Batten Kill Fishing Spot
- Elevation: 485'
- Last Modified By: vinny60 on 09/07/09 01:26 PM
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Best seasons to fish: Opens second Saturday in April and closes the last Sunday in October. The best fishing is in the spring and fall, but if the river isn't too low in the heat of summer, the fishing can be good. Species to be found: Brook trout in the upper reaches and brown trout throughout the course of the river. In New York, the first 4.4 miles from the state line to the covered bridge at Eagleville is a Special Regulations Area, limited to artficial flies, lures, and a daily creel limit of 3 fish over 10 inches.
Batten Kill Description
The Battenkill River, is an approximately 50-mile river rising in Vermont that flows into New York and is a tributary of the Hudson River. The river is known for its fishing as it has a prominent trout population. The Shushan Covered Bridge crosses it at one point and the headquarters of the Orvis Corporation are also located along its course. The Batten Kill is an extremely clear river, but does not run fast due to its slow gradient. It has plenty of pools to fish, and they are connected by shallow runs, flats, mild riffles, a few rapids, and bends in the river. The river has a low temperature most of the time, and it owes alot to the heavy canopy of willows and alder. The banks are conveniently littered with rocks, shrubs, fallen limbs, overhanging bushes, and so on, making for good brown trout cover. Always fish the pools deep, on the bottom, and move up if you are getting little action. The Batten Kill is a good river for both flyfishing and spinfishing. This river hasn't been put on the timeline of flyfishing just because it is another pretty river. It earned its way there by providing consistent wild trout fishing, dependable hatches, and smart fish. There aren't many wild brown trout fisheries left in the East, and few can match the angling experience and challenge of the Batten Kill. Most of the Batten Kill is easy to wade, given the shallow depths and easy gradient, but some of it has a muddy bottom and can be slippery. The entire river can easily be floated, best done by a canoe. Manchester and Arlington each have accommodations, and campgrounds can be had in Emerald Lake State Park, where the river originates.
The Batten Kill Railroad (reporting mark BKRR) is a class III railroad operating in New York. The BKRR was formed in 1981 to operate a pair of abandoned Delaware and Hudson Railway branch lines, totaling about 30 miles of track.