Get Your Reel On! A Guide to Enjoying the Catskill Outdoors

From the vast lakes that sit in between the Catskill mountains to the small streams that flow from Lake Erie, Central New York is home to very good fishing. The many rivers, creeks and reservoirs all flow with pure freshwater, allowing the quality of fishing to get better. You can take out your sled and ice fishing gear in the winter, where the ice in Delaware County freezes up to 20 inches! Using live bait, jigs, or microsoft plastics can get you on yellow perch, bluegill, or brown trout! In the fall, temperatures drop drastically and the fish begin to prepare for the winter. During this time, anglers have good luck using spoons, jigs, and swimbaits to target hungry smallmouth and largemouth bass, as well as massive spawning brown trout.

Along with this crazy experience, the fall transition brings beauty to the land. The trees turn orange and red—what’s not to love about that! In the spring, fish are looking to feed, which is a great opportunity for new anglers to get out. Anglers typically use any bait in the spring. Although upstate it stays cold until late April, the trout bite turns on as reservoirs, river sections, and lakes are being stocked with thousands of fish! In the summer, the coldwater trout stop biting but the bass are still willing to bite. Although temperatures soar in the summer, anglers get out early to get on a topwater bite. They do this using lures such as spooks, poppers, and even dry flies.

Above all, the Catskill Mountain region gives locals and tourists many wonderful options to eat, explore, and discover. Roscoe, located in Central New York, is a hotspot for beer and fried food, along with it being one of the best fly fishing spots in the area. If you are there, stop by and try Roscoe Beer and Co! It is a family-friendly brewery that offers delicious food and drinks. Iced-over lakes provide opportunities for ice skating in the winter. There are also numerous fairs held in the spring and summer, which offer you a chance to get to know locals and their community and to have a fun time with children. So what are you waiting for? Head up to the Catskills now!