Fall fly fishing

[left field]

2 hours ago, Nytracker said:

Dont forget Beaverkill, another great book by Ed.

Yes. I enjoyed the first book more as it gave me insight into the region from the 1500's. He also goes into the tribs where all the action was once the sports started coming up. It is crazy to think that a couple of guys could pull out 1200 trout from a stream in a weekend. And most would go to waste.

 

[Nytracker]

This is another great read .

[left field]

And ...

[Chef]

I read one on the Neversink many moons ago...not sure of author but will have to look for it. really interesting as this guy was trying to bolster the carry over population and spent a fortune to just get washed out again and again.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The never sink it tough fishing and a even tougher hike in to the gorge


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Northcountryman]

13 minutes ago, left field said:

And ...

Great book--my first Fly ID guide but not my last !!  I believe he said in the beginning of the book somewhere that he took an entire season off from fishing, just to collect, obeserve and ID bugs; also, he watched other fisherman in action to gain insight into what worked (and didnt) under certain conditions.  I belive his home waters were the Schoarie Creek, right?

 

[left field]

Yes, the Schoharie. And neighbouring streams.

39 minutes ago, Chef said:

The never sink it tough fishing and a even tougher hike in to the gorge

 You have to earn the fish you catch in the gorge with that walk back through the dark woods to the car. I've never been so freaked out in the woods as the night I stayed on the river until nightfall.

[Northcountryman]

The Gorge is great nymphing water--I love it!!

[Nytracker]

1 hour ago, left field said:

Yes, the Schoharie. And neighbouring streams.

 You have to earn the fish you catch in the gorge with that walk back through the dark woods to the car. I've never been so freaked out in the woods as the night I stayed on the river until nightfall.

Why freak  out ?

[left field]

There's something about the way the light leaves the gorge that makes it very spooky. To get to where I like to fish is a good 30 minute hike across and down - partly on trails, mostly not - so unless it's a weekend you're not going to see anyone.

Because the only open sky is above the river, you get tricked into thinking that it's earlier and you have enough light to make it back. Step into the woods, however, and it's pitch black.  

You always have a feeling you're being watched. Like by cougars.

And I'm a sissy.

[Nytracker]

Its been years since  I did the gorge trip . Always had to leave early do to the age of my mentor and how long it took for him  to climb out . Its a beautiful  spot .

[left field]

In case anyone is wondering, we're talking about the Ken Lockwood Gorge in NJ. 

There are NO river gorges in NY with trout. None at all. Just keep driving. 

[Northcountryman]

11 minutes ago, left field said:

There's something about the way the light leaves the gorge that makes it very spooky. To get to where I like to fish is a good 30 minute hike across and down - partly on trails, mostly not - so unless it's a weekend you're not going to see anyone.

Because the only open sky is above the river, you get tricked into thinking that it's earlier and you have enough light to make it back. Step into the woods, however, and it's pitch black.  

You always have a feeling you're being watched. Like by cougars.

And I'm a sissy.

A number of years ago , I was fishing the lower gorge w a buddy. We were WAY back, a good 45 min walk from the truck. A way,  As I was standing in the water fishing , on the opposite bank I noticed something VERY OUT OF PLACE: slightly above my line of sight due to the higher elevation across the stream stood a white goat!! For a minute , I just stood there staring , not believing my eyes . I told my friend what I saw later on as at the time of my sighting , he was farther upstream and completely out of sight. He laughed and thought I was joking— Afterward , he insisted I had gotten too much sun that day lol. 

[Northcountryman]

6 minutes ago, left field said:

In case anyone is wondering, we're talking about the Ken Lockwood Gorge in NJ. 

There are NO river gorges in NY with trout. None at all. Just keep driving. 

Not so , my friend , TRUST ME lol 

[rachunter]

8 hours ago, left field said:

You'll enjoy it. Along the same lines is Ed's book:

While on the surface it's a book focussed on trout fishing, it really operates as a history of the Catskills. Fascinating book.

 

8 hours ago, Nytracker said:

Dont forget Beaverkill, another great book by Ed.

Thanks guys i scored these two books.The "dettes" book was out of my price range.There going for$60-150 on ebay

[rachunter]

You guys ever heard or fished Trenton Falls? 

[Chef]

There's something about the way the light leaves the gorge that makes it very spooky. To get to where I like to fish is a good 30 minute hike across and down - partly on trails, mostly not - so unless it's a weekend you're not going to see anyone.
Because the only open sky is above the river, you get tricked into thinking that it's earlier and you have enough light to make it back. Step into the woods, however, and it's pitch black.  
You always have a feeling you're being watched. Like by cougars.
And I'm a sissy.

