Vly Creek Fishing
Stocked trout water in Albany County.
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Say hello to the Vly Creek
Anglers in Albany County know the Vly Creek as a working stream. Roughly 6.5 miles of it are on the NHD layer. Voorheesville is the nearest Census place, about 2 miles away.
Trout reaches on DEC maps number 1 trout reach, totalling roughly 1.1 miles. The stocked reaches take roughly 250 trout. About 8.5 acres of bank are open through DEC easements.
NYS Hydrography flowlines, DEC trout stream and Public Fishing Rights layers, Census places, retrieved October 24, 2026.
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DEC splits the Vly Creek into reaches by management category: Stocked (1).
| Category | Where | Miles | Harvest rule | Stocking | Trout stocked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stocked | From the Albany County Rail Trail upstream to 450 yards upstream of Route 85A bridge at the Voorheesville Elementary School | 1.1 | Trout, April 1 – October 15, Daily Limit – 5 with no more than 2 longer than 12" | 3rd week in March | 250 |
Trout and salmon need no stamp in New York; the DEC freshwater license ($25.00 resident, $50.00 nonresident, $5.00 for residents 70 and older) covers them.
DEC trout stream management reaches (dil_water_activities layers), retrieved October 24, 2026. New York rivers.
Public Fishing Rights on the Vly Creek
On the Vly Creek, Public Fishing Rights let anglers use banks of private land within the posted easement.
DEC Public Fishing Rights layer, retrieved October 24, 2026.
Species to target on the Vly Creek
Species documented in the Vly Creek by DEC.
DEC Recommended Fishing Rivers and Streams, trout reaches, stocking lists and state records, retrieved October 24, 2026.
DEC access on the Vly Creek
Bridges, easements and state land are the way onto the Vly Creek.
DEC launch, angler parking and fishing site layers, USGS gauges, retrieved October 24, 2026.
Seasons and creel rules on the Vly Creek
| Species | Daily limit and size | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Trout in inland trout streams (Apr 1 to Oct 15) | 5, no more than 2 longer than 12" | Apr 1 – Oct 15 |
| Trout in inland trout streams (Oct 16 to Mar 31) | No harvest; Catch and release only | Oct 16 – Mar 31 |
| Brown and rainbow trout, splake in lakes and ponds | 5, no more than 2 longer than 12" | All year |
| Brook trout in lakes and ponds | 5 | Apr 1 – Oct 15 |
| Lake trout | 3; minimum 21" | Apr 1 – Oct 15 |
| Largemouth and smallmouth bass (Jun 15 to Nov 30) | 5; minimum 12" | Jun 15 – Nov 30 |
| Largemouth and smallmouth bass (Dec 1 to Jun 14) | No harvest; Catch and release only | Dec 1 – Jun 14 |
| Muskellunge | 1; minimum 40" | Jun 1 – Nov 30 |
| Tiger muskellunge | 1; minimum 30" | May 1 – Mar 15 |
| Northern pike | 5; minimum 18" | May 1 – Mar 15 |
| Chain pickerel | 5; minimum 15" | May 1 – Mar 15 |
| Walleye | 5; minimum 15" | May 1 – Mar 15 |
| Black and white crappie | 25; minimum 10" | All year |
| Yellow perch | 50 | All year |
| Sunfish | 25 | All year |
| American eel | 25; minimum 9" | All year |
Wherever no special rule is posted, the statewide table covers the Vly Creek.
2026 DEC freshwater fishing regulations (statewide table effective April 1, 2026), retrieved October 24, 2026, figures checked against the DEC pages October 25, 2026. All New York limits.
Stocking history of the Vly Creek
Stocking on the Vly Creek: 10 rows, 2023 to 2026.
| Year | Species | Type | Entries | Fish | Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Brown Trout | planned spring 2026 | 2 | 250 | 12 -15 inches, 9 – 10 inches |
| 2025 | Brown Trout | stocked | 4 | 480 | 13.7 in, 7 in |
| 2024 | Brown Trout | stocked | 2 | 360 | 13.7 in, 8.2 in |
| 2023 | Brown Trout | stocked | 2 | 360 | 13.1 in, 8.9 in |
DEC Fish Stocking Lists (Actual), 2023 to 2025, and DEC Current Season Spring Trout Stocking, 2026 (data.ny.gov), retrieved October 24, 2026.
Short hops from the Vly Creek
Still water to try after the Vly Creek
- Thompsons Lake3 miles
- Basic Creek Reservoir12 miles
- Collins Lake12 miles
- Mariaville Lake15 miles
Stores that outfit the Vly Creek trips
- Dick's Sporting Goods, Inc., 1 Crossgates Roadsporting goods store, Albany, 7 miles
- Traina's Fishing & Tackle, Inc.bait and tackle shop, Berne, 7 miles
- Bangla Bazar Halal Grocerysporting goods store, Albany, 10 miles
- C. Springer Welding & Marinamarina, Albany, 11 miles
- Mohawk Harbor Marinamarina, Schenectady, 12 miles
Guide businesses listing the Vly Creek
- Adirondack Sport Shopfishing guide, Adirondack, Scotch Plains
- Al Caucci Fly Fishing Del. Rivfly fishing guide, Sterling
- Beamoc Mtn. Guide Servicefishing guide, Haskell
- Captain Chaos Guided Musky Servicefishing guide, Edinboro
- Cast Adventuresfishing guide, Niagara Falls
Villages and towns to stay in near the Vly Creek
- Voorheesville2 miles
- Altamont5 miles
- Westmere6 miles
- Colonie9 miles
Creeks around the Vly Creek
- Normans Kill7 miles
- Lisha Kill8 miles
- Onesquethaw Creek10 miles
- Basic Creek12 miles
The county guides for the Vly Creek
Piscifun reels matched to the Vly Creek
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Camera views of lakes and streams around Vly Creek
Photo: Tyler A. McNeil, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Tyler A. McNeil, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Giorgio Galeotti, CC BY-SA 4.0
The Vly Creek for anglers, in brief
Up which corner of New York would I drive for the Vly Creek?
Its basin takes in Albany County.
How does DEC manage the Vly Creek for trout?
Hatchery trout go in, about 250 trout by reach.
Is the Vly Creek high or low right now?
None of the USGS gauges we track sits on it.
How do anglers reach the Vly Creek?
No launch is on file; fish from the banks.
Does DEC post reach rules on the Vly Creek?
It follows the statewide table.
How much is a license for the Vly Creek?
Trout and salmon need no stamp in New York; the DEC freshwater license ($25.00 resident, $50.00 nonresident, $5.00 for residents 70 and older) covers them.
Who stocks minnows within reach of the Vly Creek?
Drive 7 miles to reach Dick's Sporting Goods, Inc.
Which fish hold in the Vly Creek?
DEC files list brown trout.
How many miles lie between the Vly Creek and a town?
Voorheesville, about 2 miles from the mapped point.
What did DEC release into the Vly Creek?
10 releases on file through 2026.
Which banks of the Vly Creek are open to anglers?
DEC holds about 8.5 acres of Public Fishing Rights in 4 parcels along it, with 0 angler parking areas.
Work the Vly Creek into this season
Settle the DEC license online before heading out.