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There's still good fishing to be had!

Judy Van Put - Columnist
Posted 10/21/19

We finally received some good rains this past week to raise the water in our rivers and streams to a more fishable level. It was heartening to see the Willowemoc full again on this week's daily jogs …

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There's still good fishing to be had!

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We finally received some good rains this past week to raise the water in our rivers and streams to a more fishable level. It was heartening to see the Willowemoc full again on this week's daily jogs with our beagle. The gigantic knotweed, now drooping from the recent frosts, formed a bower of gold and bronze on our walk underneath to observe the river. And the Beaverkill was quite a bit above the average flow for this time of year, cresting at about 4750 cfs last Thursday morning.

Although the regular trout fishing season has ended, there is still good fishing to be had thanks to Special Regulations; in particular, the “No-Kill” catch and release stretches on the Beaverkill and Willowemoc.

The No-Kill areas are very popular and are located on the lower portions of these waters, where wild trout are much less prevalent, and successful spawning rarely takes place. The hatchery fish that are stocked in the No-Kill survive and grow, due to the abundant food supply of insects and minnows; they provide excellent fishing long into the autumn and even beyond. In general, an eight-inch hatchery fish stocked in April will reach the 12-inch size range the following year, and the next year can be 14+ inches in the No-Kill.

The history of these special regulations dates back to the early 1960s, after the NYS Conservation Department noticed a decline in trout fishing on the Beaverkill. A survey conducted by fisheries biologist Russell D. Fieldhouse in 1964 showed that very few wild trout were being caught compared to hatchery fish stocked that year, and in an attempt to improve the fishery and keep more trout in the river, he instituted a special regulation on a two-mile stretch of the lower Beaverkill.

Originally dubbed “fish for fun,” it was initially unpopular with a number of anglers, as it required all trout caught to be released back to the water unharmed. The regulations area extended downstream from the head of Barnhart's Pool to the old railroad bridge. The Conservation Department saw that the experiment was greatly successful in keeping more fish available to anglers in the river, despite opposition from many local residents and sportsmen.

But a few years later, spurred on by the success of bringing back good fishing in the Beaverkill, fisheries biologist William H. Kelly decided to expand the concept of “No-Kill” onto the lower Willowemoc, and discussed the idea with fishermen, landowners and civic groups. In 1969 he instituted a special “No-Kill” regulation on the Willowemoc and, as it did on the Beaverkill area, successfully brought back great trout fishing.

The “No-Kill” areas became very popular with anglers far and wide, and in 1971 the regulation was altered to prohibit the use of bait, and limit anglers to fish with artificial lures only. Catches of a dozen or even twenty good sized 12 - to - 15-inch trout during an afternoon or evening's fishing trip became common; and by the mid-1970s the Special Regulations “No-Kill” areas were expanded to more than eight miles.

Today it's not uncommon to see license plates from states all across the country in the No-Kills, as Beaverkill and Willowemoc “regulars” travel far and wide to fish their favorite stretches of river, knowing that they will be fishing over trout no matter what month they come to fish.

Current No-Kills may be fished year-round, with artificial lures only, and all fishing is catch-and-release.

Judy Van Put is a long-time member of the NYS Outdoor Writers Association, and is the recipient of the New York State Council of Trout Unlimited's Professional Communications Award.

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