Spring in the Catskills!

Fly Anglers OnLine
Roscoe NY Regional 'FISH-IN 2004'
Monday, May 31st through Sunday, June 6th
In and immediately around Roscoe, NY
(Trout town, USA)
Fish-In PHOTOS from '03

By Allan Podell
DATES: Official dates are Monday, May 31st through Sunday, June 6th. People can come for 1, or 2, or 3 or as many days as they like. Some people have stated that they will get there a couple of days early.

PLACE: In and around Roscoe, NY.

ACCOMODATIONS: Generally speaking there are small motels, Bed & Breakfasts and campgrounds nearby. Individuals are responsible for making their own reservations. See information below or email me for additional information.

FEES & EXPENSES: There are no fees. What you spend is entirely up to you. Plan on money for accommodations, food, NYS fishing license (if applicable), travel, necessities & non-necessities and possibly an entry fee to the Catskill Fly Fishing Center.

PLANNED EVENTS: With Mother Nature's cooperation, the week of the 'Fish-In' is expected to be excellent insofar as insects and fishing. Fishing will be the cornerstone activity of the week. There will be fly tying sessions and demonstrations, casting, camaraderie, bull sessions, etc. For example:

  • The Red Rose Motel was purchased last year and the new ownership has completed a full renovation. The motel is about 4 miles west of Roscoe on 'Old Route 17'. Right across the road is just one of the renown pools of the Beaverkill. For more information contact Ken at the Baxter House @ (607) 498-5811.

  • Morning get-togethers: Each morning, starting at about 7:30, we (at least those who want to), will meet at the Roscoe Diner for breakfast or just chatting. This will give us a chance to pre-plan the days activities and coordinate some places to go, things to do, as well as talk(bs) about what we did the previous day. Mark Romero(willowhead) has arranged with the Rockland House to use its secondary dining room every night for fly tying practice and demonstrations. Mark has also arranged with the Reynold's House, along with Andy Brasko, for a special demonstration of wet fly tying.

  • Several people want to fish the Neversink. Thursday has been set-aside for this. Again, your participation is entirely up to you.

  • There will be a 'one fly' contest. You must use one pattern (same size too) the entire day. Honor system will be in effect. Voluntary participation.

  • Saturday evening there will be a farewell dinner at the Rockland House.

Here is more information on the region and the event:

Beaverkill

In 1998 Sports Afield magazine listed the 50 "best outdoor sports towns in the US." The selection for New York State was Roscoe. The primary reason for this choice was the excellent trout fishing available. There are, within a half hour drive of Roscoe, 1200 miles of public trout streams. This historic region is regarded as the birthplace of fly-fishing in the US. The list of names associated with the area is long and legendary; Theodore Gordon, Edward R. Hewitt, Rube Cross, Harry and Elsie Darbee, Walt and Winnie Dette. The list could go on for pages and pages, but suffice it to say almost every luminary in fly-fishing from the 1800's to the present has some connection to this fishery.

Willowemoc Within easy reach of Roscoe are the Little Beaverkill, Willowemoc, Beaverkill, Big Beaverkill, East & West Branch of the Delaware and the Delaware itself. We also have the Pepacton and Cannonsville reservoirs, which produce very big fish and the rivers flowing into them. Roscoe is unique in the amount of fishing to be found with 15 miles of town. The Willowemoc and the Beaverkill meet at the famed Junction Pool in Roscoe and then become the Big Beaverkill. Access is exceptional -- old Rte 17 is alongside a good portion of the Willowemoc and all of the Big Beaverkill.

The fishing is primarily for brown trout but brook trout and rainbows are also in the system. Rainbows are quite evident in the lower part of the river. There is stocking done by the state, but there is a good mix of wild fish ranging from a high of 73% in the upper "no kill" zone of the Beaverkill to 15% in the lower.

Beaverkill Falls

For those flying in, the closest airport is Binghamton, NY. It is served by the major airlines, car rental is available there as well. This is about 30 miles from the Roscoe, and is easy to get to.

Catskill Fly Fishing Center

Primary Meeting Place for this Fish-In most likely will be the Rockland House, secondary meeting places most likely will be the Roscoe Motel, the Catskill Fly Fishing Center and alongside some stream/river.

Accommodations

Reynolds Motel

Reynolds House
Reynolds House & Motel - approx. $60 for dbl. occ. (607) 498-4772

Baxter House

Baxter House (B & B) - approx $60 for dbl. occ. (607) 498-5811. Their website also has up to date information on the fishing in the Upper Delaware System.

