Reservoir Fly Fishing

I've been fishing Kensico reservoir for years, but I've never caught a trout on the fly there. That's all about to change. It's been a long winter and I'm on a mission. I spent the winter gathering gear and tying streamers that I hope will imitate a sawbelly- the baitfish that inhabit NY reservoirs by the millions. I bought an 8 weight rod,  some type II sinking line and I'm dying to get out there and start throwing these streamers around. I'm really not a fan of trolling, I want to catch one casting- but I'll do what it takes. I just want to catch one of the monster browns that are in there this spring, before the thermocline sets in and they move beyond the reach of a fly rod.

Large bodies of still water like this are really intimidating. I'm lucky enough to have a boat, so I can cover a lot of ground. Kensico is well over 100 feet deep in spots, where giant lakers lurk. Over the years I've found out where the structure is (a fish finder is key to reservoir fishing) so I plan to start there and see what happens. I've also learned that dawn is when the action is- so getting out there early is important. I've seen some massive fish rising out there in the mornings, I wish I knew what they are and what they're eating. If they are browns, they would surely take a dry, and I'll have a 5 wt on hand for risers- but what are they eating? Would they take a stimulator? A streamer just under the surface? I really hope I know the answer to these questions before the end of the summer.