Fishing Season: Vermont and New York OPEN

Battenkill - VT

Fishing Outlook & Conditions

Water Temp:

58

Orvis Manchester's Tip of the Week

The rain last night has pushed the flows well over comfortable wading conditions. I recommend waiting till the water comes down before venturing out.

Directions open in app

Map of Battenkill

Water Flow Data

Orvis-Endorsed guides nearby

Peter Basta
Ralph Yusavage
Brew Moscarello

5-Day Outlook as of 5/19/25

Caution this week as there is more rain in the forecast and the flows are already close to flood conditions.

Techniques & Tips as of 5/19/25

Swinging streamers from the bank.

Local Species Available Vermont and New York OPEN

  • Fish Icon

    Trout

Orvis Manchester's Recommended Fly Patterns

"Must-have" fly fishing patterns in descending order of importance:

Name: Colors: Size(s):
Tunghead Pheasant Tail Tan/Green # 12-16
Bead Head Hare's Ear Nymph White #12-14
Bead Head Stonefly Vt Tan #14-16
Zonker Black 10-12
Light Hendrickson Black and Olive #4-6
Blue Winged Olive White 4-6

Tunghead Pheasant Tail

Adding tungsten beads to mayfly patterns is relatively new.

2.99

Item #144J

Buy Now

Orvis Manchester's Recommended Gear

Description: About Battenkill

The Battenkill is a small to medium-sized river that is famous for its incredibly difficult brown trout and relatively abundant brook trout. A freestone stream but rising out of many springs in marble bedrock, it stays cold all summer long and is famous for its good midsummer fishing - although in the past 20 years this summer fishing has become difficult because of large crowds of canoes and inner tubes on warm summer days. The river is all wild brown and brook trout throughout its Vermont section, and both 2-year-old and yearling brown trout are stocked in the New York section almost to its confluence with the Hudson River. There are also wild trout in the New York stretch. The Battenkill used to be known for its abundance of small brook and brown trout, and although the brook trout are still abundant (it's rare to find wild brook trout in a river of its size outside of northern Maine), brown trout have become scarcer but much larger. Twenty-inch-plus brown trout are taken all season long on streamers and occasionally by the dry-fly angler patient enough to find and stalk one of these bigger fish. Best fishing is from mid-May to mid-July, but early mornings and evenings are good throughout the season, especially in midsummer. Fall fishing is un-crowded but seldom spectacular. The Battenkill is a difficult river because of its clear, silky, and fast currents, lack of large insects, and wary trout with little midstream cover. A few fish a day is considered very successful on this river. Anglers looking for easier fish (but tighter and tougher casting) should try its two headwater branches upstream (north) of the town of Manchester, or one of its tributaries like the Roaring Branch, Green River, or Bromley Brook.

Nearest Airport:

Albany International Airport (ALB)

Best Time to Fish:

Mornings and evenings