Upstate NY Trout: Small Streams, High Water And Wild Rainbows

by | Fresh Water

Trout Stream Video

Over the past year, I have had the chance to chat and fish with many of the members of this website. Normally, there is considerable distance between us and the most we can get together is once in a while. However ,one member I have met and fished with once or twice actually lives the same distance, granted in the opposite direction, from one of the places I fish and would like to get to know better. This past weekend, as I was heading over to my chosen destination, I recieved a phone call from ChrisR. He was currently fishing the same river that I had in mind and he was hooking some small fish. We decided in an impromptu strategy session that we would meet and tackle one of the smaller tributaries of the system and 45 minutes later we were in waders and making our way up a small stream. The water was full of wild rainbows ranging from 3 to 10 inches and as is customary with wild rainbow trout, they took flies with regularity. It was bead head nymph/indicator fishing and we plunked the pockets and chuckled as we hand stripped our prizes. Once in a while a stout 8-9 incher would charge out of the deeper pockets and jump skyward giving us a good show. In the afternoon, we made our way down to the main river and caught some bigger fish, the same way. About an hour after Chris and I parted ways, the big river gave up a real prize. A silver bullet of 19 inches which left me visibly shaken and not from the approaching thunderstorm. Those storms left our day 2 plans in the air and we hit another system only to find rising water (Shocker, in upstate NY this year) and willing browns. The hatch did come off on the night of day 2 but the color of the water must have kept the fish down. It was great to fish with Chris again and with someone from this website. It’s just fun to find new water, good get out with people who are like-minded and ready for any adventure which may come their way.

7 Comments

  1. jeremy on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    shaq,

    i gotta be honest .. that rainbow pictured in the video is awesome … healthy looking, all his fins and nicely colored fins .. no deformities from growing up in a stocking tank (smashed up mouth, missing or clipped fins, stub tails) … so, for me, i would love to sneak a trip into some of those streams with you … hey, size is relative to what the target species is .. so, if i am fishing to wild rainbows and browns in tiny little crystal clear streams and i get a dozen or so 10 inches or under but the shot at one 19 inch fish …. that would be amazing … do those water temps reman cool throughout july and august? if so, i often go to the vermont area for work .. and would love to hook up for an after-work, evening fly fishing session…

    actually – i did that with chrisr one time in super early spring on the battenkill …but we were jumping the gun and it was still way to cold … so next time i am in that area .. i will let you guys know and maybe you guys can let me tag along … would love to try some new water other than the battenkill …(although, i have still yet to learn how to fish that effectively … i get skunked there often) … great post … that 19″ rainbow was really nice … thanks.

  2. wrh on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Shaq,
    Another outstanding video. The music set the tone of the wild action, nothing better than wild fish. It is a blast to fish new water for wild fish and the process of unlocking the mysteries of new water. I look forward to more outings and video in the future. Meeting new people of like mind and new water is as good as it gets.

  3. ChrisR on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    It was a pleasure fishing with you again Geoff. I’m definitely looking forward to exploring more of those waters with you as well. I was pleased how we found that trib stacked up with all those small rainbows. It proves that the health of that water system is improving. And that big bow you got after I left is a very sweet fish indeed. I’m sure we’ll find a lot more like that the more we fish it. Gotta love those nice wild fish. Even the little guys fight a little more than the stockies seem to. Jer you got my number dude. Next time your in VT give me a shout and we’ll definitely do some fishing. The larger river in that system runs at about the same temps as most all the other large rivers. So fishing is more productive in the early moring and evenings. That little trib was very cold though. Just as long as it has water (not a problem this year), it should stay nice through August. We pretty much fished the small cool trib during the hot afternoon hours. It definitely didn’t bother the rainbows. They were after those nymphs hard.

  4. Shaq on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Jeremy, the invite is open and if I am available, it would be my pleasure to show you around my stomping grounds.

    give me a weeks notice and we’ll go where the flows and fish dictate us.

  5. waterwhippa on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    That water looks sick. The fish are extremely healthy. Great video.

  6. Darthwader on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Once again, you manage to capture what it is all about. You still make those who fish with you look great on video, however, I am on to you ! I recognize that crappy Batenkill reel in all those pictures, that is your rod and those are your fish ! Just how many of those fish were caught on power bait (laughs) Nice work. See you on the “BIG D”.

  7. Shaq on November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Oh boy, a new member. Sorry guys, that’s my fault! hahaha. Darthwader, as he cleverly calls himself, is my roommate from College and he has delusions of being there for my first trout and stuff. When he’s off his meds he rants and raves, thinks I’m his wife…Deep down he knows that Battenkill reel has caught more fish than he’s lied about. Welcome aboard…Darthwader!! You can see Darthwader in my Delaware video. He’s all the dead weight in the front of the canoe in the beginning.