Where to Fish in the Catskill Mountains of New York

For many fly fishermen the streams and rivers of the Catskill Mountains in New York are the mecca of fly-fishing. These streams are where American fly-fishing was born. Every year thousands of fisherman flock to the Catskills to chase the trout that still inhabit these waters. While some things have changed, many of the rivers and streams still seem untouched and it is very easy to forget about the modern world while standing in Catskill waters. For those making their first trip or those who have only done limited exploring I highly recommend the following rivers, the Beaverkill River, the Willowemoc, the East and West Branch of the Delaware, the Main Delaware River, the Neversink River and the Espous Creek.

The Beaverkill River and Willowemoc

I will talk about the Beaverkill and Willowemoc together because they are hard to separate. The Beaverkill is largely considered the most historic trout river in America. Many of the classic fly patterns that are fished today were developed here and of course this is the river that gave birth to the "Catskill" style of fly. The Beaverkill is a classic trout river and offers a variety of characteristics. It has the long flat pools that entice fishermen and the riffles and runs are as productive as they are scenic. Maybe it's due to the fact many books have been written on the Beaverkill, but if you've ever pictured the perfect river in your mind it would probably look like the Beaverkill. The Beaverkill has phenomenal insect hatches and a mix of brown, rainbow and brook trout. There is ample access along old route 17 and every pool, riffle, or run has a name and most are marked with historical landmarks.

The Willowemoc is the major tributary to the Beaverkill, even though it contributes more water to the Beaverkill at their confluence. The only real difference between the Beaverkill and Willowemoc it their size, with the Willow being slightly smaller. Besides that the Willowemoc has the same characteristics as the Beaverkill with slightly less access. One thing the Willowemoc does not share is the Catskill Fly Fishing Museum that is located on its banks. Both rivers are ideal fly-fishing locations and are a must to visit for anyone who enjoys the history of fly-fishing.

The East Branch of the Delaware

The East Branch of the Delaware is a cold tailwater fishery. A dam on Pepacton Reservoir in Downsville releases water from the bottom of reservoir to supply the downstream section with clear, cold water. From the dam in Downsville to around Harvard the East Branch runs cold the entire year. Wild brown trout thrive in its waters although there are some brookies and rainbows as well. Below Harvard the East Branch is a much more seasonal trout fishery with trout present in fall through spring but they tend to migrate upstream of Harvard in the heat of the summer. The river is easy to follow as route 30 follows its entire length from Downsville past Harvard to the town of East Branch. The East Branch looks more like a placid spring creek than a river. It has short shallow riffles followed by long slow pools. The fish are often rising in the long slow pools but they can be the most difficult fish to catch in the Catskills. Unlike the other Catskill Rivers these fish can be spooky, disturb a pool too much and the fish disappear.

Downstream of Harvard in the town of East Branch the Beaverkill enters the East Branch of the Delaware. From that point downstream the characteristics of the East Branch tend to look more like the Beaverkill. Now it is a bigger river and many of the pools are so large they can be difficult to fish. In the spring and fall large rainbows and browns inhabit these waters and can offer great fishing.

The West Branch of the Delaware

The West Branch is now considered the finest wild trout fishery east of the Mississippi. It is a cold tailwater just like the East Branch, but seems to offer better habitat. An average fish may be around 12 inches, but it is very common to catch fish over 18 inches and it seems a fish around 30 inches is caught every year. The West Branch offers fantastic dry fly fishing with spectacular hatches. It is a completely wild fishery and the trout are as wary as they are strong. The tailwater section of the West Branch starts in Stilesville and ends in Hancock where the East and West Branch come together. Unlike the East Branch the entire West Branch stays cold all summer from the releases from Cannonsville Reservoir. Large pools are still present, but the West Branch has more riffles and runs than the East Branch, which makes for better nymphing opportunities. There is a reason why the West Branch is considered the best in the east and it has to be experienced to understand why.

The Main Delaware River

The Main Delaware River is formed in Hancock where the East and West Branch come together. The Main Delaware offers quality trout fishing to around Callicoon and benefits largely from the cold-water releases from the West Branch. When the West Branch is releasing lots of water the Main Delaware fishes better, if the West Branch is releases little water the Main Delaware may get to warm for trout fishing. Rainbow trout are the primary trout here although there are still plenty of browns. This is also big fish water and just big water. There are many large fish in this river, but often they are out of reach to the wading angler. Riffles and runs are the best bet for wading anglers, the pools can be fished but often they are to deep to wade. Fishing the Main Delaware is finicky at best. When the insects are hatching and the fish are rising fishing is spectacular, but when the fish aren't rising fishing can be very difficult. If you like fly-fishing big rivers this is the biggest around for trout and again it's a wild fishery so things can be difficult.

The Neversink River

Along with the Beaverkill the Neversink is considered the birthplace of American fly-fishing. However, since those days the Neversink has changed drastically. The Neversink is now a cold tailwater fishery like the Delaware Rivers and most of the places that were once fished by the legends of fly-fishing are under water in the Neversink Reservoir. Since the creation of the tailwater the Neversink has seen a large increase in its wild trout. Browns are most common, but brook trout still inhabit many areas. The Neversink is much like the East Branch where large flat pools dominate the river until it reaches the Gorge. The Neversink stays cold all year from the reservoir to Bridgeville and dry fly fishing is again the method of choice. Fish can be spooky on this river so approach them carefully. Downstream of Bridgeville is the Gorge or unique area of the Neversink. This is a high gradient stream where pools are scarce and pocket water dominates. No stocking takes place in the Gorge and it is entirely catch and release fishing with artificial lures or flies. There are also no easy ways to access the Gorge; the shortest hike in is around a mile so many fishermen tend to go to the more accessible rivers. The Gorge is definitely unique and does offer quality trout fishing, but be careful the hikes can be tiring and the river is tough to wade.

The Esopus Creek

The Esopus offers the highest number of trout per mile of any Catskill stream. Rainbows are the primary fish here, but browns and brookies are present. This is a very high gradient stream where large boulders dominate and fast water and slippery rocks can make for tough wading. The Esopus benefits from water diverted from the Schoharie creek underground to the Esopus. This water from the Schoharie enters the Esopus cold and helps keep temperatures favorable to trout the entire year. The trout in the Esopus can run on the small size, but there are many large fish in the river. It is not uncommon to catch 10-20 8 inch rainbows in a pool, but if you want to catch larger fish you may have to nymph the deeper pockets and pools. You should apply for a DEP permit when planning to fish the Esopus. The permits are free but are required to fish the downstream sections of the Esopus. These downstream sections often offer some of the best fishing for large fish that are moving in and out of the Ashokan Reservoir that the Esopus empties into. Again, dry fly fishing is the preferred method of fishing. Large attractor flies seem to work best fished in the creeks many pockets.

The Catskill streams and rivers truly do offer fantastic fly-fishing for trout. The places I've named are only the beginning; there are also hundreds of smaller streams and some ponds that are worth investigating. Whether your planning a trip for the first time or returning to the Catskills make sure you get to all the streams I've mentioned, they are all worth visiting at least once and personally I try to get to all of them as much as possible.