Free Resource · Updated 2026
Esopus Creek flows through Ulster County in the Catskills from its headwaters near Pine Hill to the Ashokan Reservoir. The creek is one of the most accessible and popular Catskill trout streams and offers a mix of tailwater influence from tunnel water and freestone character. It is a year-round fishery with good public access.
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Esopus Creek Hatch Calendar — Quick Reference
The Esopus receives tunnel water from the Schoharie watershed above the Catskills which can affect clarity and flows. The creek flows through the Catskill Center for Conservation and the Catskill Mountains, passing through popular recreational communities like Phoenicia. The most productive water runs from the Allaben area downstream through Phoenicia and Shandaken.
The Esopus is known for its population of rainbow trout in addition to the brown trout common to most Catskill streams. The cooler water from the tunnel input helps sustain trout during summer heat. The creek can run off-color after rains or when tunnel flows are high, so clear water conditions are worth waiting for.
The Catskill Center and DEC own public fishing rights through much of the most productive water. Access is good from several points along Route 28. The Esopus is a popular fishery and can be crowded on weekends but has enough water to absorb the pressure reasonably well.
See the full New York Fly Hatch Chart for hatch timing across all of New York's top trout streams.
Check Conditions Near Esopus CreekWhat to Fish
Ephemerella subvaria
Hendrickson hatches on the Esopus are a reliable late April event. Afternoon hatches from noon to 4pm are most consistent. The section between Allaben and Phoenicia produces the best rises during the hatch.
Recommended: Hendrickson #14
Trichoptera
Caddis are the most consistent surface hatch on the Esopus through summer. Evening hatches from May through July are the most productive. Standard elk hair caddis and X-Caddis patterns in sizes 14-16 are essential.
Recommended: Elk Hair Caddis #14-16
Ephemerella dorothea
Evening sulphur hatches carry the dry fly season from late May into early July on the Esopus. The hatches are reliable and bring fish up predictably in the evening hours. A good sulphur pattern is a Catskill necessity.
Recommended: Sulphur Parachute #16
Baetis spp.
Fall BWO hatches extend fishing on the Esopus well into October. Overcast afternoons produce the most consistent activity. The creek is much less crowded in fall and the fishing can be excellent.
Recommended: BWO Parachute #18
Common Questions
Esopus Creek flows through Ulster County in the Catskill Mountains of New York. Route 28 parallels much of the productive section from Allaben through Phoenicia and Shandaken. The creek empties into the Ashokan Reservoir near Kingston.
The Esopus receives tunnel water diverted from the Schoharie watershed upstream of the Catskills. When these tunnel flows are high or after heavy rain in the Schoharie watershed, the creek can run off-color and high. Clear water is best for fishing. Local fly shops in Phoenicia can provide current conditions.
The Esopus holds both brown trout and rainbow trout. The presence of rainbows sets the Esopus apart from many Catskill streams that are primarily brown trout fisheries. Wild fish are present throughout the creek.
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