Muscoot River Fishing Guides
A short Westchester tailwater below Amawalk Reservoir dam, cold enough to hold trout through the summer and fished within an hour of New York City.
Guides on the Muscoot River
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About the Muscoot River
The Muscoot River is a tailwater in the strict sense: the gauge sits below the dam at Amawalk, and the character of the river above and below that structure is entirely different. Amawalk Reservoir releases from depth, so the water that enters the Muscoot arrives cold even in August, and the few miles between the dam and Muscoot Reservoir behave like a mountain stream dropped into suburban Westchester County. For anglers inside the New York metropolitan area it is one of the very few places where trout can be fished through high summer without a long drive north, and that accessibility is the whole point of the water.
Brown trout are the mainstay and the fish most likely to be holding over from one season to the next, settled into the plunge pools and the shaded runs where the river narrows between banks of hemlock and laurel. Rainbow trout are present in good numbers through the stocked reaches, brook trout turn up in the colder tributary mouths, and below the trout water smallmouth bass, rock bass and chain pickerel take over as the river slows toward the reservoir. White sucker and bluegill fill out the catch. The reach is narrow and brushy, so roll casts and short drifts do most of the work and a seven-and-a-half-foot rod beats a nine-footer.
The gauge reports discharge and stage but not temperature, which makes the discharge trace the thing to watch. Release patterns from Amawalk drive the fishing far more than rainfall does, and a rising trace usually means a cold, pushy river that fishes best on heavier nymphs tight to the bank. A low, flat trace means low clear water, spooky fish and a case for fishing at first light. Access requires a New York City watershed permit, which is free but must be arranged in advance.
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Access
Amawalk - the dam and gauge site, the upstream end of the tailwater and the coldest water in the system.
Somers - the nearest town for food and supplies, minutes from the middle reaches.
Route 35 crossing - the usual mid-river access and the easiest place to assess flow by eye.
Route 118 crossing - a downstream access where the trout water begins giving way to warmwater species.
Muscoot Reservoir - the downstream limit, with its own bass and pickerel fishing under watershed rules.
Croton River - the larger and better-known Westchester tailwater nearby, a natural second stop.
Yorktown Heights - the regional base for lodging and tackle within fifteen minutes of the river.
Seasons
Spring: strong fishing on a full river, with stocked and holdover brown trout spread through every run.
Summer: the reason this river matters, with cold dam releases keeping trout active when nearby streams are too warm.
Fall: excellent, with brown trout colouring up and far less pressure than the spring months.
Winter: fishable on mild days in the deeper plunge pools, where the release keeps temperatures remarkably stable.
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Questions
What is the current flow on the Muscoot River?
As of Nov 2, 6:30 am, the USGS gauge MUSCOOT RIVER BELOW DAM AT AMAWALK NY reads 11 cfs. Conditions update every 15 minutes.
What species can you catch on the Muscoot River?
Anglers target Bluegill, Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Chain Pickerel, Rainbow Trout, Rock Bass, Smallmouth Bass, White Sucker on the Muscoot River in New York.
Where can you access the Muscoot River?
Amawalk - the dam and gauge site, the upstream end of the tailwater and the coldest water in the system. Somers - the nearest town for food and supplies, minutes from the middle reaches. Route 35 crossing - the usual mid-river access and the easiest place to assess flow by eye. Route 118 crossing - a downstream access where the trout water begins giving way to warmwater species. Muscoot Reservoir - the downstream limit, with its own bass and pickerel fishing under watershed rules. Croton River - the larger and better-known Westchester tailwater nearby, a natural second stop. Yorktown Heights -...
When is the best time to fish the Muscoot River?
Spring: strong fishing on a full river, with stocked and holdover brown trout spread through every run. Summer: the reason this river matters, with cold dam releases keeping trout active when nearby streams are too warm. Fall: excellent, with brown trout colouring up and far less pressure than the spring months. Winter: fishable on mild days in the deeper plunge pools, where the release keeps temperatures remarkably stable.
Where are the fishing regulations for the Muscoot River?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the New York agency site: https://dec.ny.gov/things-to-do/freshwater-fishing/regulations