FREE
Easy Access, Plentiful Fish
Fishing the Delaware’s tributaries Ray Turner’s
Delaware Delicacies
Smoke House
‘Crown Jewel’
of the Delaware
Rainbow Trout
and MORE! REPORTER LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE
T
Photo by Susan Ferguson
Steven Schwartz lives on the Delaware in Equinunk, and owns Delaware Valley Ramps, providing wild forest foraged foods to restaurants and wholesalers.
he fishermen you see standing in the river, and the fish you might occasionally see at the end of their lines, are but a small part of the picture. The geographically vast Upper Delaware River watershed—its flora, fauna, geology, history and economy—is extraordinarily rich and complex. Trout thrive in cold, clean water as do the mayflies and other insects constituting their primary food source. The raptors we celebrate, waterfowl and some river-dwelling mammals dine on the fish. Many sea-dwellers rely on the 330 miles of unimpeded river for their annual spawning migration. People earn a living working as guides on the river or catering to the visiting angler. And the people they guide enjoy not only the thrill of the catch but also the knowledge they gain of the complex environment around them and the peaceful relaxation of an escape from their often more stressful daily lives. In this premiere edition of FISH, we touch on some of these facets. The river is always alive, even in the throes of winter, with many other species of fish, in addition to trout, of interest to fishermen. Ray Turner, who utilizes an ancient fishing method, an eel weir, and food preservation technique, smoking the eel, is profiled. Thousands of square miles of watershed contain many small, rarely fished but productive creeks. Human intervention has both enhanced the trout habitat through cold water bottom releases from the reservoirs, and degraded it through activities like the introduction of invasive species. Trout have had a long and storied role in the Delaware, including the relatively recent immigrant, the rainbow trout. Join us in celebrating FISH and the world they live in.
Steven Schwartz Contributing Editor
Cover photo: © Richard Franklin
FISH
A RIVER REPORTER LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE
PUBLICATION DATE: APRIL 19
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A RIVER REPORTER MAGAZINE • 3
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‘Crown Jewel’ of the Delaware
Rainbow trout R
ainbow trout are sometimes regarded as the aquatic Johnny-come-latelies of the fish-rich Upper Delaware River. But they’ve got a century’s worth of residency there. It may be a fish story, but by one oftenrepeated account, the rainbows descended from fish that were released as a result of a railroad train breakdown in the late 1800s. Canisters of fingerling trout—McCloud River rainbows from California, they say—were aboard a train that chugged to an unexpected stop near Callicoon, NY. Dan Cahill, a brakeman, happened to be an avid fisherman. Fearing the fish would go belly-up before reaching their destination, Cahill grabbed a few canisters and released the fingerlings into the Delaware. This happenstance stocking is believed to be the first introduction of the rainbow into the Delaware River. The official version of the rainbow’s introduction to the river is not quite as romantic. Ed Van Put, a NYS Department of Environmental Conservation staffer, says the state’s Fish Commission was experimenting with stocking rainbows roughly 140 years ago. Those trout came from the San Francisco Bay area and were called mountain or California trout. Records show that on March 31, 1875, a man named Seth Green received at the NYS
TEXT: Lee Hartman PHOTO: TRR Archive
Fish Hatchery at Caledonia 1,800 mountain trout eggs, sent by the Acclimation Society of the Golden State. Of these, approximately 300 fry were hatched. Three years later, when the fish reached spawning age, Green collected some 40,000 eggs and later released nearly 25,000 fry in the Delaware system. The trout adapted well to their new eco-system, and the river’s many cold -water tributaries became their spawning grounds and hidden nurseries. Rainbows of the McCloud strain arrived in 1878 at the Caledonia hatchery. Over time, these two strains became one in Green’s records. He called them all California mountain trout. As a West Coast species, the first rainbows had the instincts of steelhead ancestry. The July 4, 1885 issue of American Angler wrote the following: “I am told that there was a batch put into the Beaverkill, one of the branches of the Delaware River, and that there have never been any caught near the locality where they were put in, but about 75 or 80 miles below, where they found very deep water and large eddies, that they were quite plentiful.” Early 20th-century anglers were impressed with this new strain of California trout that, not surprisingly, fought harder than anything they have ever seen. Generations of natural selection and local environmental factors have hardened these fish into a distinct breed of trout, making them into one of the best wild stock of streamlined rainbows in our country. It is now considered by anglers as the “crown jewel” of the Delaware. Among the Delaware tributaries where they now spawn are Sands and Cadosia creeks in the town of Hancock, NY. The two creeks do not have the regal reputation of famous trout runs in the region, but they are—to this day—a vital part of the aquatic system with the clean flowing cold
