Esopus Creek fishing

Esopus Creek fishing: not stocked since May 2020. It was stocked with Brown Trout on a river section. Also recorded: Brook Trout, Rainbow Trout, Smallmouth Bass, Largemouth Bass, and Common Carp. Species guides list dawn, day, and dusk for Brown Trout and Brook Trout and dawn and dusk for Rainbow Trout, Smallmouth Bass, and Largemouth Bass.

Esopus Creek
Photo: Daniel Case, CC BY-SA 4.0
Last stocked
May 2020
Brown Trout
Plants on record
51
Since 2011
Species stocked
1 (+5 also recorded)
Average size
9.8 in
Elevation
-1 ft

Fish at Esopus Creek

1 stocked · 5 confirmed present

Brown Trout Stocked · 51 plants · last May 2020 Best: dawn, day, dusk

Last stocked May 2020 · avg 9.8 in · 51 plants

Best: dawn, day, dusk

Brown Trout species guide

Esopus Creek, located in Ulster County, is a 65.4-mile-long tributary of the Hudson River. The Ashokan Reservoir divides the creek into an upper stretch, which is mostly a wild mountain stream, and a lower stretch that becomes more estuarine. The Upper Esopus is considered one of the most productive wild trout streams in the Catskills, with fly fishermen visiting in great numbers. Below the reservoir, the Lower Esopus is managed as a warmwater fishery, and its estuary at Saugerties is a popular bass fishery. (en.wikipedia.org, accessed September 22, 2026)(dec.ny.gov, accessed September 22, 2026)

Drafted by AI from the cited sources and checked before publishing.

How Esopus Creek is stocked

Source: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

Plattekill Creek (4.5 mi), Roeliff Jansen Kill (8.4 mi), Catskill Creek (10.3 mi), and Rondout Creek (10.5 mi) were stocked more recently. Plattekill Creek is also stocked with Brown Trout, Roeliff Jansen Kill is also stocked with Brown Trout, Catskill Creek is also stocked with Brown Trout, and Rondout Creek is also stocked with Brown Trout.

Fish stocked in 2011

19,390

Fish stocked in 2012

20,230

Fish stocked in 2013

17,450

Fish stocked in 2014

19,690

Fish stocked in 2015

19,590

Fish stocked in 2016

19,710

Fish stocked in 2017

18,950

Fish stocked in 2018

19,890

Fish stocked in 2019

20,210

Fish stocked in 2020

19,140

Stocking history

Source: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
Date Species Quantity Avg. length Source
May 2020Brown Trout1,8409.1 inreport
May 2020Brown Trout5,7409.1 inreport
May 2020Brown Trout2,0308.9 inreport
April 2020Brown Trout1,8409.1 inreport
April 2020Brown Trout1,95013.1 inreport
April 2020Brown Trout5,7409.1 inreport
May 2019Brown Trout2,2209.1 inreport
May 2019Brown Trout6,9109.1 inreport
April 2019Brown Trout2,2209.1 inreport
April 2019Brown Trout1,95013.8 inreport
April 2019Brown Trout6,9109.1 inreport
May 2018Brown Trout2,1809.1 inreport
May 2018Brown Trout6,7909.1 inreport
April 2018Brown Trout2,1809 inreport
April 2018Brown Trout1,95013.1 inreport
April 2018Brown Trout6,7909.1 inreport
May 2017Brown Trout2,0609.1 inreport
May 2017Brown Trout6,4408.7 inreport
April 2017Brown Trout2,0608.8 inreport
April 2017Brown Trout1,95013.2 inreport
April 2017Brown Trout6,4408.8 inreport
May 2016Brown Trout2,1609 inreport
May 2016Brown Trout6,7209 inreport
April 2016Brown Trout2,1608.9 inreport
April 2016Brown Trout1,95014.1 inreport
April 2016Brown Trout6,7208.9 inreport
May 2015Brown Trout2,1408.9 inreport
May 2015Brown Trout6,6808.9 inreport
April 2015Brown Trout2,1408.3 inreport
April 2015Brown Trout1,95014.3 inreport
April 2015Brown Trout6,6808.3 inreport
May 2014Brown Trout2,1609 inreport
May 2014Brown Trout6,7109 inreport
April 2014Brown Trout2,1608.5 inreport
April 2014Brown Trout1,95013.9 inreport
April 2014Brown Trout6,7108.5 inreport
May 2013Brown Trout2,0808.8 inreport
May 2013Brown Trout5,6708.8 inreport
April 2013Brown Trout2,0808.7 inreport
April 2013Brown Trout1,95014.1 inreport
April 2013Brown Trout5,6708.7 inreport
May 2012Brown Trout2,2209.3 inreport
May 2012Brown Trout6,9209.3 inreport
April 2012Brown Trout2,2208.6 inreport
April 2012Brown Trout1,95013.4 inreport
April 2012Brown Trout6,9208.6 inreport
May 2011Brown Trout2,1208.7 inreport
May 2011Brown Trout6,6008.7 inreport
April 2011Brown Trout2,1208.7 inreport
April 2011Brown Trout1,95014.5 inreport
April 2011Brown Trout6,6008.7 inreport

Access and facts

Water type
river section
Nearest town
Saugerties
Shore access
Yes
Boat ramp
Yes

At Saugerties, a Village park above the Cantine Dam gives shore access and a boat launch. The Upper Esopus trout water, 20+ miles upstream between Big Indian and Ashokan Reservoir, has nearly 14 miles of public access on state, NYC DEP, county, and PFR land.

Drafted by AI from the cited sources and checked before publishing.

View larger map · Open in Google Maps · Directions

Advisories, closures, regulations and water conditions change. Check the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation before you go.

About Esopus Creek

Photo of Esopus Creek
Daniel Case, CC BY-SA 4.0

Nearest lakes

Plattekill Creek 4.5 mi last stocked April 2025 Roeliff Jansen Kill 8.4 mi last stocked April 2025 Catskill Creek 10.3 mi last stocked May 2025 Rondout Creek 10.5 mi last stocked April 2025 Kaaterskill Creek 10.7 mi last stocked April 2020

Public land at Esopus Creek

Esopus Creek is 0.7 miles outside the edge of Clermont State Historic Site.

Boundaries from Public Lands DB, part of the same network.

Common questions

What fish are at Esopus Creek?

Fishing Esopus Creek usually means Brown Trout. All 51 plants on record are Brown Trout. Brown Trout was last stocked May 2020, averaging 9.8 in. Brook Trout, Rainbow Trout, Smallmouth Bass, and Largemouth Bass, plus 1 more are recorded here outside the stocking reports.

When is Esopus Creek stocked?

Not stocked since May 2020.

How big are the fish stocked at Esopus Creek?

Brown Trout stocked at Esopus Creek average 9.8 in.

How do you get on Esopus Creek?

Shore fishing is available and there is a boat ramp. The nearest town is Saugerties. At Saugerties, a Village park above the Cantine Dam gives shore access and a boat launch. The Upper Esopus trout water, 20+ miles upstream between Big Indian and Ashokan Reservoir, has nearly 14 miles of public access on state, NYC DEP, county, and PFR land.

Which lakes near Esopus Creek were stocked more recently?

Plattekill Creek (4.5 mi), Roeliff Jansen Kill (8.4 mi), Catskill Creek (10.3 mi), and Rondout Creek (10.5 mi) were stocked more recently. Plattekill Creek is also stocked with Brown Trout, Roeliff Jansen Kill is also stocked with Brown Trout, Catskill Creek is also stocked with Brown Trout, and Rondout Creek is also stocked with Brown Trout.

Sources (5) +