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Yonkers 12 mi
Photo: Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0 
Mount Vernon 13 mi
Photo: RoySmith, CC BY-SA 4.0 
Bronx County 18 mi
Photo: GK tramrunner RU, CC BY-SA 4.0 
New York Harbor 31 mi
Photo: Giorgio Galeotti, CC BY-SA 4.0
New York lakes and reservoirs
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Kensico Reservoir Fishing
A 1,336-acre New York reservoir in Westchester County.
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Westchester County
Kensico Reservoir, summed up
State hydrography maps Kensico Reservoir at close to 1,336 acres within Westchester County. Thornwood is the closest Census place, about 2 miles from the lake. The DEC region covering it is Lower Hudson Valley.
DEC records brown trout, lake trout, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass and yellow perch in it.
1,336acres
0launches
5species on file
1counties
NYS Hydrography (NHD) outline, DEC Recommended Fishing Lakes and Ponds, Census places, retrieved October 24, 2026.
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Fish that live in Kensico Reservoir
Tap a chip to open the New York page for that fish caught at Kensico Reservoir.
DEC Recommended Fishing Lakes and Ponds species column, DEC stocking lists and state records, retrieved October 24, 2026.
Access
Boat launch sites for Kensico Reservoir
Without a mapped launch on Kensico Reservoir, use one from the list that follows.
Trailer-friendly launches near Kensico Reservoir
- Rockland Lake State ParkRockland Lake, 10 miles west
- Franklin D. Roosevelt State ParkMohansic Lake, 13 miles north
- Public Launch on Cedar Pond BrookCedar Pond Brook, 14 miles northwest
DEC boat launch and fishing access layers, retrieved October 24, 2026.
Limits
DEC creel limits for Kensico 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 |
DEC statewide seasons hold on Kensico Reservoir except where a special regulation names the water.
Water-specific rules at Kensico Reservoir
| Species | Daily limit and size | Season | Listed under |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Trout | 3; minimum 18" | All year | Westchester County |
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.
Stocking
Stocked fish going into Kensico Reservoir
4 DEC stocking rows for Kensico Reservoir, 2023 to 2026, are dominated by brown trout.
| Year | Species | Type | Entries | Fish | Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Brown Trout | planned spring 2026 | 1 | 9,010 | 8 inches |
| 2025 | Brown Trout | stocked | 1 | 8,920 | 6.7 in |
| 2024 | Brown Trout | stocked | 1 | 9,100 | 8.2 in |
| 2023 | Brown Trout | stocked | 1 | 8,500 | 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.
Compare
Nearby lakes measured against Kensico Reservoir
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | DEC species | Stocked 2023-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kensico Reservoir | 1,336 | 0 | 5 | yes | |
| Rockland Lake | 9 miles west | 277 | 1 | 4 | |
| New Croton Reservoir | 10 miles north | 2,160 | 0 | 4 | |
| Cross River Reservoir | 12 miles northeast | 939 | 0 | 4 | yes |
| Mohansic Lake | 13 miles north | 106 | 1 | 3 | |
| Amawalk Reservoir | 14 miles north | 589 | 0 | 5 | yes |
NYS Hydrography, DEC launch layers, DEC lake list and stocking lists, retrieved October 24, 2026.
Nearby
Short hops from Kensico Reservoir
Still water to try after Kensico Reservoir
- Rockland Lake9 miles west
- New Croton Reservoir10 miles north
- Cross River Reservoir12 miles northeast
- Mohansic Lake13 miles north
- Amawalk Reservoir14 miles north
Stores that outfit Kensico Reservoir trips
- Dick's Sporting Goods, 1 Maple Avenuesporting goods store, White Plains, 5 miles
- Horan's Landing Kayak Rackmarina, Westchester, 6 miles
- Tarrytown Marinamarina, Westchester, 6 miles
- Westerly Marinamarina, Westchester, 7 miles
- BUY & FISHING Suppliesbait and tackle shop, Ossining, 8 miles
- Westchester Avenue Marinamarina, Westchester, 8 miles
Villages and towns to stay in near Kensico Reservoir
- Thornwood2 miles
- Valhalla2 miles
- Hawthorne2 miles
The county guides for Kensico Reservoir
- Westchester Countycounty seat White Plains
Piscifun
Piscifun reels matched to Kensico Reservoir
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Photographs
The water near Kensico Reservoir through a lens
Photo: Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: RoySmith, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: GK tramrunner RU, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Giorgio Galeotti, CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers
Quick replies on Kensico Reservoir
Up which corner of New York would I drive for Kensico Reservoir?
Look in Westchester County, DEC Lower Hudson Valley, about 2 miles from Thornwood.
Across how many acres does Kensico Reservoir stretch?
State maps give about 1,336 acres.
How many launch sites touch Kensico Reservoir?
None is mapped on it; the nearby list above has the closest.
What is on the fish list for Kensico Reservoir?
brown trout, lake trout, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass and yellow perch, by DEC records.
How many bass does DEC let me keep at Kensico Reservoir?
Largemouth and smallmouth bass (Jun 15 to Nov 30): 5; minimum 12"; Jun 15 – Nov 30. Check the special regulation rows above too.
What does a DEC license cost for Kensico 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.
What has DEC released into Kensico Reservoir?
Stocked 4 times between 2023 and 2026.
Where do anglers at Kensico Reservoir get worms?
Dick's Sporting Goods, 5 miles away, is closest.
Choose a free weekend for Kensico Reservoir
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