East Koy Creek was long considered by many anglers to be one of the finest trout streams in western New York. Sister stream to the renowned Wiscoy Creek, which it joins about half a mile south of the Wyoming County/Allegany County line, East Koy Creek had a reputation of producing large numbers of big browns, both stocked and wild. But something has changed in recent years, and the East Koy is now seen by some anglers as a stream in decline.

Certainly, this stream, like many others in western New York, has its share of problems, including:

• Increasing numbers of piscivores such as herons, Bald eagles, osprey, mergansers, minks, and otters, which can significantly deplete a stream’s trout population, especially in sections where the stream lacks protective cover such as undercut banks and large woody debris. This is a problem on many streams across the state, including East Koy Creek. 

• Road salt and agro-chemical runoff, which can negatively affect a stream’s water quality. While both of these are likely affecting the East Koy, it is unknown to what degree as this hasn’t been thoroughly assessed by the DEC.  

• Declines in aquatic insect populations. Insect populations across the state (and worldwide) are known to be in serious decline for a variety of reasons, but again, the extent to which they have declined on East Koy Creek has not been scientifically assessed. Fortunately, as discussed in Kyle Glenn’s article (see Links), beginning in 2024, the Western New York Chapter of Trout Unlimited began 10-year pilot study during which they will monitor East Koy Creek and several other stream to quantify the abundance of the associated aquatic insect communities. When the data is in and assessed, we will have a better understanding of this situation.  

• Low summertime flows in some sections during dry summers, which may be exacerbated by the removal of water from the stream for agricultural purposes. The DEC suspects that such withdrawals are affecting some sections of the stream, but there is no direct evidence that this is occurring.  

• Poor survival rates of stocked trout beyond mid-summer. This has been documented across the state by the DEC and may be due to the stocking of smaller, more vulnerable yearlings combined with increasing numbers of predators.

Despite these these problems, East Koy Creek can still deliver a good fishing experience, but you might have to change up tactics, investigate more of the stream, and fish at different times of the day or year. This stream is heavily stocked with brown trout each spring in the 13.5-mile-long section between the Hermitage public fishing rights area and the Wyoming County/Allegany County line. In addition, this stream has a substantial population of wild brown trout. Surprisingly for a stream of this length, the East Koy has no tributaries that most anglers would consider fishable. However, several small, high-quality tributaries are known to hold brook trout and/or brown trout, which occasionally drop down into the East Koy.

Much of East Koy Creek flows through DEC-regulated wetlands, and this is most evident in the upper section along Shearing Road, where the bottom consist primarily of silt. As you move downstream, the bottom transitions from mostly silt to mostly gravel. Most of the stream offers good holding areas for trout, either in the form of overhanging streamside vegetation, undercut banks, or in-stream woody debris. An exception is the section well above and below the DEC parking area on East Koy Road. This is one of least productive sections to fish as almost all of it has a bottom of bedrock, and the shallow riffle conditions provide few holding areas or cover for trout.

To ensure public access to East Koy Creek, the DEC has purchased 13 miles of public fishing rights along this stream between the village of Hermitage and the Wyoming County/Allegany County line. Access to these areas is facilitated by six angler footpaths, which are identified by DEC signs. (The map pin is located in the DEC parking area on Overholt Road.)

For some very informative tips on how to catch trout in East Koy Creek, see Kyle Glenn's article under Links. Kyle is a Trout Unlimited stream technician and, despite his relatively young age, one of the most experienced and versatile anglers I've ever encountered.  

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