Born from melting glaciers over 10,000 years ago, Esopus Creek became a haven for native brook trout. By the 1800s, artists and anglers flocked to its waters, but industry soon ravaged the land and fishery. Stocking of rainbow and brown trout in the 1880s revived the streams, inspiring Theodore Gordon’s “Catskill-style” flies and cementing the region as the birthplace of American fly fishing. The Ashokan Reservoir later shaped today’s fishery, now cared for by conservationists working to preserve its cold waters and enduring angling legacy.
Join Mark Klein owner of Rip Van Winkle Fly Fishing, who will lead an engaging class teaching technique, history, and why, “a bad day of fishing is better than a good day at work.”