The Willowemoc Creek in the southern portion of the Catskill Mountains in New York State is one of the most popular streams in the Empire State. It is a 26 mile long tributary of the Beaver Kill and it has much more public access than does the Beaver Kill. The Willowemoc Creek is a beautiful freestone trout stream in a very scenic area of the lovely Catskill Mountains. It is populated by trout in the range of 9” to 12” with an occasional brown trout that can reach 18” or more
The Willowemoc Creek can be broken into three distinct sections. The upper section of the Willowemoc runs from Fir Brook down to the Village of Willowemoc. The middle section follows from the Village of Willowemoc to Livingston Manor, and the lower section continues below Livingston Manor to where it meets the Beaver Kill at "Junction Pool" in Roscoe. The Willowemoc Creek offers different trout habitat in each of the three sections.
The lower sections of the Willowemoc is a fairly large stream reaching widths of 100 feet or more and you may wonder why it is called a creek and not a river at this point. This section resembles the Beaver Kill with many riffles and runs over rocky ledges. It has a 2.4 mile section that is designated “No Kill” where the hatchery raised trout can be expected to be a little larger.
The middle section of the Willowemoc is obviously not as large as the lower section and will average about 25 to 45 feet wide. The water is faster moving and creates small pools as it tumbles over the gravel bottom and small boulders. When fishing this portion, be sure to obey the signs as much of this section flows over private land.
The upper section of the Willowemoc is your typical small, clear brook trout stream averaging less than 15 feet wide with many springs to keep it cool. In addition to the brookies in the main stream, it also has many small tributaries with populations of brook trout.
At Livingston Manor you have the pleasant experience of visiting the Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum. NY. Here is an excerpt from their web site: “A procession of fishermen, fly tyers, rodmakers, entomologists, riverkeepers, and outdoor writers, through their innovations, gave rise to one of the richest traditions in fly-fishing history - a tradition that established the Catskills as the "Birthplace of American Fly Fishing".
Be sure to watch our web site TroutProStore.com for a full report on this picture pretty creek as well as many othe trout fishing destinations in the USA.