Boat fishing season on Kensico

[bluefish]

Guys

I am done for the year fishing, but have a question (since I have seen some boats out on Kensico the past few days).

It was my understanding that all the reservoirs were open to boating all year now, provided there is no ice on the water, with the exception of Kensico and New Croton.    I was under the impression that these two close on November 1st, and reopen in March

I could be completely wrong, but that was my impression.   Anyone know for sure?

[bluefish]

Correction, November 30th.

[BigWilly]

Saw about 10 boats out today.  One of them was a center console with a outboard. 

[bluefish]

Yeah, Big Willy, those guys with the motorboats are the DEP.

I am generally paranoid about giving the DEP any reason to take away my permit, so that's why I am curious about the Kensico/New Croton closing date.   

I could be nuts, but I thought Jack Stewart mentioned to me a year or so back that all the reservoirs are year round (if there is no ice) but that Kensico and NC are different.   
Couldn't find this distinction in the DEP regs, but does anyone know definitively?

[BigWilly]

I know the motor boat was DEP.  He wasn't messing with anybody.  Drove right past me twice.   

[lionpshark]

I was told if no ice your good to go but I don't know the written rules!

[bluefish]

Honestly, I could be nuts.     I just thought someone (Jack Stewart or someone) had said to me 12/1 - 3/1 were off limits (boating) on Kens and NC.   
But I can't find anything now to back that up.
Hey, if the DEP is boating by people and not saying anything, I'd take that as a good sign

[reservoirdog]

I think that has changed as of last year , go back on some post , I remember reading post from Ken and Vinny that the boat season is on all year round as long as there is no Ice

[mike.com]

yeah big will.. fishing all yr as long as no ice.. kenisco  and n.c is no ice fishing maybe thats why you got messed up in the head a little. lol

[biggamee]

Saw about 10 boats out today.  One of them was a center console with a outboard.

Big Will you saw 10 boats on the Rye side??

[bluefish]

yeah big will.. fishing all yr as long as no ice.. kenisco  and n.c is no ice fishing maybe thats why you got messed up in the head a little. lol

That's probably it.   Thanks.

[BigWilly]

I can think of seven different boats if you include myself and the DEP boat.  I might be a boat or two off but yeah, there was a boat about every direction you looked.  I saw two different boats catch fish.  Saw people fishing from shore in waders.  Ended up being more boats than I expected.  I have no idea if that is allot of boats for that area or not. 

[biggamee]

I can think of seven different boats if you include myself and the DEP boat.  I might be a boat or two off but yeah, there was a boat about every direction you looked.  I saw two different boats catch fish.  Saw people fishing from shore in waders.  Ended up being more boats than I expected.  I have no idea if that is allot of boats for that area or not.

Yea for December that's a lot..if it was June that would be about right..last year this time of year you probably didn't see any..5 boats yesterday at Cross river..let's see what next week brings

[G.Freshwater]

Hey Bluefish,

You may have had it backwards.  Kensico was the first res to be open year round for fishing by boat.  NC might have been there too.  JS might have been saying that they were the only two you could fish.  They just recently opened it to other res's.  As others have said, wear your pfd.  If you can hack it, it might pay off.  I hear people are starting to catch trout on a lot of the reservoirs.  Walleye too!

[KenH]

Hey Bluefish,

You may have had it backwards.  Kensico was the first res to be open year round for fishing by boat.  NC might have been there too.  JS might have been saying that they were the only two you could fish.  They just recently opened it to other res's.  As others have said, wear your pfd.  If you can hack it, it might pay off.  I hear people are starting to catch trout on a lot of the reservoirs.  Walleye too!

I don't thnk that's correct. All the reservoirs EXCEPT for Kensico and New Croton became open to all year boating first in 2008. DEP didn't include them initially as they were the only non-icefishing permitted reservoirs and both were terminal reservoirs for the water supply system. DEP did state that if opening up the other reservoirs produced no problems then Kensico and NC would follow. I fished Cross River in Dec 2009 by boat. And Kensico and NC were opened in Dec 2010.

http://nature.lohudblogs.com/2010/12/01/boats-now-allowed-in-winter-on-kensico-and-new-croton-reservoirs/