Fishing in Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River

The Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River runs 73. 4 miles along the New York–Pennsylvania border, from Hancock, NY, south to just north of Matamoras, PA.

It is the longest free-flowing river east of the Mississippi — undammed, cold, and clean — with a character shaped by riffles, Class I and II rapids, and long quiet pools.

Most of the surrounding land is privately owned, so fishing access is concentrated at designated public put-ins along the corridor rather than open shoreline.

The river holds brook, brown, and rainbow trout; largemouth and smallmouth bass; walleye; American shad; striped bass; musky; and American eel.

Smallmouth bass are the species most anglers associate with the Upper Delaware, and the long pools and rocky structure that define much of the river suit them well. The trout fishery draws its own following, particularly in the cooler stretches.

Fishing is permitted anywhere on the river within the park boundary except from automobile bridges. The NPS does not issue its own fishing permit, but New York and Pennsylvania licenses both apply here.

Any angler 16 or older needs a valid license from one of those two states — and either license is good regardless of which bank you're standing on or which side of the state line your boat drifts across. New Jersey licenses are not valid.

Trout permits are required to take trout. Anglers are limited to two lines, and live bait is prohibited throughout the park.

The boating season generally runs April through October, and most fishing happens from a canoe, kayak, or drift boat working the pools and eddies between riffles.

Skinners Falls is one of the more technical drops on the river — worth scouting from shore before you run it. Cold water temperatures persist year-round, and the currents can move faster than they look from the bank.

The Upper Delaware doesn't have a single entrance or a central access hub.

Come with a map, know which access points are public, and check current New York and Pennsylvania regulations before you go — the two-state boundary means the rules can shift depending on where and what you're fishing.