The Times — They Are A Changin’
Professional Outdoor Guide In Upstate New YorkRead More →
Professional Outdoor Guide In Upstate New YorkRead More →
In 2018, after entertaining several public forums across New York state, the DEC fisheries managers reversed their inland trout stream management policies. After some 75 years of put-and-take, hatchery-fueled stream management, they abandoned their course. In the management, of anything, a drastic 360 degree turn in procedure, an abrupt change of path, is interpreted as a serious correction. In this case, 75 years of inland trout stream management based upon an in depth stocking program, was deemed no longer suitable. The creeks, streams, and flows that make up the inland trout waters of New York State have changed over the era for the worse. TheRead More →
It’s August in Central New York and the daytime air temps are lingering in the mid 80’s and low 90’s. The dog days of summer are here! Summer Fly Fishing is in full swing. In the northeast, when we start talking about summer fly fishing, we are not talking about trout. The stream flows are low and the water temps are high. In the best interest of the trout, fly fishers leave the trout alone. Summer fly fishing in Upstate New York begins around mid-July. And while it may be a second-best choice to fly fishing for trout, it is still fly fishing. Done rightRead More →
My first fly rod was a two-piece fiberglass Wonderod made by Shakespeare. It had metal ferrules, cheap tin guides, and a chipped cork handle. It was a terrible fly rod. But the only one I had. When I first discovered it (resting on two nails hammered into the floor joists of my fathers workshop) it was wrapped in a musty cloth sock and covered in years of dust. Taking the rod out of the basement shop, I lashed it to the frame of my BMX bike with rubber bands and bread ties. My father watched as I affixed the rod to my bike seeming toRead More →
Fly fishing is a large part of Upstate Guide Service. I have been teaching fly fishing and fly casting on the lakes, streams, and rivers of Upstate New York since 2003. Lefty Kreh taught me how to cast on VHS tapes in the 90’s. I have been consumed with mastering the presentation of the fly ever since. The year 2024 marks 21 years of guiding and instructing fly fishing. Over the course of two decades I’ve been fortunate to teach hundreds of people how to fly fish. My approach to teaching fly casting can help beginners progress quickly. Fly fishing has changed in theRead More →
The years seem to go by like yesterdays. When the age of 50 hits it requires me to sit down and think about life a little bit. A lot of bit in fact. The year 2022 marks my 19th year leading others in pursuit of fish and game as a licensed guide. Vibrant and vivid memories of all the nice people and beautiful places I have known in nearly two decades of professional guiding come to my mind. It is easy for me to get lost in reflecting on memories of seasons past. I become overwhelmed with happiness and satisfaction. What stands out most, besidesRead More →
With the rough parameters of John’s wilderness fishing trip defined, and dates in early May selected, I began to think about the many options. With over six and a half million acres of rugged forest, containing thousands of ponds, lakes, and flows, the Adirondack Park is big. Planning a week of backcountry fishing would require some thought and a difficult decision. As the Winter of 2020 turned into Spring, I began to narrow my field and began to get excited in anticipation of this unique trip. Then came Covid. John’s trip became insignificant. All my trips became insignificant. With life on hold, guiding was shelved. In mid May, however, the governorRead More →
In the late Autumn of 2019, sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas, I received a phone call from a gentleman named John from Washington, DC. We had a long conversation that included many topics. Most important to John was my ability to explain why he should hire me as his guide for an extensive week-long trout fishing trip into the Adirondack backcountry. I provided the in-depth information pertinent to my experience and listened as he explained what were his goals for this trip. Over the winter phone conversations between John and I continued. More questions and more answers. Then John agreed, in early March of 2020Read More →
Winters transition into Spring here in Upstate New York can be dreary. The landscape is brown and the sky is often grey. The leaves have not popped and the grass struggles to turn green. The whole countryside looks like it has not woken from a long and deep snow covered sleep. Ice fishing gear is cleaned and put away. The cover is taken off the boat. Flies are tied and fishing items low in stock are mail ordered. Rituals that are both fun and familiar are repeated. But early Spring, with its snow squalls and freezing rain, cold winds and brown colors, is not theRead More →
Fly Fishing, I was once told by a veteran fly shop owner, is the most written about outdoor sporting topic in the world. There has been and continues to be volumes written and published about the sport, both technical and philosophical in nature. Presentation of the fly is a common theme that stands out in most all the technical literature. This is for good reason. The ability of the fly caster to present the fly properly determines their success as a fly fisher. Presentation of the fly is a multi-faceted topic. It is a most important skill for fly fishing rivers, small stream, lakes, oceans…Everywhere.Read More →