Battenkill River Fishing Report
River conditions, guide insight, and what to fish now.
River Safety Note: Conditions can change quickly. Wading can be dangerous, especially during high or rising water. Always check current flows, weather, and access conditions before fishing, and make decisions based on your own ability. When in doubt, stay out.
Weekly Fishing Outlook by Andrew Walker
Updated Friday July 24, 7:30am
Good morning from the Battenkill.
Today should be another great summer day on the river, with highs expected in the lower 80s. We still have favorable water temperatures to start the day, but with warmer air temps during the afternoon, keep a close eye on the water during the warmest part of the day.
Flows are in decent shape, and the water is running clear. With clear summer conditions, a quiet and careful approach is important. Move slowly, keep a low profile, watch your shadows, and be thoughtful with your wading. The fish can see and feel a lot more than we sometimes think.
The best fishing windows will likely be in the morning before 11am and again later in the day as the sun gets lower. We are now seeing Trico spinner falls in the morning as the air temperature climbs toward 65°F. These can bring fish up early, but the fishing can be technical, so take your time and be ready with smaller spinner patterns.
Yellow Drakes are still in the mix throughout the day and into the last bit of light. These larger mayflies can create some great surface activity when conditions line up, especially as the river settles down toward evening.
Be sure to check the Battenkill’s water temperature in real time before you fish:
View Live Battenkill Water Temperature
It is best not to fish for trout once the water reaches 68°F. Warmer water holds less oxygen, and trout can have a much harder time recovering from the stress of being caught and released.
Have fun, stay safe, and take care of the fish.
The Hatch
TRICOS ARE HERE!
The Trico hatch is now the main story on the Battenkill. These tiny mayflies typically begin showing up around mid-July and can provide some exciting morning dry-fly fishing through August and into early September.
Trico activity generally happens in the morning as the air begins to warm. A good number to keep in mind is around 68°F. On cooler mornings, the action may happen a little later, while warmer mornings can get things started earlier. The real event is often the spinner fall, when huge numbers of these tiny mayflies gather over the river before falling spent onto the water.
Because Tricos are so small, sometimes the easiest way to know they're there is to watch the birds. If you see cedar waxwings or other birds suddenly swarming over the river in the morning, feeding on something you can barely see, take a closer look at the water. There's a good chance a Trico spinner fall is underway.
Other bugs currently in the mix include Golden Drakes, Yellow Drakes, Cream Drakes, Light Cahills, Yellow Sallies, caddis, and a variety of smaller mayflies. Keep an eye out for Blue-Winged Olives on cloudy days as well.
For Tricos, think small. Sizes 20–24 are a good place to start, and careful presentation becomes especially important during a spinner fall when trout may have thousands of naturals to choose from.
The Fly Box
With Drakes, Blue-Winged Olives, and tan caddis all active right now, I would build the box around a good mix of dries, spinners, caddis patterns, wet flies, emergers, and dependable subsurface options. Tan caddis have been especially noticeable in the mornings, while Drakes and BWOs can create excellent surface activity when conditions line up.
A lot of the feeding is still happening below the surface, particularly when fish are not showing obvious rises. Nymphs, wet flies, soft hackles, emergers, caddis pupa, and Isonychia-style nymphs are all good choices right now. I would also keep a few streamers handy, especially if flows bump up or the water picks up a little color after rain.
I’ve been fishing and recommending a number of Fulling Mill patterns lately, and these are a few of my current go-to flies for what we are seeing on the Battenkill.
Dry Flies
Trico dries and spinners, size 20 to 24
Tricos are here and are now one of the main hatches to watch for during the morning hours. Be prepared with both dun and spinner patterns, especially as the air warms and the morning spinner fall gets underway. These bugs are tiny, so sometimes the first sign of a Trico fall is seeing cedar waxwings and other birds swarming over the river and feeding on insects you can barely see.
My Fulling Mill recommendations are the Woven Trico Male, Indicator Spinner Trico, and Indicator Para Trico.
Drake dries and spinners, size 10 to 14
Yellow Drakes and Cream Drakes are a big part of the current hatch activity. Be prepared with both dun and spinner patterns, especially for afternoon and evening surface activity.
Blue-Winged Olive duns and spinners, size 16 to 18
Blue-Winged Olives are in the mix and can bring fish to the surface, particularly on cloudy or cooler days. Carry both dun and spinner patterns in sizes 16 and 18, especially when trout are feeding selectively.
Caddis dries, size 14 to 16
Caddis are very much on the menu right now. Elk Hair Caddis and other caddis dry fly patterns are good choices when you see adults fluttering around or fish feeding near the surface.
Wet Flies and Emergers
Sulphur wet flies, size 14 to 16
A great choice when sulphurs are around but fish are feeding in or just below the film.
Fulling Mill option I like:
DW Sulphur Dun, size 14 to 16
General mayfly wet flies, size 14
When there are mixed mayflies on the water, a simple wet fly can be a great way to cover fish feeding below the surface.
Fulling Mill option I like:
GRHE Wet, size 14
Soft hackles and emergers, size 12 to 16
Soft hackles, mayfly emergers, and caddis emergers are all good choices right now, especially when fish are flashing, splashing, or feeding just under the surface.
Nymphs
Isonychia nymphs and Zug Bugs, size 10 to 14
With Iso shucks showing up along the rocks, I would start carrying Isonychia nymph patterns and Zug Bugs. Fish them fast across riffles, seams, and broken water where these bugs are active. This can be a great way to cover water during the day and imitate those swimming Iso nymphs.
Fulling Mill option I like:
Zug Bug BH, size 14
Pheasant Tails, size 14 to 16
This has been one of my favorite flies lately, especially with March Browns and other mayflies around. It is a great option under a dry dropper, drifted through riffles, or fished through deeper runs.
Fulling Mill option I like:
American Pheasant Tail BH, size 14 to 16
Small nymphs, size 16 to 18
One of my all-time favorite approaches is dropping a smaller nymph under a heavier stonefly in deeper pools. It is a great way to get down while still offering something subtle and natural.
Fulling Mill option I like:
Small nymph, size 16 to 18
Stonefly nymphs, size 8 to 12
Stoneflies, including yellow sallies, have been active, and stonefly nymphs are always worth having in the box. They are also a good anchor fly when fishing deeper water.
Caddis nymphs and larva, size 14 to 16
Caddis are active right now, so do not overlook caddis larva and pupa patterns below the surface.
Hare’s Ears, size 14 to 18
A great all-around nymph that can imitate a variety of mayfly and buggy subsurface life.
Streamers
Woolly Buggers, size 4 to 8, in olive, black, and white
Always good to have in the box, especially when flows bump up, the water has a little color, or you want to cover banks and deeper seams.
Small sculpin or baitfish patterns, size 4 to 8
A good option when trout are holding tight to structure, banks, or deeper water.
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