Above: The Times Herald-Record films the first cast of Opening Day on the Willowemoc Creek, with Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther and actor Olek Krupa joining the crew of eager flyfishers.
April 1 was the first day of trout season in New York State -- and for the Catskills, land of a thousand trout streams, that means our creeks and kills will be prime habitat for anglers in waders from now til October.
That's good news for the Catskills, where many towns are still putting the pieces back together after last year's devastating flooding. Not to put too fine a point on it, but the tourist dollars spent by visiting trout fisherfolk are a vital piece of the local economy in trout-rich parts of upstate New York. YNN of Central New York ran a rather crass, but accurate, headline yesterday: "Trout season starts, money to follow."
The cool, drizzly day made for good flyfishing conditions on local rivers -- especially after a mild winter and warm spring. Bill Fraser of Upper Delaware Outfitters tweeted yesterday morning:
In Roscoe, a.k.a. "Trout Town USA," Opening Day is something of a high holy holiday. The Catskill Fly Fishing Museum celebrated with their annual First Cast on the Willowemoc, followed by a workshop on bamboo rod casting, a fly-tying demonstration by Ted Patlen, and ceremonies to celebrate the new Agnes Van Put Kitchen and the groundbreaking for a new Rodmakers Workshop and Heritage Craft Center.
Phoenicia, a flyfishing hotspot on the much-beloved Esopus Creek, is getting into the spirit of things. Laura Levine, proprietor of Homer and Langley's Mystery Spot on Main Street, celebrated by digging up a few fishy items from her vast treasure trove of vintage clothing and bric-a-brac.
The state Department of Environmental Conservation is warning anglers to be especially careful this year, as last year's flooding may have shifted the banks of streams in the region. From a press release from Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office:
Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Joe Martens said, "Given the mild winter in many areas across the state, we anticipate that stream flows should be good for early season trout fishing and fish should be more active than normal this spring. Although we don't anticipate any major changes in trout abundance in streams in these areas, some stream sections may have experienced alterations in their appearance and the same sections that held fish last year, may not this year. Anglers should also be cautious if they encounter steep eroded banks, in-stream debris and other changes that may complicate access to or wading in these waters."
Happy fishing. And if you catch a big one, send us a photo: editor@watershedpost.com.
