Eaton Reservoir Fishing
A 260-acre New York reservoir in Madison County.
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Introducing Eaton Reservoir
Roughly 260 acres of reservoir make up Eaton Reservoir, which sits in Madison County. Morrisville lies about 4 miles from the mapped lake point. DEC manages it from its Central New York region.
Anglers come for brown trout and walleye, by the DEC listing. Trailers and cartoppers go in at 1 mapped launch. Stocking records go back to 2011, covering 15 years.
NYS Hydrography (NHD) outline, DEC Recommended Fishing Lakes and Ponds, Census places, retrieved October 24, 2026.
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The species shown for Eaton Reservoir come from DEC paperwork, linked where a New York species page exists.
DEC Recommended Fishing Lakes and Ponds species column, DEC stocking lists and state records, retrieved October 24, 2026.
Slipping a boat in at Eaton Reservoir
- Public Launch on Eaton Brook Reservoirhard surface ramp, 13 car-and-trailer spaces; managed by DEC
Other places to launch around Eaton Reservoir
- Stoney Pond State Forest LaunchStoney Pond, 2 miles northwest
- Public Launch on Lebanon ReservoirLebanon Reservoir, 6 miles southeast
- Public Launch on Upper Leland PondUpper Leland Pond, 6 miles east
- Public Launch on Lake Moraine (Madison Reservoir)Lake Moraine (Madison Reservoir), 9 miles east
- Public Launch on Cazenovia LakeCazenovia Lake, 10 miles northwest
- Lakeside Park on Cazenovia LakeCazenovia Lake, 10 miles northwest
DEC boat launch and fishing access layers, retrieved October 24, 2026.
Fish you can take home from Eaton 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 |
For Eaton Reservoir, the statewide freshwater table is the starting point; county listings can tighten it.
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.
DEC stocking at Eaton Reservoir
Stocking files name Eaton Reservoir in 7 rows across 2023 to 2026, chiefly walleye.
| Year | Species | Type | Entries | Fish | Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Brown Trout | planned spring 2026 | 1 | 1,800 | 8 inches |
| 2025 | Walleye | stocked | 1 | 760,000 | 0.5 in |
| 2025 | Brown Trout | stocked | 1 | 1,780 | 9.3 in |
| 2024 | Walleye | stocked | 1 | 760,000 | 0.5 in |
| 2024 | Brown Trout | stocked | 1 | 1,820 | 8 in |
| 2023 | Walleye | stocked | 1 | 760,000 | 0.3 in |
| 2023 | Brown Trout | stocked | 1 | 1,700 | 8.8 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.
Eaton Reservoir next to neighboring lakes
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | DEC species | Stocked 2023-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eaton Reservoir | 260 | 1 | 2 | yes | |
| Lebanon Reservoir | 6 miles southeast | 96 | 1 | 0 | yes |
| Lake Moraine | 9 miles east | 188 | 1 | 6 | yes |
| DeRuyter Reservoir | 10 miles west | 554 | 0 | 7 | yes |
| Cazenovia Lake | 11 miles northwest | 1,166 | 3 | 0 | |
| Labrador Pond | 19 miles west | 102 | 1 | 0 |
NYS Hydrography, DEC launch layers, DEC lake list and stocking lists, retrieved October 24, 2026.
Next to Eaton Reservoir on the map
Ponds and reservoirs around Eaton Reservoir
- Lebanon Reservoir6 miles southeast
- Lake Moraine9 miles east
- DeRuyter Reservoir10 miles west
- Cazenovia Lake11 miles northwest
- Labrador Pond19 miles west
Lures, line and live bait near Eaton Reservoir
- Eaton Reservoir Boat Launchmarina, Madison, under a mile
- Maken Frenz Plus Bait N Tackle Shopbait and tackle shop, Deruyter, 12 miles
- Marion Manormarina, Madison, 21 miles
- Butter-Nut Sport Shop Inc.sporting goods store, Minoa, 21 miles
- Dick's Sporting Goods, 3469 Erie Blvd. Eastsporting goods store, Dewitt, 23 miles
- Snug Harbourmarina, Oneida, 23 miles
Hiring someone who knows Eaton Reservoir
- c/o Sportsman's Lodgefishing guide, Bouckville
Communities that serve Eaton Reservoir visitors
- Morrisville4 miles
- Hamilton8 miles
- Cazenovia9 miles
Which county pages include Eaton Reservoir
- Madison Countycounty seat Wampsville
Packing Piscifun gear for Eaton Reservoir
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A field guide in photos for Eaton Reservoir
Photo: Knepp Timothy, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
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Photo: Cephas, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: hug_78, CC BY 2.0
Things people check before fishing Eaton Reservoir
Where in New York does Eaton Reservoir lie?
Its outline falls in Madison County, DEC Central New York, about 4 miles from Morrisville.
On state hydrography, how many acres is Eaton Reservoir?
Around 260 acres of water.
Can a trailered boat get onto Eaton Reservoir here?
There are 1 mapped launch; Public Launch on Eaton Brook Reservoir is listed first.
Which gamefish swim in Eaton Reservoir?
DEC lists brown trout and walleye.
Has DEC written any water-specific rule for Eaton Reservoir?
Largemouth and smallmouth bass (Jun 15 to Nov 30): 5; minimum 12"; Jun 15 – Nov 30.
Which DEC license is right for Eaton Reservoir?
Trout and salmon need no stamp in New York; the DEC freshwater license ($25.00 resident, $50.00 nonresident, $5.00 for residents 70 and older) covers them.
In what year did DEC last release fish into Eaton Reservoir?
It appears 7 times, last in 2026.
Who sells minnows near Eaton Reservoir?
Drive under a mile to Eaton Reservoir Boat Launch.
Spend a morning casting at Eaton Reservoir
Check DEC sizes before a fish goes in the cooler.