A check with the USGS website early Monday morning showed that the Beaverkill at Cooks Falls was flowing at 1010 cubic feet per second, and heading straight up the scale after Sunday night’s constant deluge of rain. Water levels raised from the previous afternoon’s flow of 207, where it had been near the average level over the past week. 

The water temperature also decreased from 74.5 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit, again due to the rainstorms. The Willowemoc also rose straight up, from Sunday afternoon’s reading of 67.2 cfs to 190 and rising, and weather forecasters are calling for a warm and rainy week ahead.

Fly hatches have been of the mid-summer variety, such as small Sulphurs in sizes #18-20, tiny Blue-Winged Olives in sizes #20-24 and some Light Cahills. Isonychias have been reported sporadically; this is a favorite hatch that starts back up in September.

Not to be discouraged by poor fishing conditions in the Beaverkill/Willowemoc area over the weekend, many spent a very enjoyable day at the Catskill Fly Fishing Center & Museum, located on the banks of the Willowemoc, between Livingston Manor and Roscoe. On Saturday morning, Joe Rist, of Trout Town Flies, held a Fly Fishing Clinic for Women.

10 women could be seen casting fly-rods in the field below the CFFC (most for the very first time) as you crossed the bridge over the Willowemoc.

Joe came up with the idea for these clinics when he opened up his Trout Town Flies Shop in Roscoe five years ago, explaining that he “tried to be creative. I’m the Dad of two daughters and I have a wife, and teaching fly-fishing to them didn’t go well - it’s like teaching driving as a parent to your kids, and so I thought I’d offer a few Women’s Fly-Fishing Clinics in June, July and August for free - all the equipment, flies, rods, reels, and waders are provided for free, the women just have to purchase a 1-day fishing license.” As can be imagined, “from the first year the women came, and after that it got stronger and stronger. 

We now have a waiting list for women to go out and try fly-fishing. It’s a great way to try it to see if it’s your cup of tea before making an investment.” Some may choose it’s not, but others are in - and may buy waders or a rod. Adding to the attraction of the class is that there are volunteer women instructors - “who love teaching women in the water, and have so much fun”.

 Saturday’s class was extended to 10 women “who really wanted to come” and so none were turned away. Joe provides casting instruction on the lawn, and when the class moves to the river, he walks up and down the stream to see how they’re making progress, perhaps suggesting they mend the line, follow their fly, etc.

The instructors that were on hand and in the river with their students were Kristy Ansbach, Christine Borelli, Johnene Loverich, Nancy Montgomery, and Mary Alice Puentes. Joe explains that these instructors “do this for free, they love teaching women fly-fishing, going in the water, showing them how to do this.” There will be one more Women’s Fly Fishing Class on August 9; Joe will “have to keep an eye on the river and the water temperature, but we can move over to the East Branch of the Delaware if necessary.” For more information, please visit TroutTownFlies.com

And over in the Wulff Gallery, CFFC&M Director of Operations, Laura Colangelo, was the Guest Fly-Tyer. She loves tying the classic Catskill fly patterns, and is a beautiful tyer, having had excellent mentors at Dette Flies and under the expert tutelage of Seth Cavarretta, who stopped by to say hello.

 On this day, Laura demonstrated how she ties two patterns, the Abel Mabel and the Joan Wulff Special, both celebratory flies that were created for the Woman FlyFishers Club by Ed Van Put - the Able Mabel in 1992 for the Club’s 60th Anniversary and the Joan Wulff Special in 2022 for the Club’s 90th Anniversary celebrations.

The Able Mabel was created to honor Mabel Ingalls, one of the original founding members of the Woman FlyFisher’s Club back in 1932. Ed chose red-brown and grizzly hackle mixed for the hackle as he “was a big fan of the Adams” and used mink fur for the dubbing, as he felt was befitting for the “panache” of the granddaughter of J.P. Morgan:

The Able Mabel:

Hook: #12 Mustad 94840

Thread: Black silk 8/0

Wings: Flank feathers of a drake wood duck

Tail: Dark brown or chocolate hackle fibers

Body: Mink fur dubbing (a few guard hairs left in)

Hackle: One natural red-brown and one grizzly hackle wound together

Ribbing: Amber cotton thread

Head: Black silk

The Joan Wulff Special was created to honor Joan Wulff, legendary fly caster, winner of championships both as a teenaged amateur and professional, including becoming the first woman to win the National Fisherman’s Distance Fly Championship with a long cast of 136 feet against all-male competition! Joan is a long-time close friend of Ed’s, and also a long-time member of the Woman FlyFishers Club. Ed tied the Joan Wulff Special in the typical classic Catskill style, using wood duck wings, grizzly and light blue dun hackle, and fox fur:

The Joan Wulff Special:

Hook: #12 Mustad 94840

Thread: Black wilk 8/0

Wings: Wood duck flank

Tail: Light blue dun

Body: Fox belly fur, cream and gray mixed

Hackle: Grizzly and light blue dun wound together

Head: Black silk