TROUT & SMALLMOUTH

Spend an idyllic day drift boat fishing the main stem Delaware and its branches. Cast mayflies to rising trout, drift large stoneflies through whitewater rapids, swing wet flies and nymphs through the riffles and “chuck and duck” to the banks and large mid-river boulders stripping streamers for voracious browns, rainbows and smallies. Wade trips are available for three or more anglers, but there is also the option of a second drift boat.

NEVERSINK GORGE

Hike one hundred years into the past down into an undeveloped “unique” Catskill valley.  New York’s Neversink Gorge Unique Area is a twelve mile “no kill” fishery that time forgot. A small vest pocket wilderness just an hour and a half North of New York City. Fly fish the miles of pocket water for brooks, browns, and rainbows cast over the “winter pools” for lunker browns and smallmouth. Black bear call the gorge their home, Eagles and Osprey visit the gorge during the fall and the autumn colors are not to be missed, don’t forget to bring a camera. Summer wade fishing can be done wet, and on New York’s typical hot humid summer days wet wading is a pleasure.

CATSKILL CREEKS

Fly Fish off the beaten path exploring the lesser known streams kills and creeks of the northern and eastern Catskills. The Rondout Creek has some of the best smallmouth fishing in New York, the section between Ellenville and its brook trout tributary the Vernooy kill has browns, its headwaters at Peekamoose has browns and brooks. The Esopus Creek is a cool summer long tailwater trout fishery that can surprise you at times, it holds browns & wild rainbows. The Scoharie Creek flows through a big wide valley and is an early season brown trout fishery. The famous Beaverkill and Willoweemoc can be somewhat crowded on weekends so mid week trips are recommended on these waters.

MID HUDSON EASTSIDE CREEKS

Northern Dutchess County and Columbia County have some sweet trout streams that are known mostly to natives. Wappingers Creek is good for early season browns and the tree shaded Roeliff Jansen Kill can fish well all summer along. Other creeks worth exploring are Stockport, Claverack, and the Kinderhook.

UPPER EAST BRANCH & UPPER WEST BRANCH

Leave the crowds behind on the “name waters” and explore the seldom mentioned streams above the Pepacton and Cannonsville reservoirs, the Northwest Catskills are virtually deserted.

STRIPERS

HUDSON RIVER AND TRIBUTARIES

Large early season spawning striped bass can be caught on flies as they feed upon spawing  river herring (alewives). You can potentially catch 30 inch plus stripers on your freshwater fly outfits, though we recommend you use at least a 6wt rod with a good disc drag reel a 7wt. will be easier on your arm during the ensuing tug of war.  Action on this unique fishery starts mid-March and can run into early June. You can drift boat fish the larger tributaries and wade the smaller. Prime time is from dusk to dawn. Additional equipment required is a good headlamp and rain gear if needed.

Late spring through August provides a schoolie striper fishery in the Hudson tributaries for one to three year old fish (5 inches up to 21 inches with the average running between 12-16 inches) these fish are strong and a lot of fun on regular trout outfits. Other warm water fish are also available. This is drift boat fishing along the sunken jetties, water chestnut mats, and among the old wrecks and barges of the old Delaware & Hudson Canal terminal. Spend a pleasant afternoon fishing, take a break for lunch at a creekside restaurant and fish till dusk.

MONTAUK & SOUTH SHORE FLATS

September through November provides striper and bluefish action from shore. 4WD beach trips & guides at Montauk Point, the South Shore Beaches and the flats at Captree & Ponquogue.

ODD FISH

TIDAL RONDOUT CREEK

Rondout Creek’s tidal reach from its mouth at the Hudson River to the Falls at Eddyville offers some interesting targets for fly rodders.  On any given summer day you have the opportunity to cast streamers and hook into striped bass, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, perch, white bass, black crappie, sunfish, cat fish, and large carp, add some exotics to your fly rod game fish lists! Restaurants line the creeks if you wish to stop and partake of victuals. On weekends the trip may be serenaded by any of the music festivals held down on the waterfront.