I grew up fishing. Believe it or not, I logged more hours sitting in the bottom of an aluminum Grumman canoe than most kids do on a soccer field. "Shhh. You'll scare the fish." I would sit quietly for hours, my legs cramping, alternating between casting and daydreaming. It's not as bad as it sounds actually. I liked winding around the coves of a big lake listening to the water drip, drip, dripping from the wooden paddle that balanced across the boat. And the fishing ... it wa

The town of Rockland has an embarrassment of riches. Two well-stocked hamlets, twin fly fishing rivers and plenty of secrets to discover. With so many dominant hamlets, no one really even mentions Rockland by name. The hamlets include Anderson, Beaverkill, Craigie Clair, De Bruce, Deckertown, Grooville, Hazel, Joscelyn, Livingston Manor, Lew Beach, Morsston, Parkston, Rockland and Roscoe. It's quite a family of destinations! Where do we go from here? From Rockland, head to th

3 Ragin Road, Beaverkill, NY nycoveredbridges.org/beaverkill The Beaverkill Covered Bridge, completed in 1865 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2007, is the centerpiece of this hamlet. Once the hub for the area’s hide tanning boom due to its proximity to an abundance of Eastern Hemlocks and clean flowing water, the bridge recently completed a multi-year, comprehensive renovation to restore it to its historic glory. The bridge presides over a lovely fish

If you can't get outfitted for fishing in Trout Town, you can't get outfitted anywhere. Try one of these -- or both -- for gear, guides, advice and conditions reports. The Beaverkill Angler 64 Stewart Ave., Roscoe, NY (607) 498-5194 beaverkillangler.com @beaverkillangler This is the official Orvis shop. You can get outfitted from waiters to pole to cap here. Catskill Flies 6 Stewart Ave., Roscoe, NY (607) 498-6146 catskillflies.com Choices everywhere and passions abound. More

Beaverkill Road, Hardenburgh, NY 2.5 miles down from Lew Beach, NY (845) 439-5020 wulffschool.com #wulffschool Joan Wulff and her late husband, Lee, both legends in the fly fishing world, started the Wulff School in 1979, which still welcomes students to learn to cast and fish in April, May and June. The school's 100-acre property includes casting ponds and access to the nearby famed Beaverkill River. Now run by Sheila Hassan, a casting expert hand-picked by Joan, and a stabl

22 Alder Creek Road, Hardenburgh, NY (845) 439-4947 @beaverkilltrouthatchery Guess what? Trout is the new lobster. You will find it on fine-dining menus far and wide. And the premier place to get it? Right here! Fred Shaver started the hatchery as a hobby in 1963, and now it supplies delicious trout to restaurants and to clubs wishing to stock their rivers and ponds with the sporty fish. The hatchery, still part of the Shaver family, boasts a casting and catching pond and som