I grew up in Spingfield, and dad and I used to fish the old reservoir on Booker Rd. Like you said, some years are good and others not so good. I am not 100% sure, but I think that you are just allowed a trolling motor on that body of water, but I will check. You are talking about the old reservoir out in the county and not the new reservoir in town behind Armour?

Good Luck
S Burns