Great bass lakes near Catskills, NY or within 2 hour drive of NY?

[RipHair]

I've fished New Croton Reservoir and a few others around the area but mostly on the shore. Curious what really good bass lakes exist within a 2 hour drive of Manhattan (without traffic) that people like fishing. Bonus if maybe it's a body of water with some summer homes/cabins I'd consider buying down the road as well.

 

I hard finger lakes are nice but it might be a bit too far to want to drive to on a Friday after work.

 

Looking mainly for LM/SM, pike is OK, doubt muskies are this far south but those would be good too. Somewhere also near some good trout rivers (Catskills I guess?) for when I want to bring out the fly rig.

[Deleted account]

Make friends with someone on black lake.

[RipHair]

50 minutes ago, Deleted account said:

Make friends with someone on black lake.

Black Lake looks really nice. I grew up in Ontario and it's about at the same latitude so I imagine it's pretty close to what I'm used to. Unfortunately though it's a bit far to get to from Manhattan.

[Deleted account]

2 minutes ago, RipHair said:

Black Lake looks really nice. I grew up in Ontario and it's about at the same latitude so I imagine it's pretty close to what I'm used to. Unfortunately though it's a bit far to get to from Manhattan.

Not that black lake, the one near Toronto and Superior in the Catskills...

[casts_by_fly]

Are you set on NY?  Lots of lakes in north nj worth fishing. Plenty of bass, lots of musky/pike/Pickerel. All well within 2 hours of the city. 

[BurrStone]

Candlewood and Lillinonanah in CT fit the description but any waterfront real estate at those locations will cost a fortune. But hey you live and work where fortunes are made.

[RipHair]

18 minutes ago, BurrStone said:

Candlewood and Lillinonanah in CT fit the description but any waterfront real estate at those locations will cost a fortune. But hey you live and work where fortunes are made.

Funny I had once fished Candlewood lake with a buddy of mine in a 14' jon boat. Granted it was a Saturday or Sunday but I felt as though the whole lake was full of a bunch of people ripping around on their speed boats showing off. Many of them would rip past us a bit too close as well. I didn't feel as though it had a very good fishing vibe there.

1 hour ago, casts_by_fly said:

Are you set on NY?  Lots of lakes in north nj worth fishing. Plenty of bass, lots of musky/pike/Pickerel. All well within 2 hours of the city. 

Thanks I can start researching that area as well. I used to fish as a kid around Skyline drive and the various lakes there but mostly from the shore. Are there many/any quiet, cabin worthy lakes you know of around there?

[casts_by_fly]

I don’t know the real estate market for lake homes. Hopatcong has a ton of places but that lake is madness in the summer with pleasure boats, party boats, wake boats, and bass boats. Cool multi species fishery but I wouldn’t buy a house there.

 

spruce run is a Great Lake to fish, but there aren’t any houses on the water. Plenty of places around the lake nearby, but nothing actually on the water. Lots of bass, pike, hybrids, etc.  If you know skyline drive area then you already know monksville and the nearby lakes. Monksville has big fish but is a tough lake. That’s a trophy musky fishery (Hopatcong is also).  Most of the skyline drive lakes are water supply reservoirs though so no houses on them. Greenwood lake would be one to consider. Lots of lake houses, good fishery, bass, muskies, walleye.

[EWREX]

On 6/12/2022 at 1:00 PM, RipHair said:

Funny I had once fished Candlewood lake with a buddy of mine in a 14' jon boat. Granted it was a Saturday or Sunday but I felt as though the whole lake was full of a bunch of people ripping around on their speed boats showing off. Many of them would rip past us a bit too close as well. I didn't feel as though it had a very good fishing vibe there.

candlewood is by far the best fishing lake in CT. there are 20-25 pound tournament bags caught on the regular 3-4 times a week. in the summer it is an absolute mad house of pleasure boaters. it's a special lake where catching a 5lb largie and a 5lb smallie on the same day is a very good possibility.

[Dogface]

There are plenty of lakes in NE PA. 

 

Shohola Lake lake comes to mind and it is about 2 hours from Manhattan. In addition there are a lot of Fish Commission lake in Wayne County, Pa again about 2 hours from Manhattan.  

 

BTW most if not all Fish Commission lakes are electric motor only. 

 

Check out  this thread. 

 

[Boomstick]

If you are willing to drive about two hours, Great Sacandaga Lake is nice. The northwest corner around the bridge produces good smallies and walleye.