Freestone · Sandstone Shale · New York

Esopus Creek

The Catskills' rainbow river — a tumbling freestone famous for hard-fighting wild 'bows, with a hydrology quirk all its own: the Shandaken Portal pipes water through the mountain from the Schoharie watershed and can colour the upper river up with no rain in the sky at all.

Species

About as good as it gets

River high but settled. Fish are looking up — bigger flies, confident takes.

75% confidence in this read
Water temperature for brown trout
Ideal
13.0°Cideal 10–16°C
0°14°28°
Why this score · for brown trout
  • Temperature10028% weight
  • Flow8022% weight
  • Clarity9518% weight
  • Feeding Time5013% weight
  • Pressure807% weight
  • Insect activity6212% weight
Conditions
Level
1.41 m
Water temp
13.0°C
Clarity
Clear
Portal can colour it without rain
Air temp
23°C
Wind
NW 10 km/h
Light breeze
Pressure
1021 hPa
Rain · 48h
0.0 mm
No meaningful rain
Rain · ahead
0.0 mm
No meaningful rain · next 48h

Live readings only. Trends shown where the gauge supports them.

How to fish it · for brown trout
When
Nymphing can work through most of the day.
Where
Cover mixed depths.
Method
Start with tight-line nymphs and adjust if fish rise or drift higher.
Kit
9 ft #4 rod, floating line, 12 ft tapered leader to 4–5 lb fluoro tippet.
Why this works
Excellent — water temperature is right today, though time of day could be better.
Through the year
0–3 scale · June highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
GrannomHatch
2
2
Evening SedgeHatch
2
3
3
3
2
Western Green DrakeHatch
2
2
Flav (Small Western Green Drake)Hatch
2
3
2

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • General season plus artificial-only extension
  • Verify NY DEC.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
About this water

The Catskills' rainbow river — a tumbling freestone famous for hard-fighting wild 'bows, with a hydrology quirk all its own: the Shandaken Portal pipes water through the mountain from the Schoharie watershed and can colour the upper river up with no rain in the sky at all. Read the portal, not just the weather, when you judge the water here.

  • Sandstone shale
Seasons & zones
  • Trout1 April → 31 December
Other water nearby · 3