The East Branch is perhaps one of the best known trout
streams in the Croton Watershed system, and close enough
to New York City and its suburbs to make it accessible.
An easy ride of about one hour from Manhattan contributes
to its popularity with the urban fly fisher.
The size of its trout can be impressive. You can find
the monsters you're looking for in its deep pools, like
Phoebe Hole, not an easy task, mind you, but certainly
possible. What can be most enjoyable is the challenge
of discovering trout resting behind the rocks, along
the shady banks, under fallen logs. Most likely it will
be a brown, but rainbows are not uncommon.
The East Branch of the Croton River is a "classic
suburban trout fishing experience." An easy ride
of about one hour from Manhattan, contributes to its
popularity with the urban fly fisher. And that's also
its downside, since, especially on weekends, the river
can get crowded.
There are five major and easy accesses to the river and
the well-worn paths along its banks make even the fear
of Lyme tick bites somewhat less daunting. Interstate
684 feeds into Route 22 in Brewster. The first intersection
with old Route 22 will soon bring you to the most popular
site, Bathtub Pool, visible even from the bridge, but
the fishing pressure is a major factor because is so
close to the road.
 Off
I-684, you've just passed the huge reservoir. It is there,
behind the dam that the stream first originates. A tremendous
geyser best known as "The Bubble" feeds and
cools the East Branch waters, allowing them to remain
cold even in the sweltering hot summer days. Insects
and fishes just thrive in it. It is here that begins
the 2.25 miles of the "special regulation only" stretch,
where artificial bait rules! "Catch and Release" is
widely practiced even though you're allowed to keep one
trout of at least 14 inches. The river is stocked annually
with browns and rainbows but signs of a natural reproductive
cycle are easily evident from the sizes of the fish caught.
From Bathtub Pool, you can walk on the banks and stop
along the way to find the spot that best suites your
fishing needs. When you reach Phoebe Hole, make sure
that you give this spot a good try. It's from this hole
that the brown trout weighting 10.13 lbs. took Al Case's
fly, a No. 8 Gray Ghost, allowing him to become the IGFA
world record holder on a four-pound test tippet. Some
of that monster's friends and relatives may just be as
impressive. If the walk becomes too strenuous at this
point, just drive to the other sites and visit Brady's
Bend and Trestle Pool. You will not be disappointed.
Even though the East Branch of the Croton is sometimes
considered a wet fly stream, you can fish dry flies.
More typically, early in the season, you can try your
luck on the surface with Blue-winged Olives or
Blue Duns in sizes 16-18. If that doesn't produce the
hoped for results, it may be necessary to resort to weighted
wet flies, streamers, or nymphs. Some flies to try are
the Muddler Minnows, and
the black stonefly . As summer progresses, the hatches
become more plentiful and varied. From the end of May
to well into June it's the time to experiment with your
Pale Evening and Sulphur Dunns, along
with the Adams. In July the caddis and the terrestrial
are more productive.
A challanging time to fish this river is from mid-August
to September during the "Trico" hatch.
Of course, you need to be on the river by daybreak, but
it's an fantastic experience! |
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