water and proper cover for survival. The juvenile fish will live in the nursing waters for two years before entering the river to become the spirited, fierce-fighting trout that the Delaware is known for. A transmitter study conducted by Trout Unlimited in the late 1990s revealed the movements of the adult rainbow trout. The “wild” Delaware fish normally resides in the Delaware and returns to the place of birth each spring, spawning twice in its four and sometimes five-year life span. A few of the cold-water critters were tracked at distances of 60 miles within a one-year period in their struggles to reproduce and find suitable spawning grounds. In 2006, a 500-year flood devastated Sands and Cadosia creeks, sweeping away precious troutholding pools, eroding banks and eliminating structure. Some of the remedial channelization intended to prevent future flooding also strips trout cover and increases stream bank erosion. During the past two years, Friends of the Upper Delaware River (FUDR), based in New York and Pennsylvania, embarked on an ambitious project to restore the creeks. FUDR has partnered with the National Fish & Wildlife Service, the Town of Hancock and the Delaware County Department of Public Works, to restore Sands and Cadosia creeks for the purpose of mitigating flooding and restore fish spawning habitat. Landowner participation is vital and to date we have a group of very engaged property owners that have partnered with FUDR. The initial $100,000 stream assessment study done by Landstudies, Inc. has been completed. A conceptual plan for their restoration is currently being finalized on Sands Creek and groundbreaking work is the next step. For further information on the stream restoration project, visit www.fudr.org.
Lee Hartman is Vice Chairman of Friends of the Upper Delaware River (FUD) and Delaware River Committee Chairman for PA Council, Trout Unlimited. He currently manages Indian Springs Fly Fishing (www.indianspringsflyfishing.com) and is President of World Angling Travels. A RIVER REPORTER MAGAZINE • 5
Easy Access, Plentiful Fish Fishing the Delaware’s tributaries
said that if there’s a trout rising anywhere in the Catskills, it will be rising on the Beaverkill. Fish in the pools can be tough; maximize your chances—and minimize the company—by fishing the pocket water and riffles. You can improve your luck by fishing a nymph under your dry fly; swinging a soft-hackle fly through the riffles is always a good idea, whether you see fish rising or not. My go-to soft-hackle is a Partridge and Orange, size 14. If you’re a confident wader, and know the water, fishing the Beaverkill at night can pay big dividends. I’d do it with a friend (and a headlamp), using big wet flies that move a lot of water, or streamers. Don’t try to cast far; just cover the water methodically. Nice surprises await. The Beaverkill has two no-kill areas where all fish must be returned. If you want a fish for dinner, make sure it doesn’t come from one of these sections, and please make it a hatchery fish, not a wild one. You’ll catch browns and rainbows, mostly stocked, but there are some wild fish, and sizeable hold-overs.
fishing clubs. Generally, the Willow will not be as crowded as the Beaverkill. Although the Willow flows into the Beaverkill, you’ll often find that when the Beaverkill is high, muddy and unfishable, the Willow is clear. You can call any of the local fly shops (or go to their web sites) to learn current information on river conditions. Old Rte. 17 also follows part of the Willow, although not so closely as it follows the Beaverkill, so you may have to get out and walk a bit farther to find your fishing. Generally speaking, the farther you go, the better the fishing will get. The Willow also has a no-kill section, and the same advice applies as to the Beaverkill. Don’t be fooled into thinking that all the good fish are in the no-kill areas. The Willow has the same hatches as the Beaverkill, but it’s a little more intimate, and you may want to use a lighter rod. If you want easy access, try behind the rest stop on eastbound Rte. 17 between Roscoe and Livingston Manor, at Hazel Bridge, or in front of the Catskill Fly Fishing Museum. For more solitude, poke around away from the road.
points. This area is too warm to fish in the heat of summer (besides, it’s a long and sweaty hike in and out), and the wading is very treacherous, but you might see a bear, an eagle, or a rattlesnake. The hatches are very different from those on the Beaverkill and Willowemoc (mainly stoneflies and caddis, but also large populations of dragonflies and damselflies). The trout down here are wild (browns and brookies), and the fishing is tough but satisfying. If you want to fish this water, find someone who knows it. Bring lunch and a bottle of water, and wade with cleats and a staff; this is an arduous all-day adventure.
