Lebanon Reservoir

Lebanon Reservoir is a small remote water body located in Madison County near the Village of Hamilton. It is one of the numerous area reservoirs that was built to supply water to the Erie Canal.

Physical Features

Elevation: 1300 feet
Area: 96 acres
Shoreline Length: 2.2 miles
Length: 0.79 miles
Maximum Depth: 45 feet
County and Town: Madison County, Town of Lebanon

Aquatic Plant Life:

Lebanon Reservoir has rooted aquatic plant growth around most of the lake shore out to about 15 feet of water. The areas around the boat launch and the northern arm have significant aquatic plant growth.

Access:

On Reservoir Road, about 4 miles west of the Village of Hamilton. Concrete ramp. Parking for 14 cars and trailers.

For more information on this launch including Google Maps driving directions, visit the Boat Launch Sites for Madison County page.

Fish Species:

Rainbow trout, largemouth bass, walleye, black crappie, pumpkinseed sunfish, bluegill, rock bass, yellow perch, golden shiner, white sucker, and brown bullhead.

Fishing:

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 also during the winter months by ice fishing. There are some holdover rainbow trout most years. Ice fishing for panfish like bluegills and yellow perch is also popular on the lake. Black crappies are also caught through the ice but tend to be just under the legal length of 9 inches. 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.

Regulations:

Statewide Fishing Regulations Apply.

Fisheries Management:

Lebanon Reservoir is stocked each spring by the NYSDEC with approximately 2,000 yearling rainbow trout. The Lebanon Reservoir Lake Association has been stocking walleye fingerlings into the reservoir in an attempt to reduce the number of panfish. The hope is that with fewer panfish the number of aquatic invertebrates that feed on the exotic invasive plant, Eurasian watermilfoil, should increase thus helping to control the watermilfoil in the lake naturally.

Fisheries Survey:

A fisheries survey of Lebanon Reservoir in Madison County was conducted in 2016, consisting of two sampling efforts: a spring nighttime electrofishing sample in May and a summer gill net and fyke net sample in July. This survey was conducted to evaluate age, growth, and abundance of the reservoir's sportfish community, survival of stocked rainbow trout, and recruitment of stocked walleye to the fishery.

Overall, 442 fish were caught, representing 11 species. Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) were the most numerous with 122 caught (33% of catch) followed by bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) (n=120, 33% of catch). Other gamefish caught were walleye (n=7, 2% of catch) and rainbow trout (n=7, 2% of catch). As the popularity and success of the rainbow trout fishery is unknown at this time, an evaluation should be conducted in the future to determine angler effort and catch to determine if future rainbow trout stocking is warranted. The current rainbow trout stocking policy and special angling regulations for trout should continue until that evaluation is conducted. Current statewide regulations should continue for all other species.

Read the full 2016 Report (PDF)