DeRuyter Reservoir Fishing
A 554-acre New York reservoir in Madison County and Onondaga County.
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DeRuyter Reservoir: size, place and access
DeRuyter Reservoir is a reservoir of about 554 acres, its outline lying in Madison County and Onondaga County. DEC files the shoreline owner as Private. Head to DeRuyter, some 4 miles away, for food and fuel. It falls in DEC Region Central New York.
Fish on the DEC list here: smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed, yellow perch, black crappie and chain pickerel. The DEC list describes the launch as trailer improved. Its ice entry reads ice fishing permitted. DEC stocking lists show releases in 7 separate years since 2011.
NYS Hydrography (NHD) outline, DEC Recommended Fishing Lakes and Ponds, Census places, retrieved October 24, 2026.
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DEC sources tie these fish to DeRuyter Reservoir; more species surely swim there.
DEC Recommended Fishing Lakes and Ponds species column, DEC stocking lists and state records, retrieved October 24, 2026.
Launches on DeRuyter Reservoir
DEC maps no launch site right on DeRuyter Reservoir; try one of those listed next.
More boat launches near DeRuyter Reservoir
- Morgan Hill State Forest LaunchSpruce Pond, 7 miles west
- Public Launch on Cazenovia LakeCazenovia Lake, 8 miles north
- Laborador Hollow Unique AreaLabrador Pond, 9 miles west
- Lakeside Park on Cazenovia LakeCazenovia Lake, 9 miles north
- Stoney Pond State Forest LaunchStoney Pond, 10 miles northeast
- Public Launch on Eaton Brook ReservoirEaton Brook Reservoir, 11 miles east
DEC boat launch and fishing access layers, retrieved October 24, 2026.
Seasons and creel rules at DeRuyter Reservoir
| Species | Daily limit and size | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Lake trout | 3; minimum 21" | Apr 1 – Oct 15 |
| Largemouth and smallmouth bass (Jun 15 to Nov 30) | 5; minimum 12" | Jun 15 – Nov 30 |
| Largemouth and smallmouth bass (Dec 1 to Jun 14) | No harvest; Catch and release only | Dec 1 – Jun 14 |
| Muskellunge | 1; minimum 40" | Jun 1 – Nov 30 |
| Tiger muskellunge | 1; minimum 30" | May 1 – Mar 15 |
| Northern pike | 5; minimum 18" | May 1 – Mar 15 |
| Chain pickerel | 5; minimum 15" | May 1 – Mar 15 |
| Walleye | 5; minimum 15" | May 1 – Mar 15 |
| Black and white crappie | 25; minimum 10" | All year |
| Yellow perch | 50 | All year |
| Sunfish | 25 | All year |
| American eel | 25; minimum 9" | All year |
Statewide DEC limits govern DeRuyter Reservoir wherever a county rule below does not replace them.
2026 DEC freshwater fishing regulations (statewide table effective April 1, 2026); county special regulations from the DEC region pages; retrieved October 24, 2026, figures checked against the DEC pages October 25, 2026.
What DEC puts in DeRuyter Reservoir
DEC stocked DeRuyter Reservoir 3 times in 2023 to 2025; walleye top the count.
| Year | Species | Type | Entries | Fish | Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Walleye | stocked | 1 | 1,728,000 | 0.5 in |
| 2024 | Walleye | stocked | 1 | 1,728,000 | 0.5 in |
| 2023 | Walleye | stocked | 1 | 1,728,000 | 0.3 in |
DEC Fish Stocking Lists (Actual), 2023 to 2025, and DEC Current Season Spring Trout Stocking, 2026 (data.ny.gov), retrieved October 24, 2026. New York stocking.
Comparing DeRuyter Reservoir with nearby water
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | DEC species | Stocked 2023-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DeRuyter Reservoir | 554 | 0 | 7 | yes | |
| Labrador Pond | 8 miles west | 102 | 1 | 0 | |
| Cazenovia Lake | 10 miles north | 1,166 | 3 | 0 | |
| Eaton Reservoir | 10 miles east | 260 | 1 | 0 | yes |
| Jamesville Reservoir | 14 miles northwest | 217 | 1 | 0 | yes |
| Lebanon Reservoir | 14 miles east | 96 | 1 | 0 | yes |
NYS Hydrography, DEC launch layers, DEC lake list and stocking lists, retrieved October 24, 2026.
A few miles from DeRuyter Reservoir
New York lakes in the DeRuyter Reservoir area
- Labrador Pond8 miles west
- Cazenovia Lake10 miles north
- Eaton Reservoir10 miles east
- Jamesville Reservoir14 miles northwest
- Lebanon Reservoir14 miles east
Shops worth a stop en route to DeRuyter Reservoir
- Maken Frenz Plus Bait N Tackle Shopbait and tackle shop, Deruyter, 4 miles
- Eaton Reservoir Boat Launchmarina, Madison, 11 miles
- Dick's Sporting Goods, 3469 Erie Blvd. Eastsporting goods store, Dewitt, 18 miles
- Anglers Assn. of Onondagabait and tackle shop, Syracuse, 18 miles
- Butter-Nut Sport Shop Inc.sporting goods store, Minoa, 19 miles
- Troutfitterbait and tackle shop, Syracuse, 19 miles
Fishing guides who work DeRuyter Reservoir
- c/o Sportsman's Lodgefishing guide, Bouckville
Towns handy for DeRuyter Reservoir trips
- Cazenovia8 miles
- Morrisville14 miles
- Manlius14 miles
Counties along DeRuyter Reservoir
- Madison Countycounty seat Wampsville
- Onondaga Countycounty seat Syracuse
Piscifun picks for fishing DeRuyter Reservoir
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Shores, kills and lakes by DeRuyter Reservoir, pictured
Photo: Geoffrey.landis at English Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0
Photo: Andre Carrotflower, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: John Menard, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Googoo85, CC BY-SA 3.0
DeRuyter Reservoir, asked and answered for Empire State anglers
Which New York county is DeRuyter Reservoir in?
Find it in Madison County and Onondaga County, DEC Central New York, about 4 miles from DeRuyter.
How wide a footprint does DeRuyter Reservoir have?
554 acres, give or take.
Which launch site sits closest to DeRuyter Reservoir?
The launch layers list none.
Does DeRuyter Reservoir hold bass or trout?
DEC files list smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed, yellow perch, black crappie, chain pickerel and walleye.
Which DEC rules cover DeRuyter Reservoir?
Largemouth and smallmouth bass (Jun 15 to Nov 30): 5; minimum 12"; Jun 15 – Nov 30.
What is the out-of-state fee for angling at DeRuyter Reservoir?
Anglers 16 and older need a DEC freshwater fishing license: $25.00 a year for residents, $50.00 for nonresidents, $5.00 for residents 70 and older, with 1-day and 7-day options.
Does DEC stock DeRuyter Reservoir?
3 rows on the DEC lists, 2023 to 2025.
Which listed tackle counter is nearest DeRuyter Reservoir?
Maken Frenz Plus Bait N Tackle Shop sits about 4 miles from the water.
Does DEC permit ice fishing at DeRuyter Reservoir?
DEC notes Ice Fishing Permitted.
Hitch up and haul the boat to DeRuyter Reservoir
Every New York fee and season sits on one page.