The Neversink
An avid angler fishes the Neversink Unique Area.
Y
ou will find large trout rising on the Delaware and its East and West branches, but they’re fickle. Add to that the difficulty of access (unless you have a drift boat, pontoon boat or kayak, and can arrange a shuttle), and trying to catch a Delaware River trout can be, well, trying, even for accomplished anglers. Think patience, perfect presentation and having the right fly. One more thing: whether you can cast 30 or 80 feet, the fish are usually two feet beyond your best cast. The Delaware’s three major tributaries, the Beaverkill, Willowemoc and Neversink, are 6 FISH • 2012
Partridge-and-Orange soft hackle
much more angler-friendly, and while they may not have as many large trout as the big river, they’ve got plenty, and a few big ones.
The Beaverkill
You won’t find much public water above the town of Roscoe, NY (a/k/a Trout Town USA), so look for it from Roscoe down to the Beaverkill’s junction with the East Branch of the Delaware. Since the Beaverkill has such a rich fly-fishing history, and is so easily accessible, you’ll find that most of the pools are named, and that if you fish on a weekend or on a pleasant weekday,
you’ll have plenty of company. Drive along Old Rte. 17, and you’ll find some place to slip into the river. Unless you’re an early riser, or the weather is inclement, avoid the most famous pools like Junction, Cairns and Cemetery. You’ll want to avoid the lower end of the Beaverkill in hot weather (the trout migrate to colder water), and don’t fish when the water temperature is above 70 degrees. There may be closures around the cold-water refuges at creek mouths during July and August. You’ll find just about every important eastern trout stream insect in the Beaverkill, and it’s
The Willowemoc
Willowemoc Creek flows into the Beaverkill at Roscoe’s famous Junction Pool, home of the mythical two-headed trout. It’s a bit smaller than the Beaverkill. From Roscoe to Livingston Manor, access is not a problem; above Livingston Manor you’ll find more posting and private
TEXT and PHOTOS: Greg Belcamino
The character of this river is affected by the Neversink Reservoir. Above the reservoir the river is largely private. Immediately below the dam, the water is very cold, and not very fertile. Downstream, fishing improves, as does access. The highest numbers of fish are in the area midway between Rock Hill, NY and Fallsburg, NY. The river here is easily waded in most spots, and because of the cold-water release from the dam, the fishing holds up well during the summer. Hatches of little green and yellow stoneflies provide nice dry-fly fishing here in early summer. The river warms as it flows south toward Rte. 17, and temperatures can be a problem in summer. South of Rte. 17, the Neversink drops into a gorge, most of which comprises the state-owned Neversink River Unique Area. The Department of Environmental Conservation offers a map of the Unique Area and its access
Little Yellow Stonefly
Tributaries of the tributaries
I’m not going to give away my secret spots, but there’s some wonderful fishing to be found in the smaller streams of the watershed. Find them for yourself by using USGS topo maps and Google Earth. Ask in local fly shops (you always get better information when you buy a handful of flies), and the next time a Conservation Officer asks to see your fishing license, view it as a learning opportunity and not a nuisance; he or she knows more about local small streams than you do. And if you ever meet a state fisheries biologist, you’ve hit the jackpot. Tight lines, and happy prospecting!
