Best trout streams in the Northeast US

Trout Town USA

I may not be an authority on the best places to fly-fish for trout, but I have been fortunate to experience some destinations that others would consider among the best in a particular region in the US.  This blog post highlights some of those in the Northeast region of the USA worthy of consideration as among the best.

There is one location in the Northeast of the US that is very deserving of the moniker of Trout Town, USA, and that is Roscoe, New York.  Any seasoned angler, or one at least educated on its American beginnings, would likely rank the Catskills as the birthplace of American fly fishing.  I am no historian on the origins of the pastime, but there are likely purists that will argue that it is dry fly fishing in the Catskills region that shaped this tradition in America. 

It helps that the Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum is located there and many fly tyers have brought attention to the area, among them the Gordons, Dettes and Wullfs.  This tradition is no doubt driven by the legendary status of trout waters such as the Beaverkill and the Willowemoc.

Willowemoc brown trout

A contributing journalist to the Sullivan County Democrat, Judy Van Put, documented that the origin of Willowemoc is Native American, from the Lenni Lenape, and translates as ‘the kettle that washes itself clean’, “because the spring freshets carry all the driftwood, etc. from its banks.”  In my opinion, while the Willowemoc does feel like an intimate water relative to the Beaverkill, it should deserve more than ‘creek’ status.  It can be a fairly robust water in parts, particularly at Buck Eddy, where it takes on a dramatic and expansive appearance like much of the Beaverkill.

The more expansive Beaverkill waters not far from Roscoe include a ceremonial fishing hole called the Junction Pool, which is the spot of choice for anglers on opening day of each trout season.  It is also where the Beaverkill meets the Willowemoc and is a legendary spot where “the ‘two-headed trout’ didn’t know which way to go, whether up the Little Beaverkill or the Willowemoc, so it hung out in the Junction Pool” until it was caught by a ‘crafty fisherman’, according to Sullivan County Democrat journalist, Ted Waddell.

Beaverkill brown trout

At times, I felt like I was fishing the South Platte River outside of Denver, with the wide runs and riffles dissecting great forests.  It is no wonder that the Beaverkill is considered by Beaverkill Books as “America’s most beloved and famous trout stream”, as it was impressive scenery at every access point.  Journalist Red Smith of the New York Times remarked that “it can be said without irreverence that to celebrate Opening Day on the Beaverkill is a little like observing Christmas in Bethlehem.”

Further to the northeast, there are more legendary trout waters, including the Housatonic (in Connecticut) and the Batten Kill (in Vermont).  But during a visit to New Hampshire and the White Mountains National Forest, I stumbled on some excellent brook trout waters near North Conway.  While sleuthing online for a visit, I came across the website for North Country Angler and was encouraged to stop by the shop to pick up a map and some guidance on area waters for trout.

a Slippery Brook native

I am an avid fan of fly-fishing for brook trout and spend a considerable amount of time in Shenandoah National Park (SNP) in pursuit of these wonderful creatures.  My brook trout fishing adventures have extended beyond the Mid-Atlantic to regions of the Northeast and Southeast, from Maine to South Carolina.  So, learning that brookies could be found in waters around North Conway was very appealing.  I began my quest on Slippery Brook to the north of town near Mountain Pond, which proved to be exciting brook trout water that was very similar in nature to the mountain streams I fish in the SNP, with lovely riffles and pocket water that was easily accessible right next to the iron gate closure.

a Sabbaday Brook native

The next day I headed 30 miles west of Conway to hike and fish along Sabbaday Brook at Sabbaday Falls.  The first ¼ mile leads to a spectacular waterfall, but the trail continues along some of the best brook trout water I have ever fished.  This again was similar in nature to the mountain streams I fish in the SNP, with lovely riffles and pocket water that was easily accessible.  As with Slippery Brook, I was geared up with the short, lightweight rod, short leader and dry flies.  Unlike other places I have fished for small brookies (which were, in fact, pushing 6-7” here), I would elicit multiple strikes at the same spot, sometimes from the same fish.  In little more than an hour of fishing I had a dozen or more fish in the net and three times that in rises, refusals and early releases.

Tight Lines!