HOOK, LINE + SPLENDID

WHEN YOU HEAD TO THE CATSKILLS to try to catch a trout, you’ve already made a good decision. This is the birthplace of American dry fly fishing, after all. The scenery is lovely, and there are more and more good bars and restaurants for when you’re off the water. You’ll find welcoming places to celebrate angling triumphs or nurse your wounds after the one that got away, which is a perfectly honorable part of the sport. Anglers come here for the great Delaware River (the East and West branches) flowing through the valley, and more intimate, beloved streams, like the Beaverkill and the Willowemoc.

The first thing everybody wants is a fly shop. Dette Flies is a legendary outpost owned by four generations of the Dette family, in business for nearly one hundred years. They’re right on Main Street in the revitalized town of Livingston Manor and open early every day, like any proper fishing outfitter. All their flies are tied here in the Catskills—you can appreciate their artful minimalism.

They’re so handsome you might not even want to fish with them, and they make great gifts. The staff at Dette can point you in the right direction if you’re fishing on your own, or connect you with a guide (if you give them some warning). You can also check their website for updates about local river conditions before you head up.

You can fish right on the Willowemoc, which runs through Livingston Manor. There are many signs for river access and easy places to park and wade. Or, float the Delaware, the majestic river that runs through the valley and defines the area. Fishing the Delaware means many hatches and rising, but very particular, fish. You’ll need long, careful drifts and a lot of patience to catch your trout. Many anglers have been confounded by casting to rising trout who adamantly refuse to take their fly. If you come up short, don’t be too hard on yourself. We’ve all been there before.

If you want to get a sense of the area’s history—or just moral support from fellow anglers—then head up the road to the Catskill Fly Fishing Center & Museum in Beaverkill. Exhibitions and the hall of fame celebrate legendary local anglers like Lee Wulff and Art Lee. You’ll see paintings, archival photographs, bamboo rods, ancient flies, all artfully presented. There’s a store and, if you’re lucky, you can snag the pale blue trucker hat that Jimmy Carter famously wore when he fished here.

On the edge of Livingston Manor is Upward Brewery, serving German-style pretzels, which pair well with the excellent pilsner. If you’re more of a wine person, stop by the superb Upstream Wines, just around the corner. There’s good brisket at Smoke House, overlooking over the Willowemoc. Around the corner, on Main Street, find Kaatskeller for pizza cooked over a wood fire.

The next town over, Roscoe, is known as Trout Town USA; you’ll find plenty of fly shops and The Hound Books. The Junction attracts a crowd of locals and anglers alike to its warm confines and intimate front porch for smoked trout spread and cocktails. If you want to go farther afield, try the much-acclaimed Phoenicia Diner, which fills up early on weekends.

The DeBruce is an elaborate place to stay, with an ambitious restaurant. They have a small private stretch of the Willowemoc, which is a good place to wade and get into the sport. The Beaverkill Valley Inn is right on the famous Beaverkill River. It’s close to the Wulff School of Fly Fishing, founded by Joan Wulff, queen of fly fishing, where you can learn the basics and get in the game.