Greg Belcamino is an avid fly fisherman and fly tier who has fished primarily in the Catskills for the last twenty years. He is also President of the Delaware Highlands Conservancy (www.delawarehighlands. org), a land trust active along the Upper Delaware River in both New York and Pennsylvania. A RIVER REPORTER MAGAZINE • 7
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R
ay Turner makes his living from the river of these catadromous fish begins a week or so thing to do are on hand to help Turner harvest and it takes a lot of work. In fact, if you either side of September 29 each year. A new his business inventory. want to talk with Turner, you talk with him moon and high muddy water gets things moving. while he is working. The main part of the run lasts just a few nights, Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em Turner’s hand-built smoker and smoke house “I’ve already done the preliminary evisceration. during which Turner can trap hundreds or even are next to his hand-built home, deli store and This is the second step, when I get the guts out,” thousands of eels. said the 64-year-old Turner, peering out from Turner freezes much of his autumn catch. He storage buildings, which are all in a place called Eel Weir Hollow, according to maps dated to the his thick gray-black beard and his full 1800s. Turner has built his business over length, brown leather work apron. “You the decades on the eel population and eel need to get your fingers underneath heritage of this place. He also smokes and the liver near the head, start from the sells salmon, trout, pheasant, shrimp, top and pull the guts out in one piece. I duckling, cornish hens and cheese. Lots designed this tool—a tablespoon with a of cheese. More than seven tons of cheese sharpened edge and two notches cut in since 2007. that fit around the spine—to scrape the Turner hot smokes the eels and most body cavity clean.” of his products. Hot smoking brings the The guts Turner is removing belong meat’s temperature to 145 degrees for to a sliced open, 27-inch long, 20-plusthe fish, 165 degrees for the fowl. Turner year-old Anguilla rostrata. It’s the snakecold smokes salmon and cheese. In cold like American eel native to local rivers smoking, product temperature cannot and now on its way to becoming one of exceed 90 degrees; cheese must be held Turner’s signature products—smoked to 70 degrees so it doesn’t melt. A civil eel—that he sells locally from his deep engineer by training, Turner rigged his woods deli shop and by mail across the smoke house to cold smoke products even United States. on the hottest summer day. Turner owns and is the only employee His smoke draws from five different of Delaware Delicacies Smoke House, kinds of sawdust—cross cut dry, cross cut located in a pine forest at the end of a green, joint cut dry, joint cut green and dirt road along the East Branch of the dry stump. He loves sawdust made from Delaware River outside of Hancock, apple wood and, in fact, uses nothing NY. The smoked eel business is yearelse. He will trade you a shopping bag round work. full of his products for a pick-up’s load of The blue plastic tub filled with Delaware Delicacies Smoke House apple wood. thawing eels that he’s gutting on this Turner works hard to make his living warm March afternoon were caught from the river. His customers appreciate in Turner’s mid-river, stone eel weir the previous cleans and smokes them in the winter and spring his hard work. “I do quite well,” said Turner, “but September during the eels’ annual autumn to keep a supply of smoked eel on hand for sale. “I spend the summer preparing for the run,” he it’s not easy work. Building weirs, I can haul a migration. For the eels that Turner traps, the migration begins in the pools and riffles above said. Turner described a process of stacking rocks couple of tons of stone a day. “I have no computer, no fax, no microwave, his property and ends, for those not caught by to build a V-shaped weir across the width of the no cell phone, no BlackBerry. I have tranquility, Turner or others along the way, in the Sargasso East Branch, and constructing a five-foot-wide by Sea, in the south central Atlantic Ocean, where 50-foot-long wooden fish trap at the downstream eagles, the river. I have my Chevy, a canoe and Anguilla mates and spawns and dies and starts point of the “V”, where the fish are caught in a sign.” “It’s a job that’s never done,” said Turner. “I love slated boxes and hauled in. Neighbors, friends the lifecycle anew. the job. It’s a journey.” According to Turner, the migration or run and guys who think trapping eels is a pretty cool
A Living from the River
Ray Turner’s
R a y Tu r n e r | D e l a w a r e D e l i c a c i e s S m o k e H o u s e | 4 2 0 R h o d e s R o a d | H a n c o c k , N Y 13 7 8 3 | 6 0 7/ 6 3 7- 4 4 4 3
TEXT and PHOTO: Tom Walek
Tom Walek is the founder of Walek & Associates, a financial and corporate public relations firm. An avid fly fisherman and Equinunk homeowner, Tom’s writings have appeared in Fly Fisherman magazine, Trout magazine and The Angling Report. A RIVER REPORTER MAGAZINE • 9
A Year-Round Fishery
Tro
Bass, shad, walleye, stripers, perch, eels
T
he Delaware boasts a variety of habitats that help nurture one of the most diverse year-round fisheries in the country. Many do not realize that the border waters of Pennslyvania and New York remain open for catch and release fishing year-round. The upper reaches are known for some of the best trout fishing in the East—large, wild brown and rainbow trout are as abundant in the cold waters as are the aquatic insects on which they feed, luring fly fishermen from across the country. They wade or float the river in droves, especially in the spring when the famous “Hendrickson” mayflies are hatching, bringing even the biggest of trout to the surface to feed. While spring is the best known trout season, the cold waters coming from the reservoirs keep the river water temperatures cold throughout the summer months, yielding one of the few trout streams in the East fishable even on the hottest of days. At times on the West Branch during the Sulphur hatch at Stilesville, you will see fly fishermen in 90-degree weather enter the fog-shrouded 40-degree river merely to jump back out after half an hour, mind-numbingly cold. Downriver as the water warms, fishermen seek out smallmouth bass water. “Smallies” were the predominant fish in the river prior to the creation of the Cannonsville and Pepacton reservoirs. While the river may not boast some of the larger examples of the species (fiveplus pounds), it makes up for this in the sheer population of bronzebacks down to Delaware Bay. Smallmouth are found in abundance in shallow rocky areas adjacent to deeper pools. Tenacious fighters and tasty on the plate, fishermen up and down the river target these aggressive predators both with flies and conventional fishing gear. Omnivorous,
TEXT and PHOTO: Bart Larmouth
10 FISH • 2012
Megan Dean holds her fish caught on the fly, a Delaware River smallmouth bass.
