The East Branch

The East Branch of the Delaware River is approximately 75 miles long and is one of two branches, along with the West Branch, that join to form the Delaware River. It flows through a mountainous area on the southwestern edge of the Catskill Mountains.
It rises in eastern Delaware County near the hamlet of Grand Gorge and flows initially SSW forming part of the northern boundary of Catskill Park. East of Downsville, it is impounded to form the 15 mile Pepacton Reservoir. It receives the Beaverkill River from the southeast at East Branch. It joins the West Branch at Hancock, on the border with Pennsylvania, to form the Delaware. 
The East Branch is abundant with food required for growing wild trout upwards of 20 inches. They don’t get that big by being easy though. When they’re hungry they go for big meals: larger minnow imitations and flashy spoons like the Phoebe, which was designed by a man who lived right next to the covered bridge in Downsville.
Fly fishermen take to the stream in May to fish the abundant fly hatches that run throughout the summer thanks to the cool water releases from Pepacton Reservoir.
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has recently built parking areas along Rt. 30 and purchased several miles of easements to increase fishing access to the general public. Tommanex State Forest is a 900 acre parcel on the East Branch that has river access, rough camping, hunting and 6 miles of railroad bed along the river for biking, horseback riding or traveling with all wheel drive.