Rondout Reservoir Fishing
A 2,120-acre New York reservoir in Ulster County and Sullivan County.
Pick for brown troutPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo: Mr. Matté (if there is an issue with this image, contact me using this image's Commons talk page , my Commons user talk page , or my English Wikipedia user talk page ; I'll know about it a lot faster), CC BY-SA 4.0
Say hello to Rondout Reservoir
On the NHD layer, Rondout Reservoir spreads across about 2,120 acres in Ulster County and Sullivan County. The nearest village or town on the Census list is Grahamsville, around 4 miles off. It is a Lower Hudson Valley water in DEC terms.
Its DEC roster includes brown trout, lake trout, smallmouth bass, yellow perch and chain pickerel. Hatchery releases appear in 13 years of DEC lists starting 2011.
NYS Hydrography (NHD) outline, DEC Recommended Fishing Lakes and Ponds, Census places, retrieved October 24, 2026.
For the brown trout herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 Species to target at Rondout Reservoir
DEC lists, records and stocking rows place these fish in Rondout Reservoir.
DEC Recommended Fishing Lakes and Ponds species column, DEC stocking lists and state records, retrieved October 24, 2026.
Getting on the water at Rondout Reservoir
No boat access for Rondout Reservoir is on file with DEC; nearby options are below.
Nearby ramps if Rondout Reservoir is busy
- Public Launch on Loch SheldrakeLoch Sheldrake, 10 miles southwest
- Minnewaska State Park Preserve on Lake MinnewaskaLake Minnewaska, 15 miles southeast
DEC boat launch and fishing access layers, retrieved October 24, 2026.
Sizes and bag limits at Rondout 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 |
The rows above repeat the statewide DEC table that applies at Rondout Reservoir.
Rules written only for Rondout Reservoir
| Species | Daily limit and size | Season | Listed under |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Trout | 3; minimum 18" | Apr 1 – Nov 30 | Sullivan 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 tallies for Rondout Reservoir
The DEC lists carry 4 stocking entries for Rondout Reservoir between 2023 and 2026, led by brown trout.
| Year | Species | Type | Entries | Fish | Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Brown Trout | planned spring 2026 | 1 | 4,780 | 8 inches |
| 2025 | Brown Trout | stocked | 1 | 4,730 | 7.5 in |
| 2024 | Brown Trout | stocked | 1 | 4,820 | 8.8 in |
| 2023 | Brown Trout | stocked | 1 | 4,510 | 8.9 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.
How Rondout Reservoir compares locally
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | DEC species | Stocked 2023-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rondout Reservoir | 2,120 | 0 | 5 | yes | |
| Neversink Reservoir | 9 miles west | 1,540 | 0 | 0 | yes |
| Loch Sheldrake | 10 miles southwest | 67 | 1 | 0 | yes |
| Morningside Lake | 10 miles southwest | 130 | 0 | 1 | |
| Alder Lake | 18 miles northwest | 45 | 1 | 0 | |
| Big Pond, Delaware County | 19 miles northwest | 54 | 1 | 7 | yes |
NYS Hydrography, DEC launch layers, DEC lake list and stocking lists, retrieved October 24, 2026.
The Rondout Reservoir neighborhood
Neighboring lakes of Rondout Reservoir
- Neversink Reservoir9 miles west
- Loch Sheldrake10 miles southwest
- Morningside Lake10 miles southwest
- Alder Lake18 miles northwest
- Big Pond, Delaware County19 miles northwest
Bait and tackle stops for Rondout Reservoir
- Rock Hill Trading Postsporting goods store, Rock Hill, 15 miles
- Catskill Outfitterssporting goods store, Phoenicia, 18 miles
- Pepacton Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Delaware, 23 miles
- Ray's Sport Shopsporting goods store, Fleischmanns, 23 miles
- Beaverkill Anglerbait and tackle shop, Roscoe, 23 miles
- Trout Town Fliesbait and tackle shop, Sullivan, 23 miles
Captains and guides near Rondout Reservoir
- Catskill Mtn. Guide Servicefishing guide, Catskill, Roscoe
- Alpine Endeavorsfishing guide, Rosendale
- Catskill Mountain Anglerfishing guide, Catskill, Chichester
- Wild Fish Anglerfishing guide, Shokan
Overnight options close to Rondout Reservoir
- Ellenville11 miles
- Liberty14 miles
- Monticello16 miles
Rondout Reservoir and the counties it spans
- Ulster Countycounty seat Kingston
- Sullivan Countycounty seat Monticello
Piscifun gear worth stowing for Rondout Reservoir
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Photographs of the species found at Rondout 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
Trip questions for Rondout Reservoir
How do I locate Rondout Reservoir on a New York map?
The state map puts it in Ulster County and Sullivan County, DEC Lower Hudson Valley, about 4 miles from Grahamsville.
How large is Rondout Reservoir on New York maps?
About 2,120 acres on the NHD outline.
Where is the public launch at Rondout Reservoir?
DEC shows no launch here; use one nearby.
Which fish turn up in DEC files for Rondout Reservoir?
Fish to hope for: brown trout, lake trout, smallmouth bass, yellow perch and chain pickerel.
What goes home in the cooler from Rondout Reservoir?
Largemouth and smallmouth bass (Jun 15 to Nov 30): 5; minimum 12"; Jun 15 – Nov 30. The DEC region page adds rules for it.
Is a New York license required at Rondout 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.
Which hatchery fish go into Rondout Reservoir?
Yes, 4 releases, most recently 2026.
Which shop on the list is nearest Rondout Reservoir?
Rock Hill Trading Post, about 15 miles off.
Save a date for Rondout Reservoir
Fees, seasons and every DEC table are on the license page.