Bay State Brook is a small stream that generally follows the course of Bay State Road in Allegany State Park. The stream averages about 6 to 8 feet in width and has a gravel, rubble, and boulder bottom. Bank cover along the stream is generally sparse, but most of the stream flows through a steep-sided, wooded valley, which shades Bay State's many pools and runs and helps to keep the water temperatures down. This stream is a tributary of Red House Brook, which it joins a short distance after crossing under Interstate 86. 

One of this stream's most distinctive characteristics is its gradient, which is quite high: the stream descends over 500 feet in elevation over the course of only 2.4 miles before it reaches the valley bottom near Lonkto Road. Long runs are few until the stream approaches Lonkto Road, but large pools provide plenty of potential adult trout habitat. Unfortunately, the only thing lacking is a significant number of trout. For many years, Bay State Brook was stocked with brown trout to compensate for the paucity of wild trout found here. However, in 2021, Bay State Brook was removed from the trout stocking list due to its small size, the low level of angler use of the stream, and the low number of fish being stocked. 

Formerly one of the best trout streams in Allegany State Park, Bay State Brook has been severely impacted by beaver impoundments, which warm the water and contribute to siltation. In addition, the adjacent Bay State Road, which isn't much more than a wide, dirt and gravel path, also may be contributing to siltation. Fortunately, a survey conducted by the DEC in 2018 (see Links) found a slight increase in the number of wild brown trout and even a few wild brook trout, the first captured in the stream since 1986. Recent angler reports to the DEC also indicate that limited numbers of brook trout are again being caught here. Perhaps there is some hope for this stream.

As with many of the smaller streams in Allegany State Park, Bay State Brook is a fragile resource. It supports a population of wild fish that seldom exceed 8 inches in length, and most adults are much smaller. And because it is a naturally infertile stream, these fish may take 3 to 4 years to reach a length of only 6 inches.

Appreciate this stream for what it is—a refugium for wild brook trout, a species that is increasingly rare in this part of New York. Because of this, you should consider fishing other streams in the park or in western New York that are less vulnerable. But if you decide to fish this stream, I strongly recommend using barbless hooks and practicing catch and release. Any level of harvesting by anglers, whether intentional or unintentional, can have a serious detrimental impact on the adult population of these fish.

Bay State Brook has more to offer than just fishing. This is a beautiful stream to hike along in the fall, and its numerous plunge pools are very photogenic. Even the unshaded portions impounded by beavers have something to offer, providing opportunities to photograph birds, insects, and wildflowers. 

For additional information on the trout streams that flow through the park, see Allegany State Park Streams. 

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A link to an associated resource (Allegany State Park) will be added soon.