is usually thinner then rest of lake due to current flow ,there is an outlet from the lake to the left of access spot.
Steve

[cmpnd1]

Thank you Mr. Clean I appreciate the feedback. As of now heading to superior in the early am. If that doesn't pan out on perch / pan fish will head over to Morningside or Sheldrake for a try.
Will post reports when I get home tomorrow night.
Not sure if you'll be out at superior tomorrow if so feel free to stop by. I have the RED Strikemaster Auger Ice suit.
Thanks again
Gary

[cmpnd1]

FYI Mr. Clean
I live in New Windsor as well. If your ever looking to fish PM me I have some honey holes here if we ever get safe ice!!