Best East Branch Delaware River Fly Fishing

Northwest of Poughkeepsie near Hancock, the East Branch of the Delaware River is best known as an excellent tailwater fishery below Pepacton reservoir.

The upper section is about 8 miles long from the headwaters at Wawaka Lake in Halcottsville to the Pepacton reservoir. You can expect to find most fish are less than a foot long. There is about 5 miles of public fishing access.

The lower section is about 33 miles from the dam down to the confluence with the main Delaware River. This section of the East Branch of the Delaware River for fly fishing is the most popular year-round fishery. It is typically 75 to 200 feet wide.

Overall, East Branch Delaware River is the 21st most popular fly fishing river of all 32 fly fishing spots in New York. Several of the better fly fishing rivers are nearby East Branch Delaware River including Beaverkill River, Esopus Creek, Neversink River, West Branch Delaware River, Willowemoc Creek and Delaware River.