they love crawfish, hellgrammites, baitfish— virtually anything that moves, making them one of the more cooperative fish when it comes to taking a lure or fly. Anadromous fish (born in freshwater, migrating to the sea and returning to their birthplace to spawn) such as shad have been staples of human consumption for ages. Every spring, these fish migrate from the ocean far up the Delaware to procreate, giving fishermen along the way ample opportunity to catch these feisty forktails. Shad start their migration in Delaware Bay typically in late March, moving hundreds of miles upstream as far as river flow will allow. Shad roe is considered a delicacy by many, and there are “Shad Bakes” along the lower sections of the river, some with over a century of history behind them. Walleye are a highly sought-after species in the Delaware, boasting some of the best tasting, sweetest meat of any fish. They dwell in slow, deep pools and in the eddies behind submerged boulders, feeding primarily on baitfish and aquatic insects. This makes them perfect quarry for those who love to bait a hook and sit
quietly on shore or in a boat. Since they are a schooling fish, one good “honey hole” can yield a great night’s fish fry. The other attraction for walleye fishing is that while there may be an established “keep” season, it is a year-round fishery, with the fish being active even in the winter months. Famed for both their flesh and fight, striped bass are best known as an ocean fish, sought and caught off the shores and bays of the Atlantic. What is not common knowledge is that they are able to survive in conditions of fresh, salt and brackish water, and will readily follow bait and other food sources (like our above mentioned shad) well up into the fresh waters of the Delaware. While they typically are landed by anglers on the lowest stretches of the river, closest to the Delaware Bay, stripers have been caught as far north as Hancock, NY, where they find the local rainbow trout an excellent delicacy. Collecting in the larger pools and moving in schools, they quickly become the apex predator in any section of river they find themselves patrolling. There are plenty of others species found in the river, each with its own allure. Bluegill, yellow perch, crappie and other panfish are popular with the novice angler, as they are usually the first thing to grab our worm-wrapped hook as a youngster, and are prevalent up and down the river. Muskellunge, a.k.a. muskies, lurk in the slower back eddies and side channels, waiting for unsuspecting quarry to swim by. Large, ferocious and toothy, this “fish of a thousand casts” is notoriously hard to catch, and this challenge appeals to many experienced anglers. No matter what stretch anglers find themselves on, the entirety of the Delaware River is an amazing year-round fishery, and they will without doubt find a place to wet a line, as well as a species to target while there.
Bart Larmouth is the manager of the Delaware River Club (www.thedelawareriverclub.com), a fly fishing resort and guide service open to the public, where he once served as head instructor, resort assistant manager, and guide. A Colgate University alumnus, Bart began his fishing career on the Delaware River, which he considers his home waters.
