Things To Do Around Roscoe NY

I know this is a fishing site however sometimes you might need to “bring the family” somewhere for a week or weekend. I’ve found that many of our customers bring their family to the hills for the weekend but in the back of their mind are always trying to sneak away and fish. This article is for you, the one who wants to keep the spouse and family happy and still get your arm into a cast.

Hiking Near Roscoe New York

Roscoe has many hiking locations within close proximity of town that will blow your mind. My favorite three are Russell Brook Falls, Balsam Lake Fire Tower and Janson Ledges.

Russel Brook Falls is a short hike and only 10 minutes from Roscoe NY Main Street. Russell Brook falls is easily traveled to by leaving Roscoe and head north on Rockland Road also called CR-7. About two miles up CR-7 you will pass Roscoe Brewery, Rockland House, Courtyard Resturant and Bar, Roscoe Nursing Home until you cross over the Beaverkill River. Upon crossing the Beaverkill take an immediate left hand turn on Morton Hill Road. Morton Hill Road begins as a paved road and then to a manicured dirt road. After a few miles up hill there will be a dirt roads that drops off to the left called Russel Brook (no signage.) Upon taking this left the parking lot will be a few hundred yards down on the right. Upon arriving make sure to read the welcome sign. The falls are only about a five minute hike. Be careful for slippery rocks near the falls.

Russel Brook Falls Waterfall Information — Russell Brook Falls View

Balsam Lake Fire Tower was found by us by accident. We were looking for brook trout on the upper Beaverkill and came across a trailhead. It did not disappoint. This is the farthest hike of the 3 away from Roscoe NY time wise but not mile wise. The drive is amazingly beautiful as it winds up the most famous section of the Beaverkill River.

Balsam Lake Fire Tower Hike — Balsam Lake Fire Tower View

To get there head southeast on CR-7 towards Livingston Manor. Before you make it to Livingston Manor take a left on Beaverkill Road. You will be on Beaverkill Road until the end.

At the end of Beaverkill Road there will be a parking area and trailhead. Please read the sign and follow all of the rules. This is a kind of long hike and would take a normal pace person half a day to get up and back to the car. Please plan accordingly.

Jensen Ledges is our third and final recommended hike. Jensen ledges is a steep hike and could be dangerous if not careful. The hike meanders 2.8 miles up a steep cliff along the Delaware River near Lordville NY. The hike features a small stream with small but pretty waterfalls. Upon reaching the top you are treated with a million dollar view of the Main Stem of the Delaware River. This is another half day hike with the family or friends.

Alpaca Farm

Buck Brook Aplaca Farm is only 5 minutes from Roscoe NY. It is a GREAT place to bring kids, friends or family with you.

Buck Brook was founded in 2013. It is one of the most visited places in Roscoe NY. With over 50 Alpacas on the premises you will be an expert by the end of your tour. We go a few times a year and really enjoy feeding the Alpacas apples and shopping in the gift shop. To learn more visit Buck Brooks Alpaca online.

Tubing and Canoeing East Branch of Delaware

Located in Downsville New York there is an outfitter called Al’s Sport Shop. It is located below the dam of the Pepacton Reservoir. Al who is a fine gentleman will rent canoes, kayaks and tubes. We recommend the shorter float for youngsters on tubes and for the older kayak and canoe users we recommend the longer float. Please follow all rules as it can be dangerous.

Always check the RIVER FLOWS before planning your trip.

East Branch Delaware River Canoe, Tube and Kayak — East Branch Delaware Canoe and Kayak

Breweries Near Roscoe NY

Roscoe has 3 world class breweries within a 10 minute drive!

Roscoe Beer Company has some of the best vibes in the Catskills. It also has delicious beer! With outdoor seating and over 10 fresh brews on tap it is a great place to meet up with friends or family. It has outdoor games for the little ones and also offers a great selection of food.

Roscoe Beer Company Roscoe NY — Roscoe Beer Company

Catskill Brewery is located in between Roscoe and Livingston Manor. It has a taproom and outdoor seating. Although it doesn’t have the glitz or glam of the other two on this list, the beer is AMAZING.

Visit Catskill Brewery — Catskill Brewery

Upward Brewery is the newest of the three. They have an amazing piece of property with hiking trails a huge taproom and a pond. This is the most “hipster” of the three and one of the Crown Jewels of Livingston Manor. The beer is good the food is good and the atmosphere is great.

Upward Brewery Livingston Manor NY — Upward Brewery

Overview

Whether you want to hike, kayak or spend a day at the brewery all three options make for great memories. Always remember to follow the rules when hiking or kayaking and if you hit the breweries make sure you have a designated driver!

