Backpacking and fishing in Catskills

[mauri]

Some friends and I are planning a backpacking weekend trip at the end of October in the catskills area. I've never been to the Catskills area and since I would be the only one fishing, I'm wondering if there are some secluded areas with trails for my friends to hike around and some fly fishing opportunities for me. Ideally, it would be nice to park, then hike in a mile or so to a secluded area where we could pitch tent, hike and fish the next day, spend another night, then hike out. Small stream fishing is okay, however, I love the 15-30ft range. I don't know what the trout season is like at that time of year, as I grew up in Alaska and I'm new to the east coast scene. If anyone knows of places other than the Catskills, I'm open to suggestions.
Thanks for your help.

PS Moderators, why does it say, "Fishizzle, I use worms but I'm looking to upgrade!" under my username?

 

[Pete]

.......PS Moderators, why does it say, "Fishizzle, I use worms but I'm looking to upgrade!" under my username?

It's just a default "user title" for new members. It changes at certain post count benchmarks...

If you don't like the default, you can change it.

• Click on "User CP" (near the top right of most pages).
  
  Click on "Edit Your Details".
  
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[sandfly]

I think you would be better out this way, we have miles of state forest trails with camping and fishing. I think the catskills frown on such activities, i could be wrong but theres a lot of private areas there.

 

[JeffK]

Not to be the PITA, but the New York trout season ends October 15. There are special regulation areas open all year scatttered throughout the state, but the little brookie streams in the hills are closed to let them produce the next generation.

The hike in streams in the Catskills are basically tiny little trickles with 6" brookies (10" would be a big one) where the streams are nearly vertical (like the SNP streams in another recent post). The streams don't get big until they get into the valleys. The forest service doesn't discourage fishing, it's just that hard hikes to find tiny fish are not most peoples cup of tea. The one area (and there may be others) where conflicts exist is where the trailhead is on a private fishing club land and you have to hike quite a ways to get to forest service land. This is the case on the upper Beaverkill, and those old clubs are tough about enforcing property rights. There are a few brookie ponds in the Catskills you can hike to - but the Catskills are not noted for its pond fishing.

North central PA has decent hike in fishing as does the Adirondacks. The big problem IMHO with the Adirondacks hike in stuff is that the fishing is best when the black flies are thickest.

 

[eddavidson9]

The big problem IMHO with the Adirondacks hike in stuff is that the fishing is best when the black flies are thickest.

absolutely true, but fall can be great too and no bugs