Fishing Season: 2nd Saturday in April - Oct. 31st

Battenkill - VT

Fishing Outlook & Conditions

Water Temp:

70

Orvis Manchester's Tip of the Week

Water temps have been in the low 70's mid day - so plan on getting out early or pivoting to another location.

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 8/13/26

We have some cooler air temps and some rain in the next week, so conditions should improve.

Techniques & Tips as of 8/13/26

Get out early - keep an eye out for rising fish on tricos, or run a nymph rig through deeper cold water if you don't see risers.

Local Species Available 2nd Saturday in April - Oct. 31st

  • Fish Icon

    Trout

Orvis Manchester's Recommended Fly Patterns

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

Name: Colors: Size(s):
TH Duracell Jig Purple #14-18
Bead Head Prince Natural #18
Indicator Parachute - Trico White #2-8
Flying Ant Olive #2-8
Adams White #6-10
Elk Wing Caddis Olive 14-16

TH Duracell Jig

Hook fish instead of rocks with this tungsten nymph jig.

3.99

Item #9R9X

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)

Hatches:

Dry Flies: Trico Spinner #20-24 Elk Hair Caddis #14-16 Parachute Adams #16-20 Flying Ant #18-20 Foam Beetle #14-18 Nymphs: Duracell Jig #14-18 Pheasant Tail #14-18 Prince Nymph #16-18 Zebra Midge #18-22

Best Time to Fish:

Morning