Loss of a Riverbank Knotweed and other invasives
T
he globalization of our planet has enabled the trade of goods and services between nearly all countries around the world. With the addition of worldwide trade, there have been an ever increasing number of non-native plants and animals tagging along for the ride, or even deliberately introduced into our environment. The Upper Delaware River, regrettably, has been the recipient of several of these invaders. If you live or spend much time on the Upper Delaware River, you may have noticed that some sections of riverbank are now completely dominated by a tall bamboo-type plant. This plant is known as Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica). A native of Eastern Asia, Japanese knotweed was introduced in England in the 1800s and then brought to North America during the 1876 Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia. The pretty plumes of white flowers and fast growing nature of this plant provided height and interesting screens in the backyard garden. Knotweed stalks grow quickly in the spring to a height of about 10 feet. The wide leaves create a nearly complete canopy that shades the undergrowth. The effect on the riverbank is devastating. Native grasses have thousands of small roots that intertwine in the soil to create a stable riverbank that resists the erosive nature of the flowing river. Knotweed roots are large and create a lump or knot with exposed, unprotected soil all around. High spring flows wash all of that exposed topsoil down the river. How much topsoil, you may ask? The average cubic foot of top soil weighs about
75 pounds. Assuming an average of six inches of top soil under the grasses of a healthy riverbank and a patch of knotweed that is 100 yards long by 12 feet wide, if the topsoil under that knotweed washes away, that is 135,000 pounds—or seven tons. A patch a mile long and 12 feet wide would lose 1,200 tons. What does it all mean to those critters that live along the river? Flowing water is always changing and re-shaping the river channel. A stream channel is trying to become deeper and narrower. This is great for fish and, in particular, trout in the Upper Delaware. Deep, cool water is preferred by trout. Knotweed alters the natural progression of these changes. The loss of massive amounts of topsoil destabilizes the riverbank and tends to lead to wider and shallower river channels. A wider and shallower river results on much warmer summer water temperatures. Knotweed is very difficult to eradicate, but it can be controlled by various methods including a late spring frost; cutting and disposing so cuttings can’t sprout; creating a greenhouse effect with plastic; and chemical control. A new method of chemical control is a system that injects concentrated herbicide directly into stems. This is initially labor intensive, but is proving to be effective in eliminating a patch of knotweed. This has the added advantage of not harming other plants in the area. The bottom line is that you must be persistent and will probably need to employ several different types of control over a few seasons to completely eliminate this invasive pest.
The broad, heart-shaped leaves and bamboo-like segmented stems are classic to knotweed.
Notice the thin strip of original riverbank that has survived. Knotweed has allowed all of the topsoil to wash downriver, leaving only river cobble for over 100 feet back from the original riverbank.
Other Invasives Hogweed – A potentially dangerous invasive plant that resembles a giant Queen Anne’s Lace, this plant has a corrosive sap that can damage skin and eye tissue.
Purple Loosestrife – This invasive plant from Europe and Asia can completely overwhelm a wetlands habitat in a very short time. A single plant can produce over 2,000,000 seeds!
Didymo –Origin unknown, this is a diatom (algae like) that lives on the bottom of a stream. Blooms of this invader can completely choke a flowing stream. Lack of light and oxygen can choke out native species and destroy aquatic habitat.
For more information visit: http://1.usa.gov/IgZZQR | http://1.usa.gov/HyXKGs
TEXT and PHOTOS: Jim Serio
Jim Serio is a real estate broker in Hancock, NY. Jim established the Delaware River Foundation in 1998 to protect and enhance the cold water environment in the Upper Delaware River including combating invasives such as knotweed. A RIVER REPORTER MAGAZINE • 11
Cross Current Guide Service & OutÀtters FlyFishTheDelaware.com 607-241-7000
On the best wild trout fishery in the eastern US: “Joe D, 2010 Orvis Guide of the Year and “Coz” have put together the finest staff of professional fly fishing guides on the Upper Delaware, offering their guests and clients decades of experience, knowledge, hospitality and camaraderie.” Paul Weamer, author, “Fly Fishing Guide to the Delaware River”
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The Double Haul Club DoubleHaulClub.com Welcome to the “Double Haul Club.”™ The club shares with its members many benefits within the Upper Delaware River region plus national and international fly fishing destinations. Members receive private foot access to select properties and strategically located private boat launches on the Upper Delaware perfect for your canoe, kayak, pontoon or drift boat. Select “Participating Merchants” offer Double Haul members discounts from products to services. Our members aren’t just a group of fly fishers; they are friends and associates that are passionate about the river, fly fishing and all that they have to offer. For membership information call us: 607-241-7000. See you on the river!
12 FISH • 2012
Jim “Coz” Costolnick the original host of ESPN’s “In Search of Fly Water,” traveled the globe bringing the world of fly fishing into the living rooms of millions. For the past 10 years Coz has owned and operated Border Water Outfitters in Hancock, NY. “BWO” has 2500 sq. ft. of fly fishing tackle including over 700 fly patters to choose from. For the angler and non angler “BWO” offers kayak, canoe and drift boat rentals to enjoy the Delaware River and nearby reservoirs. Stop in or call us at 607-637-4296; Email bwo@hancock.net