Fly Fishing the White River. Jesse G. Haller

      22 . White River

       Location: East-central Vermont, about a 1-hour ride from Burlington; a 2½-hour ride from Boston, Massachusetts; and a 2½-hour ride from Albany, New York. Full-service airports are available in all three cities.

      The White River has long been an important part of Vermont’s heritage. From its origin deep in the Green Mountain National Forest to its confluence with the fabled Connecticut River at White River Junction, the river provided access to the central part of the state since long before European settlers arrived.

      The river was also critical spawning habitat for once-prolific runs of Atlantic salmon. These fish journeyed nearly 200 miles up the Connecticut River from the Atlantic Ocean to spawn in the clear, cold water and gravel runs of the White River. These salmon were a critical food source for indigenous tribes and early European settlers. As a result of damming and pollution—industrial, agricultural, municipal, and residential—the runs have been greatly reduced. Today Atlantic salmon are on the endangered species list. Sadly, efforts to restore this magnificent fish to the Connecticut River system have been suspended recently due to poor returns.

      The White River is the largest undammed river in Vermont. It is roughly 55 miles long and drains an area of over 700 square miles—50,000 acres of which is located within the Green Mountain National Forest. The river drops more than 2,000 feet in elevation from its genesis in

      the Green Mountain National Forest to its termination at the Connecticut River. It has three branches: First, Second, and Third. Each branch flows from the north into the main stem, supplying the river with cool mountain water throughout the season. Countless named and unnamed tributaries wind their way into the main stem and its branches. These elements combine to make the White River one of Vermont’s finest and most diverse trout fisheries.

      Today the White River is home to brown, rainbow, and brook trout. The former two are introduced. The latter are native. There are both wild and stocked fish present. The river has something to offer everyone. From its remote plunge pools and backcountry brook trout,