The Neversink River - Conserving American Fly-Fishing History

 

Play a movie of the Neversink River in New York, where fly-fishing was born

Watch this video to learn how the Conservancy restored the Neversink River, permitting ocean-going fish to return to their natural spawning grounds.
(QuickTime, 4.3MB)

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The Birthplace of American Fly-Fishing

The dark, cold waters of the Neversink River begin high in the Catskill Mountains, tumbling over boulders as they rush through eastern New York’s verdant forests. And in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Neversink became the birthplace of American fly-fishing.

Fishermen have been attracted for generations to the Neversink’s more than 40 fish species, including trout, American shad, striped bass and American eel. But to early American anglers — who were used to the smooth currents of English chalk streams — the swift currents of this wild river posed a unique challenge.

While fishing on the Neversink, Theodore Gordon (an upstate New York native) realized that the flies he was using imitated English insects, not American ones. Furthermore, his flies were not designed for such fierce waters.

In response, Gordon developed new flies that mimicked American insects and were tailored to American waters. These flies—the most famous of which was the Quill Gordon—led to a uniquely American methodology that forever changed the sport of fly-fishing.

How the Conservancy is Preserving the Neversink

But man-made alterations have severely disrupted the river’s natural flow over the decades, restricting migrating fish from reaching their ancient spawning grounds and causing a decline in fish populations.

The Nature Conservancy recently undertook a massive project with the Army Corps of Engineers to remove the Cuddebackville Dam from the river, opening up nearly 30 miles of fish spawning habitat.

Conservancy scientists are also working to restore the river to its original glory and our staff is collaborating with state, federal and local authorities to reduce alterations to the natural flow of the Neversink caused by the Neversink Reservoir Dam.

Go Deeper

Removing the Cuddebackville Dam

See how the Conservancy expanded fish spawning habitat on the Neversink.

Online Field Guide for the Neversink

Explore how we’re restoring the birthplace of American fly-fishing.