East Branch Westfield River

River Map

About East Branch Westfield River

The East Branch Westfield flows south from Windsor and Worthington through the spectacular Chesterfield Gorge — one of the deepest river gorges in New England at nearly 150 feet — before reaching the Knightville Flood Control Area in Huntington. The seven-mile catch-and-release corridor through and below the gorge holds wild brown and brook trout in cold, well-oxygenated water with excellent public access via DCR and Corps of Engineers land. It is the most technically demanding and rewarding section of the entire Westfield River system.

Regulations

Catch-and-release area: Chesterfield Gorge parking lot downstream to the Corps of Engineers gate at Knightville — artificial lures only, all fish must be released, open year-round. Standard MA trout regulations apply outside the C&R corridor. No active USGS gauge directly on the East Branch — use Westfield River at Knightville (01179500) as a downstream proxy, or check with local outfitters or the Waterline app.

Learn More

Guides to help you fish East Branch Westfield River with more confidence.

• Massachusetts Fishing Regulations for Fly Anglers

  Massachusetts fishing license (no separate trout stamp), the April 1 spring opener, year-round catch-and-release on the Swift fly-only stretch, the…

• Trout Species of Massachusetts

  MA's wild brown trout fishery — the Swift below Quabbin, the FirstLight-controlled Deerfield, the Westfield Wild and Scenic corridor — alongside…

• How Barometric Pressure Affects Fishing (And How to Use It)

  That gorgeous bluebird day after a cold front? Worst fishing of the year. Here's the data behind why pressure changes matter more than the weather…