Fly Fishing in New York

A regional note specific to this state: the trout fishery here is built on a series of high-quality tailwaters, and the state agency has invested heavily in those tailwaters, which is why the catch rate is consistently high and the average fish size is larger than the national average. New York trout fishing is the most diverse in the Northeast, ranging from the legendary Catskill rivers to the wild brook trout streams of the Adirondacks. The state has more than 7,500 miles of fishable trout water, including the famous Beaverkill, the Willowemoc, the Esopus, the East and West Branch of the Delaware, and dozens more. The most famous trout river is the Beaverkill, a freestone that runs through the Catskill Mountains and produces wild browns averaging 14 inches. The state's trout program is administered through the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and the agency stocks the put-and-take rivers and lakes while managing the wild trout water through a combination of slot limits and special regulations. A regular New York fishing license is required, and the cost is $25 for residents and $50 for non-residents, and the daily limit is 5 trout combined in most waters with special regulations on the wild trout water. The unique regional quirk is that New York has the most diverse trout habitat in the Northeast, from the spring creeks of the Catskills to the high-country ponds of the Adirondacks, all within a few hours' drive.