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Bay State Brook

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 isa 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.

 

Location Map

Photographs

Beavers have had serious detrimental impacts on Bay State Brook. I photographed this beaver lodge in 2005. Located about a mile upstream of Lonkto Road, this section of the stream was a shallow, unshaded pond, resulting in a complete loss of trout habitat.
Though beaver dams and ponds can be long-lasting—I know of one large beaver dam that has endured for over 40 years—they are not permanent. By 2016, the ponded area with a beaver lodge that I photographed in 2005 was reverting to a meadow, indicating the beavers had left the area, voluntarily or otherwise, years ago. The two photos were taken from slightly different locations but of the same area.
Bay State Brook looks as though it might hold good numbers of trout, but beaver impoundments on the upper and lower reaches of the stream have reduced this to a marginal fishery at best. Your best bet to find fish may be to seek out shaded pools fed by well-oxygenated water.
Years ago, you could count on pools such as this to hold wild brook trout. While this is no longer the case, wild brown trout and a smattering of wild brook trout are still present in the stream.
Bay State Road runs off Allegany State Park Road 1 (ASP 1) and parallels (at a distance) much of Bay State Brook. This lightly traveled dirt and gravel road is a beautiful hike in the fall and makes exploring Bay State Brook easy—just get off the road and walk downhill through the woods to find the many small plunge pools on the stream. If you are driving, be sure to pull off the road as much as possible to allow other vehicles to pass.

Resource Map

See Location Map (above) and Map 4 of the DEC map of Allegany State Park trout streams (under Links).

Directions to map pin location


Access

Road Access:

Except for the lowermost half-mile-long section that flows from the park boundary to Red House Brook, Bay State Brook is paralleled and crossed by Bay State Road, which can be accessed from either ASP-1 or ASP-2. The upstream portion of the stream is paralleled by the road at a distance (usually no more than 150 yards), and the downstream section is more closely paralleled and crossed by Bay State Road. Parking is available at the crossing identified below. Be careful if you park along the side of Bay State Road; the road is narrow and you could block the passage of other vehicles.

Boat Launch Site(s):

None.

Fishery Management

Management Category: Inland Trout Stream, Wild: From State Park Boundary upstream 1.8 miles.

Fish Species:

  • Brown Trout (wild)
  • Brook Trout (wild)

Stocking Information: Not stocked.

Special Fishing Regulations: None. Statewide inland trout stream regulations apply.



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