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River guide · Vermont

Fly Fishing the Battenkill

The storied Battenkill flows from Vermont into New York, a wild, wary brown-trout river and the home water of American fly fishing.

  • 3 shops nearby
  • freestone
  • April–June & September–October
  • Vermont
  • 5 key hatches
See fly shops ↓

The best time to fly fish the Battenkill is April–June & September–October. Key hatches include Hendrickson, Blue, Sulphur, Caddis. 3 fly shops near the Battenkill can outfit your trip.

Fly shops near the Battenkill

Shops and guides that fish the Battenkill. See all 18 Vermont shops →

Hatches & seasons

When & what to fish on the Battenkill

River typefreestone
Best seasonApril–June & September–October
AccessRoute 7A and River Road in Arlington follow the Vermont stretch with public pull-offs; the river runs entirely on public-access water through Manchester and Arlington into New York.
Key hatches
  • Hendrickson (April–May)
  • Blue-winged Olive (spring & fall)
  • Sulphur (late May–June)
  • Caddis (May–June)
  • Isonychia (fall)
From The Fly Bench

Tie the flies that work on the Battenkill

Step-by-step tying recipes & videos for these patterns.

Browse all 880+ patterns at The Fly Bench
Gear up

Gear up on the Battenkill

Everything you need before the next trip — rods, lines, leaders, and fly-tying materials.

Shop the gear
Flies that work

The flies that work on the Battenkill

Find the most effective patterns for where you're fishing — and learn to tie them yourself, step by step.

Find your flies

Updated June 2026