That and those woods are loaded with bears. I’ve coyote hunted near there along the power lines. Have had bear seem to respond to the call


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Nytracker]

6 minutes ago, rachunter said:

You guys ever heard or fished Trenton Falls? 

Not the falls area but I have fished West Canada  creek just south of the dam  area.

[Robhuntandfish]

4 minutes ago, rachunter said:

You guys ever heard or fished Trenton Falls? 

Are you talking about the west Canada?  Great trout stream and some of the most finicky trout I've ever fished for.  I haven't specifically fished Trenton falls but I've fished the west Canada near there a few times.  There are some weird regulation changes thru that area so be careful where you fish and check the regs.  Some artificial only areas, open year round areas, different size restrictions etc. 

 I used to live in Holland patent and fished the flow out of Hinkley a lot and caught some great browns and rainbows out of it. 

[rachunter]

6 minutes ago, Robhuntandfish said:

Are you talking about the west Canada?  Great trout stream and some of the most finicky trout I've ever fished for.  I haven't specifically fished Trenton falls but I've fished the west Canada near there a few times.  There are some weird regulation changes thru that area so be careful where you fish and check the regs.  Some artificial only areas, open year round areas, different size restrictions etc. 

 I used to live in Holland patent and fished the flow out of Hinkley a lot and caught some great browns and rainbows out of it. 

 Me and my brother where up in poland route 28?[i think] there where a bunch of parking spots a long the way.I'm thinking of doing a day trip or two up that way.I've read theres trophy no kill areas.I just don't remember where i saw the info.

[Robhuntandfish]

4 minutes ago, rachunter said:

 Me and my brother where up in poland route 28?[i think] there where a bunch of parking spots a long the way.I'm thinking of doing a day trip or two up that way.I've read theres trophy no kill areas.I just don't remember where i saw the info.

Check out the DEC site for fishing regulations by county and it should be listed where.  I also went to college in Herkimer and have fished that end of the west Canada. I fished a spot north of there towards middleville.  I spent an hour and a half on two holes where I could see the trout in it and couldn't get them to touch anything I threw out there.  No matter how much I cursed at them. Lol.   28 runs a long way parallel to that stream for sure. 

[Nytracker]

There's another stream over that way and to the south that's on my list to fish this year . Was planning to hit it last year but covid and being put on shifts as an essential worker put the breaks on that trip . Oriskany creek  looks like a decent trout stream . Any of you fish it ?

[Robhuntandfish]

25 minutes ago, Nytracker said:

There's another stream over that way and to the south that's on my list to fish this year . Was planning to hit it last year but covid and being put on shifts as an essential worker put the breaks on that trip . Oriskany creek  looks like a decent trout stream . Any of you fish it ?

I have also fished the oriskany.  Over near solsville is pretty good. It's a slow mover in many areas there with some deep holes. All browns in there as far as I know. It's not a pretty stream like the west Canada but has some nice trout. 

One of my all time favorite trout streams runs into it there. The chenango canal.  It doesn't look like much but it has some huge trout. Very tough to fish, about impossible with a fly rod, at least for my limited talents. But it's trophy trout water artificial only and only keep two trout over 12".  

10 years ago it was unbelievable. Now it's been discovered more and I always see a ton of empty worm boxes there even though it's clearly posted you cant use them.  So thinking it gets fished harder than it used to.  It was always good for a 17-20 brown every trip.  Now you have to work for them a bit more.  

Edited March 23, 2021 by Robhuntandfish

[Nytracker]

I try to hit one or two new pieces of water a year fly fishing . I have fished some duds .... should have fished it 10 years ago when it was good waters .  I have met some good guys and found some gems . Just some trips to satisfy my wander lust. Most I never go back to fish more than once .

[left field]

2 hours ago, rachunter said:

Thanks guys i scored these two books.The "dettes" book was out of my price range.There going for$60-150 on ebay

Wow. I picked up a signed copy two years ago for $12. I think if you keep your eyes open, you can find a deal. 

The one to look for is the special edition with the slipcover that includes three of Mary's flies.

2 hours ago, Chef said:

That and those woods are loaded with bears. I’ve coyote hunted near there along the power lines. Have had bear seem to respond to the call

I discovered one Sept day when I came across three bear hunters. 

[Otto]

2 hours ago, Robhuntandfish said:

I also went to college in Herkimer

HCCC?  So did I, but many moons before you!  Class of eighty-one!