Monday, July 2, 2012

The Catskills




The Catskill Mountains of New York. When I was a young boy growing up in Connecticut our family used to take trips there. It was a magical place. Lots of stories of a man named Rip Van Winkle who lay down in the forest and slept for twenty years. It was a place where the Catskill Game Farm was. A great place for both children and adults. You could view many native and exotic animals. At that time I knew nothing of the history taking place there, history of American fly fishing.

The Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum is located along the Willowmemoc River in the town of Livingston Manor. The museum is full of memories and items from the golden days. The exhibits are wonderful. Some are the exact way these famous people left them. There is also a fly fishing hall of fame there. Plaques line the walls with the names of many fly fishers, and tyers.







The Willowmemoc, one of the Catskills finest trout streams.


Roscoe. A Catskill town devoted to the trout. The main street has fly shops and stores for the angler. One could take hours to shop them. There are restaurants, and the famous Roscoe Diner. You can enjoy breakfast or lunch in an area known to be the birthplace of dry fly fishing in America.






The Dette Fly Shop. The place where Walt, Winnie and Mary crafted exquisite trout flies. The business was started in the 1930's I believe and is still maintained by Mary, Walt and Winnies daughter. I had the pleasure to meet Mary on this visit. The shop is located in a house, and I was made to feel right at home. While shopping I purchased a few items and she was not certain of the price. I had told her I had seen them on their website, which she told me someone else takes care of. She led me into her house to a room off of the kitchen. There was a computer there and she told me to look it up. I found the site and the price, and we were both happy for that.

Mary Dette is a great fly tyer and a gracious person.

Catskill dry flies. Crisp, clean and meticulously tied.

Mary Dette in the fly shop.


The Land of Little Rivers. If given a opportunity to visit, please do.



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18 comments:

  1. Wow...I need to add this to my places to visit....This is somewhere that I could feel totally at home.The Land Of Little Rivers? Love it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The River Damsel,
      Thanks.
      It is quite the area, and the people are friendly. Rivers abound with some beautiful views.

      Delete
  2. It's a beautiful area up there. Been there a bunch of times....unfortunately never for fishing. After reading our post I might just have to make the time to get up there and fish.

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    Replies
    1. Kiwi,
      Thanks.
      I have only fished a few times myself. I just love the history and sights.

      Delete
  3. Used to camp at Russel Brook every summer as a kid, man do I miss it. If I knew then what I know now!

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    Replies
    1. Bill,
      Thanks.
      Russel Brook, it sounds like a small stream. If we all knew then what we know now.

      Delete
  4. Brk
    Excellent tour of an area that would be interesting even for the none fly fishing individual. My wife will retire this coming year and this place will be on our travel plans. The northeast is one beautiful area of the country. Thanks for shairng

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    Replies
    1. Bill Trussell,
      Thanks.
      The northeast is a fishing hotspot. But its where these waters are located that make them beautiful. The autumn time is spectacular.

      Delete
  5. Have visited that area also Brk Trt, sometime ago! Fished some of the rivers too!!
    Good Stuff!! Like your photo essays.

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    Replies
    1. TROUT1,
      Thanks.
      I could see you right at home on those rivers.

      Delete
  6. A nice tour. I'll probably never get there in person, but I've been there now. Can't beat the trips by fellow bloggers.

    Mark

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    Replies
    1. Mark Kautz,
      Thanks.
      Like me. I have been all over the world fishing and it's very affordable at my computer.

      Delete
  7. Nice write up BRK TRT.

    I love fishing in the catskils it may be the finest fly fishing I have ever experienced.

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    Replies
    1. G Lech,
      Thanks.
      It's beautiful. I wish I was a bit closer.

      Delete
  8. What a great place to fish, and its only 2.5 hours away! I plan to head up there this summer to do a multi day float and target the small mouth in east and main branch. great photos.

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    Replies
    1. Savage,
      Thanks.
      The main branch of the D is a smallie hotspot. The variety of fish is awesome.

      Delete
  9. NIce Post Alan...if those trees and walls could talk, I bet they could tell some great stories.

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  10. Tradition is what sets our sport aside, say, from chucking Rattle Traps (not that there's anything wrong with that). I look forward to exploring the Catskills some day.

    The Tenkara Ambassador

    ReplyDelete