The Beaverkill; The History of a River and its People

by Ed Van Put; Introduction by John Merwin

• ISBN13: 9781585746910
• ISBN10: 1585746916
• Format: Trade Paper
• Copyright: 2002-11-01
• Publisher: Lyons Press

Summary

An in-depth history of America's most famous trout stream.

Author Biography

Ed Van Put was for many years a fisheries professional with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, beginning in 1969. His numerous articles have appeared in Trout, Fly Rod & Reel, The Conservationist, and Fly Fisherman. He lives in the Catskills.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	ix
Introduction	xi
John Merwin
Maps of the Watershed	xiii
Part I
America's Stream	1	(5)
``The People at the Rising of the Sun''	6	(7)
Whelenaughwemack, Pioneers, and Rafting Days	13	(6)
Steamboats, Stagecoaches, Trout-Finishing Tourists	19	(4)
The Troutist	23	(7)
James Spencer Van Cleef---A Beaverkill ( and Sand Pond) Reminiscence	30	(6)
``Scarcely Less Famous Than the Beaverkill''	36	(3)
``Wagon Fishermen''	39	(4)
Tanneries	43	(5)
Pigeon Fever	48	(7)
``The Trout are Playing Out''	55	(6)
Unlimited Trout	61	(5)
Beecher, Burroughs, and Buntline	66	(11)
Clubmen	77	(8)
No More Free Fishing	85	(7)
``Who Would Not Be a Game Protector?''	92	(7)
Part II
Enter Salmo Fario	99	(8)
``Beware the Brown Trout''	107	(4)
The ``Big River''	111	(6)
William Keener and Louis Rhead	117	(9)
Creating New Trout Waters	126	(12)
The Falls Lot	138	(8)
``Dancing Feather Creek''	146	(5)
Acid Factories	151	(10)
Fish Hatchery Folly	161	(8)
From Sunken Fly to Floating Fly	169	(10)
Catskill Style	179	(10)
Part III
``The Kettle That Washes itself Clean''	189	(5)
``Day Trippers''	194	(4)
The Best of Times	198	(9)
A. J. McClane and ``The Turnwood Years''	207	(8)
A Siren Along the Beaverkill	215	(3)
Pools and Eddies	218	(10)
The Dry Fly Takes Off	228	(3)
The Catskill School	231	(20)
Fish Management and the Search for Public Fishing	251	(10)
Protecting the Resource	261	(12)
Addendum	273	(10)
Bibliography	283	(8)
Index	291