DEC Lebanon Reservoir profile
TOWN OF LEBANON — The New York State Department of Environmental has profiled the Lebanon Reservoir in Madison County, town of Lebanon. It covers 96 acres, 2.2 miles of shoreline and is 0.79 miles long. Its maximum depth is 45 feet. Its primary sportfish are largemouth bass, walleye, black crappie, sunfish – both pumpkinseed and bluegill; rock bass, yellow perch, rainbow trout, golden shiner, white sucker and brown bullhead
The Lebanon Reservoir supports a two-story fishery with rainbow trout being the main cold-water gamefish and largemouth bass the main warm-water species. Trout are usually targeted shortly after they are stocked in the spring and during the winter months by ice anglers. Some holdover rainbow trout are present most years. Ice fishing for panfish like bluegill and yellow perch is also very popular on the lake.
Black crappies are also caught through the ice but tend to be just under the legal length of 10 inches. This lake is among the first in the area that has safe ice each year due to its elevation. Largemouth bass are abundant with fish in the 12-to-14 inch range being common. Though growth rates for bass are slow, there are 20-inch bass caught each season.
The reservoir can be accessed through the DEC boat launch on Reservoir Road, about four miles west of the village of Hamilton. Parking is available for 14 cars and trailers.
Authorities last conducted a fisheries survey in 2016 to evaluate the age, growth and abundance of the reservoir's sportfish community, the survival of stocked rainbow trout, and the recruitment of stocked walleye to the fishery. It consisted of two sampling efforts: a spring nighttime electrofishing sample in May and a summer gill net and fyke net sample in July.
In 2016 overall 442 fish were caught, representing 11 species. Largemouth bass were the most numerous, followed by bluegill. Other gamefish caught were walleye and rainbow trout.
As the popularity and success of the rainbow trout fishery is unknown at this time, an evaluation should be conducted to determine angler efforts targeting rainbow trout and catches to determine if stocking rainbow trout should continue. The current statewide regulations cover all the species in the reservoir.
