Thursday, May 26, 2016

Wade Rivers


A little slice of paradise...

Early spring in the Catskills can be a variable affair. One can hope on experiencing some of the earliest and best dry fly action of the year but mother nature can always throw a curveball in the form of low temperatures. Sometimes the best of intentions and the highest of expectations cannot be fulfilled, but the least you can do is try. More simply put, you won't know, if you don't go. 


Several great photos provided by: Marko Freese


It was another chance to take out my visiting friends from across the pond, Marko and Anni. We headed north to fish some of the more fabled waters of New York  in order to find some bugs and a lot of hungry trout. The three of us put in a long day on the water, hiking several miles downstream, wading the river, and bouldering our way down the gorge. The fishing was on fire with a perfectly drifted nymph or a well placed dry, but the goal was to catch them on streamers. That proved to be a little more difficult than we imagined it be. A few like minded individuals and rapala lures plowed the water before us, making sure to put the fish on edge and a little less committal than I remembered them. 


Few and far between...


Hoping for an epic streamer bite.




A visit once every year is simply not enough...




The streamer bite was on, but sticking them was a little harder than anticipated.


A little small stream brookie action. 




Fat and healthy brown. 





Quintessential Catskills brown.





A beauty...



A little treasure unearthed by Marko. 




Lots of 14 inch fish falling for nymphs.




The sun sets in the gorge.


At the end of the day, we began leaving the gorge for a our hike out. We fished here and there but were a little tired from the day's effort. This river, more than most, tests one's ability to not only wade, but endure a physically demanding environment. Needless to say, but all three of us were exhausted and thoroughly content with the river and its bounty. 

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