Roscoe Motel - approx. $60 for dbl. occ. (607) 498-5220

Rockland House and Rockland Motel - approx $55 for dbl. occ. (607) 498-4240

Roscoe Campgrounds (opens about April 1st) (607) 498-5264

We recommend you make your reservations as soon as possible as this is a very popular time of year for fly fishing here.

As with all FAOL events, there are no charges or fees for attending and everyone is welcome. You are responsible for your own reservations, transportation and food. FAOL does not makes any arrangements for you.

This is not really a 'book review,' we just wanted to tip you off on what may make your trip to the Roscoe Fish-In a little easier and perhaps better.

There are a lot of streams and creeks in the Catskills and they wind and twist all through the hills and valleys. Most of you probably want to fish some of the famous ones. This book (for only $19.95) in paperback will help a lot. It is small enough to carry with you or stuff in the glove compartment.

Jim Capossela has done a dandy job with all the text and maps, nice big-enough-to read maps of the waters. Good details of where to go and how to get there. You can send directly to the publisher, Countryman Press, (http://www.countrymanpress.com) for a copy. He is an experienced and somewhat prolific writer and that makes this easy to read and follow.

For those wishing to tie flies for the Fish-In, the Delaware River Club has a Hatch Chart showing which insects for what time periods in the region. A link to the Chart is HERE. Another is shown below.

Hatch Chart

Join us and other FAOLers for this Get Together of 6 days and nights, (more if you use the Memorial Day Weekend as a prelude, less if you have to leave, or as long as you can stand it). If Mother Nature is kind, we'll have a week of beautiful weather, lots of insects and hungry trout. We'll be providing our own great conversation, interesting activities, tasty food and let us not forget some hopefully great fishing on fabled Catskill rivers.

An Accuracy Contest is planned, a pie-plate for a target at 40 feet, regular trout fishing set-up, 10 foot leader, 5X tippet. 7 out of 10 in the target to win. Start practicing!

ACCURACY CASTING CONTEST RULES*

    1. Contest open to all FAOL participants and guests.

    2. Distance will be 40 feet, measured from toe line to center of target.

    3. Fly, or fly substitute, must land in the target to be awarded a 'HIT'.

    4. Equipment must be:
    a) fly rod of any length.

    b) line weight 0 through 6.

    c) leader - tapered and ending with at least 2 feet of 5x tippet, OR, no knot tapered leader with a 5x tip. IN EITHER CASE - the total leader and tippet must be at least 9 feet.

    5. Prior to a participants actual casts (the ones that count), they will be allowed as many false casts as they want but only 1 practice cast.

    6. After each cast, participants must make at least 1 false cast before making another cast.

    7. Each participant will be permitted 10 casts. However, if a participant misses the target on 4 casts, he or she is disqualified at that point.

    8. Those who qualify will have a 'Best of 5' cast-off and the winner will be decided based on the highest number of targets hit. If after the first cast-off, the score is tied then there will be additional cast-off rounds until a winner is decided.

    GOOD LUCK.

    * A judge or a 3 judge panel (majority decision) will decide all questionable calls or matters concerning the interpretation of the above rules.

FLY TYING CONTEST

    1. At least 5 tyers are needed for contest.

    2. Participants will be asked to tye 3 out of five (5) patterns which work well on Catskill water:

    Female Hendrickson (dry)

    Adams (dry)

    Grey Fox Variant (dry)

    Black Nosed Dace (streamer)

    Pheasant Tail (nymph)

    3. Please bring the necessary tools & materials. You must tye the flies according to the generally accepted pattern recipe.

    PROCESS:

    4. Participants will pick a pack containing a a)hidden number, b)numbered toe tags and c)registration slip.

    5. The flies to be tyed will be announced.

    6. Tyers will:

    a) Register (look at #, write name on slip and put slip in a Registration Box).

    b) Tie the flies.

    c) place a toe tag on each fly.

    d) put each of their flies in the appropriate 'pattern box.'

    7. The judges will not watch the tying.

    8. Participants flies will be judged on a 10 point system (10 = best, 9 = next, and so on.)

    9. The number of the tyer with the top total score for the 3 flies from all judges will be declared the high score. At that time the tyer's names will be revealed and the winner will be announced. In case of a tie there will be a one(1) fly 'tye-off', similarly judged.

If there's a question you'd like answered contact me.

Think Spring!

~ Allan Podell (tyeflies) (607) 734-6257

If you do plan on making it to the Roscoe NY Regional 'FISH-IN 2004', drop an email to: publisher@flyanglersonline.com and she will put your name on the I'm Going List! Please say Roscoe Fish-In in your email. ~ Tyeflies

I'M GOING LIST!

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