west-branch-delaware

West Branch Delaware is a river in New York.

It ranks #2 among the 12 waters of New York in the registry, and is of national prominence.

Its official name is West Branch Delaware River.

Also called WB and West Branch of the Delaware.

Fished for trout (inferred from the species listed).

Species: brown trout and rainbow trout.

USGS GNIS record: 969117.

Access points: Barking Dog, Shehawken, Stilesville, Gentlemen's Club, Hale Eddy Bridge, Lower Game Lands and Upper Game Lands.

Confluences: Junction Pool.

Holes: Balls Eddy.

Red Barn Pool (hole). It is fishable. Deposit NY: private pool with a gate and a tin box fee ($5 on 29 July 2026 post). Below Cold Springs Brook. HOMONYM: the West Branch Ausable has a 'Red Barn Run'. Also called Red Barn and the Red Barn.

It is downstream of Cold Springs Brook.

Cold Springs Brook (confluence). It is fishable. Troutfitter: oxygenated water from Cold Springs Brook supports fly life; above it 'it is rare to find anything but midges and alewives'.

It is upstream of Red Barn Pool.

Monument Pool (hole). It is fishable. Below Hale's Eddy, a cold refuge pool under a forested ridge; the guide quoted is Sean Witman of the Delaware River Club. HOMONYM: Monument Falls on the West Branch Ausable is a different place.

It is downstream of Hale Eddy Bridge.

Pasture Pool (hole). It is fishable. Dark Skies: access point north of Deposit where about three dozen anglers line up for the sulphur hatch. Not ordered against the Orvis list.

Geezer's Pool (hole). It is fishable. Dark Skies: 'a different access point downstream of Deposit called the Geezer's Pool at the Gentleman's Club', gentle shallow water above brisk riffles.

Men's Club (access). It is fishable. Parking at the Men's Club in Deposit (Troutfitter). Not asserted equal to Orvis's 'Gentlemen's Club'.

Norboard (access). It is fishable. Orvis 'Best Access' list only.

It is upstream of Gentlemen's Club.

It is downstream of Stilesville.

Oquaga Creek (confluence). It is fishable. Tributary mouth; Troutfitter notes sulfurs and rising fish below Oquaga and a run below where Oquaga enters the WB.

Winterdale Road (access). It is fishable. Perfect Fly: Winterdale Road provides a good bit of access.

Sourced from 5 independent fly sites.

Sources: cnytroutfitter.com, cnytroutfitter.com (2), cnytroutfitter.com (3), cnytroutfitter.com (4), cnytroutfitter.com (5), cnytroutfitter.com (6), cnytroutfitter.com (7), Dark Skies Fly Fishing, diyflyfishing.com, fishbeer.substack.com, fishingreports.orvis.com, greatwesterncatskills.com and The Perfect Fly Store (retrieved 2026-10-20).

Hatches

Blue-Winged Olive

Sourced.

Jan
Feb
Mar hatching
Apr hatching
May hatching
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Page covers all three Delaware sections; dam discharges shift timing by section, so tailwater timing on this branch may differ. Several species; a second window from about July 1 through November is listed separately; some BWOs hatch much of the season.

west-branch-delaware

Hatches

Blue-Winged Olive

Quill Gordon and Blue Quill

Trico

Short-horned Sedge

Terrestrials (ants, beetles, hoppers)

Brown Drake and Eastern Green Drake

Eastern Pale Evening Dun (Sulphur, E. invaria) (Ephemerella invaria)

White Drake (White Fly)

Cinnamon Sedge

Little Brown Stonefly

Blue-Winged Olive (second brood)

Spotted Sedge / Little Sister Sedge

Golden Stonefly and Giant Black Stonefly

March Brown and Light Cahill

Gray Drake

Gray-winged Yellow Quill

Grannom (Little Black Caddis / Apple Caddis)

Small Sulphur (E. dorothea) (Ephemerella dorothea)

Green Sedge

Dark Blue Sedge