New York
West Branch Delaware: Deposit to Hancock
About this float trip
The West Branch of the Delaware is the best wild trout river in the eastern United States, and the reason is Cannonsville Reservoir: bottom-release water that stays cold enough to hold big wild browns through a Catskills summer. The fish here are famously difficult. Flat water, heavy hatches and enormous pressure produce trout that inspect a fly rather than eat it, and long light leaders are standard.
The Northeast’s premier wild trout tailwater, cold releases out of Cannonsville down past Hale Eddy.
Highlights
What earns the trip
- Wild, self-sustaining brown trout in a river that is not stocked
- Cold tailwater releases hold fish through summer heat
- Hatches from the Hendricksons in April through the tricos in August
- Joins the East Branch at Hancock to form the main stem
Stops
- 1
Deposit access
The upper put-in, below the Cannonsville release.
- 2
Hale Eddy Bridge
Midpoint access and a common half-day take-out.
- 3
Hancock
The take-out at the confluence with the East Branch.
When to go
Best time to go
April through June is the peak hatch window, with a second window in the fall.
Planner estimate for the mapped line: 51 min
Before you go
Know before you go
- Releases from Cannonsville govern everything. Check the current flow before you commit to a float.
- These fish are heavily pressured and genuinely selective. Fine tippet and a careful approach matter more than fly choice.
- Access points are limited and parking is tight. Do not block private drives.
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