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 is clear, to all of us here in “The Real Upstate New York” that Mother Nature cannot decide — from one day to the next — if it will be Winter or Spring. In twenty seasons of guiding ice anglers; This ice fishing season was the most challenging. This winter started with 16 scheduled ice fishing trips on my calendar, but only eight of them were completed. Upstate New York resembled northern New Jersey this winter. Minus the casinos and gold chains. Mild temperatures this winter left most of the lakes around here with unsafe ice. The traditional ice fishing season in central New YorkRead More →
On occasion, like so many of us, I turn off my brain and surf through reels on Instagram. You know, like when you are in the waiting room at the dentist or waiting for a flight at the airport. The world of hunting and fishing has found a surreal home in this interesting cyber-land of eye candy. All forms of fishing (and self-proclaimed fishing experts) are alive and well on this social media platform. Ice fishing, in particular, is a current popular topic. While surfing reels today waiting in my car at the grocery store, I watched as a red-bearded 20-something ice angling expert declared;Read More →
In the Autumn of 2012, a decade ago, I launched myself into the game of guiding ice anglers. While I have guided ice anglers since 2003, and have been an avid ice fisherman my entire life, it was not until the winter of 2012/2013 that ice fishing became a signifigant part of my guide service. In the Autumn of 2012 the USDA closed the doors of the satellite laboratory where I was employed as an arborist. My day-job was lost. But my guide service was growing. I had been keeping it alive, on the weekends, for years while cutting down trees for the government. 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 river was a winding, narrow, beautiful vein of water that lead through a massive conifer wilderness far removed from any signs of civilization. The sense of solitude was intense. Brook trout rose in front of us as we paddled, and darted to the safety of giant log jams and undercut banks to escape our intrusion. Leaning back in the stern seat, gently paddling, and guiding the canoe along — while taking in the sights and sounds of the forest on a bright and beautiful day — was what I wanted to do. But it’s not what I did. The river rarely went straight and itsRead More →
The ultra-light spinning outfits were gone. We backtracked, scanned the roadside, but were unable to recover the rods. Without dwelling on my mishap, too much, we turned the truck around and headed north. Losing two rods before we get to the river is not a great way to start a trip. We crossed the Blue Line on NYS Rt #3 at 0800 hrs and arrived in Childwold to meet Butch at 0855. About 15 minutes behind schedule. The skies were bright blue and cloudless on the first day of our trip. At 0930 we made our way to the take-out where I would leave myRead More →