January 21, 2021January 6, 2023

Cold Front About to Grip Catskills

Over the next few days the Catskill Region and Upper Delaware River System will see extreme winter temperatures. What will this mean for the Delaware River System? Let’s see…

Seven Day Forecast

Over the next seven days we will be lucky to get the mercury over the freezing mark. It feels like the sun has had its mask on for about a month now. The sky is gray and the ground is hard and icy.

As the winter temperatures fall you will see the rivers “lock up” a bit. The edges will freeze and runoff melt will seize. As you will see looking at the flows charts, any new runoff that was destined for the river will freeze. Shelf ice is inevitable with these extreme winter temperatures. .

What does this mean for fishing?

Fishing will get very very tough for the angler. The ice on the tip of the rod will make it tough to fish for a long time. The fish will drop into the deepest holes and be glued to the bottom. Indicator nymphing deep slow holes with an indicator is your best bet.

January 20, 2021January 6, 2023

Best Delaware River Articulated Streamer

My good friend and mentor George Cherundolo and I experimented with Kelly Galloup’s Boogieman Streamer over the past decade. Together George and I have tested many articulated streamers on the Delaware River System and this my friends is it!

Why the Boogieman Fly?

The Boogieman is the perfect eastern river streamer. Tied with lead eyes to get the fly down fast when slapping banks is crucial. However making it dance is the second part of the equation. To be blunt, this fly gets down and dances very quick.

Boogieman Fly Best Delaware River Streamer

George and I have dubbed the fly above the “green machine.” As George would say “this fly is a killer.” We will usually start with green and mix it through the color spectrum. Sometimes darker in the brown and black and sometimes lighter in the white to tan areas.

Boogieman Fly in White, Best Delaware streamer

Size of Fly

The size of the Boogieman is also perfect. From 3.5” to 4.5” it will almost get chewed on by any size trout. We have landed fish at or above the 24” mark and also have taken smaller fish with a big appetite.

How to Fish It

When fishing these from a drift boat in high water it is essential to hammer the little pockets and back eddys. Upon your fly arriving in the spot, one big mend allows the weighted fly to sink into the strike zone without leaving the bank. Upon mending the angler will strip the fly back with the tip of the rod in the water. This will almost create a fool proof way of streamer fishing. With aggressive strips away from the bank the trout will most often set themselves due to the force of the strip. As long as your rod and line are not bowed from the current, the angler will have a direct connection to the fish.

History of the Boogieman Fly

Kelly Galloup introduced the Boogieman in 2010. This fly will catch almost any fish that eats other fish and has been a staple in many guides boxes since its inception. This fly closely imitates the Heifer Groomer however has a few minor tweaks. The lead eyes and wool head give it profile and weight, while the cactus chenille and barred feathers make it come alive in the water.

January 19, 2021January 6, 2023

Catskill Mountains State of the Rivers 1-19-2021

Each year spring time river conditions happen due to the snowfall and winter conditions months earlier. Here we are a few months before the season. Actually to be exact it is 72 days away.

Currently the 2021 season is lining up just right. We have decent snow pack in the hills, the rivers are above average flow and the reservoirs are all at or above historic statistical averages.

What’s this mean?

Going into a season having full reservoirs is crucial to the longevity of a season. More water means happy fish and more water also spreads out the fishing pressure across a system. More water also means that some spots will only be accessible by drift boat. Which is the age old debate of the wade angler vs the oarsmen.

Below is a snapshot taken just now of the NYC Environmental Protection gauges, measuring the Catskills and Westchester Reservoirs.

Snow Pack

On the higher elevations around our rivers we have a stead 4”-8” of ice and snow. It has been cold and cloudy for at least going on a month now. Days in the 30’s are beginning to feel “warm.” The snow and ice is locked in tight and not going anywhere soon.

The current snow pack is good for now, however if we want a prolonged season we will need another good snowfall before March is over. The positive is that the snow base is already in place to hold any fresh accumulations.

River Conditions

I drove around above the reservoirs this weekend as well as the East Branch, West Branch and Beaverkill. All of the rivers are juicing! The trout have to be happy with this big water.

The only side note about the rivers is I noticed that the tributary mouths have almost all been washed out. Some of these streams are major breeder streams as seen in the RFID chip tagging study. Without access to these small feeders the trout reproduction success falls.

This past fall the rivers were very low. It was early October and I had just departed the West Branch Angler. We were throwing streamer when all of a sudden halfway down monument pool we came across hundreds of brown trout on their Redds. We pulled over and had lunch while admiring this spectacle from a safe distance.

I have seen fish spawn in the river over the past decade however not in this amount. Is this because they can’t enter the tributaries due to the stream mouths being blocked?

Recap

The resovoirs and river levels are good for this time of year. We could benefit with a heavy snowfall in mid to early March. The spawning streams need to be tweaked to allow access before riparian growth begins in the spring. It’s about to get to single digits next week.