The Pilgrimage Town
Roscoe sits at Junction Pool, where the Beaverkill flows into the Willowemoc. It is the closest thing American fly fishing has to a pilgrimage site. April 1 opening day of trout season still fills the town; the rest of the year, Roscoe runs quieter but never quite empties. The Catskill Fly Fishing Center & Museum is fifteen minutes down the road in Livingston Manor, and the whole Beaverkill–Willowemoc corridor radiates from here.
For adults 21+, the cannabis rule in Roscoe is short: never on the water, never on the bank, never before the drive.
Where to Buy
Roscoe itself does not have a licensed dispensary. The closest is MANOR CANNA in Livingston Manor, 15 minutes east on Old Route 17. MANOR CANNA is a considered, Manor-appropriate shop; pair the visit with a stop at the Catskill Fly Fishing Center & Museum half a mile away.
Further out: Brightway Services and Knotweed Farm, both in Hancock, 35 minutes west and at the head of the Upper Delaware; GOLD LEAF and Canna Planet Liberty (formerly Joint Jungle) in Liberty, 25 minutes south.
The Weekend
Friday — Arrival
Arrive, check in, dinner at the Roscoe Diner (open late, iconic), a Main Street anchor. A stop at Baxter House Inn's fly shop if you're picking up tackle. Quiet evening at the cabin.
Saturday — Fishing
Early start. The Willowemoc downstream of Livingston Manor, the lower Beaverkill, or the public access points on the East Branch Delaware are all workable. Most of the productive water is on private water with day-access permits (sold through the state's Public Fishing Rights map and through the outfitters); public access points are marked along Old Rt 17.
No cannabis consumption while fishing. The Beaverkill corridor runs through private land and state-managed forest, both are off-limits for consumption. New York state law prohibits cannabis consumption on state-owned land and in public spaces.
Lunch at a spot in Livingston Manor, Kass & Co., Catskill Provisions, the Arnold House if you can get a reservation. An afternoon hour at the Catskill Fly Fishing Center & Museum is worth the stop; the Hall of Fame room alone is worth the door fee.
Evening back at the cabin, tying flies for tomorrow. This is the quiet part of the weekend and the part Roscoe does best.
Sunday — Morning Wade, Drive Home
An early wade, dawn on Junction Pool is notable, and a generation of fly-fishing writing has been done about it. Breakfast at the Roscoe Diner. Head home before Sunday evening traffic stacks up on Rt 17.
Fly-Fishing and the Rhythm of a Day on the River
The editorial point: fly-fishing is a slow, attention-intensive practice. Tying on a fly, reading the water, drifting a nymph. It asks for a clear head from the first cast to the drive home, and New York law keeps cannabis off the water and the state land along it anyway.
Opening Day, Specifically
April 1 is opening day of trout season in New York. Roscoe fills. If you are coming for opening day:
- Book lodging months ahead.
- Know where you are fishing before you arrive, private water, public access, lottery stretches.
- Expect cold, early April in the Catskills is still winter-like; Beaverkill water is high and cold.
- No cannabis on the water or the bank.
What About the Other Towns?
Livingston Manor is the main companion town, 15 minutes east, and the likely dispensary stop. Hancock is further out at the Delaware forks; the Upper Delaware fishing and the two Hancock dispensaries make it a plausible weekend base of its own if you are specifically targeting the main-stem Delaware.
Where to Go Next
- Fly-fishing the Catskills, beginners guide
- Cannabis-friendly cabin stays in the Catskills
- The Catskills cannabis weekend itinerary
- The best dispensaries in the Catskills 2026
This is editorial, not legal advice. New York state law prohibits cannabis consumption on state-owned land and in public spaces. Always verify current cannabis laws at cannabis.ny.gov.
Theo, Editorial Team
Theo covers wellness, effects, and how cannabis fits into specific health and lifestyle goals. Their writing covers medical cannabis programs, sleep and stress, dosing for newer consumers, and the practical patient-facing side of legal markets — from New York's adult-use program to Puerto Rico's medical-only framework.
