Deerfiled River

The Deerfield River fishery holds a diverse and productive variety of habitat and game fish.

The upper reaches are a year-round bottom-release tailwater fishery. Angling for trout ranges from good to excellent; depending on flows, weather and hatches. The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife stocks the river from spring through fall with well conditioned rainbow, brown, brook and tiger trout. The wild trout fishery includes brook trout and a surprisingly vibrant population of wily, stream-bred brown trout.

Although the average trout ranges from 8 to 14 inches, we will put you in a position to cast your fly to trout measured in pounds not inches. Primarily a caddis river, the Deerfield has strong and predictable hatches of mayflies, caddis, stoneflies, midges and terrestrials in season.

The lower river reaches gradually transition to a very good warm water fishery. There is a healthy population of smallmouth bass as well as northern pike, walleye, rock bass and lunker fallfish. Thanks to conservation efforts, a strong late spring run of shad and other anadromous fish ascends the river. Enormous brown trout lurk in several of the deep, well oxygenated lower pools. To date, our largest brown was 25 inches; almost too large for the net! The average smallmouth is 6 to 10 inches, with 2 pounders common and an occasional larger fish. The biggest smallmouth captured to date was 5 ¼ pounds. Clouser minnows and crayfish patterns are very effective. In mid to late summer, the popper fishing is excellent.