Dad has jumped down to the river’s edge, nearly toppling into the chill glassiness. He is gently poking an object with a stick, turning it over and marveling at its size, the spatter of spots laid across its near-albino skin, the jagged wound jack-knifing across its back. The trout rocks silently in the mild current, keeper of its mysteries, as we discuss the possibilities regarding its demise. more

“I need to kill something,” my wife said to me as we juggle attempting to clean the house and preparing for work, church and half-a-dozen other family obligations taking place in the next few days. more

If you are along the river or a lake, you might notice some small ducks on the water. If they are close enough, or if you have binoculars, you will notice a lot of black-and-white bodies. Their small, chunky bodies are smaller than that of a mallard, and only about one pound in weight. This is the season of the buffleheads. more

Sometime in 1978, I received a call from Ed VanPut, letting me know that the Wulffs, Joan and Lee, had purchased the old Doubleday property on the upper Beaver Kill, where they planned to open a fly-fishing school. more

Gratitude is an attitude. But it’s also a practice that invites action. On that note, I take this opportunity to celebrate the community newspaper that you are either holding in your hands or reading online right now—the River Reporter. more

So much of living out here is based on opposing forces. How to prepare against these forces, or manage through them, is what makes a great homesteader. My regular readers will recall that my wife and I have a hearty flock of chickens, and if you’ve ever raised chickens on any scale, you’ll know there are quite a few of these forces to contend with. more

GRAHAMSVILLE, NY – Sullivan County Public Health is advising the public to stay away from wild animals and be vigilant of your surroundings while camping, hiking or playing in area parks near … more

With the arrival of fall comes the movement of many animals—birds are migrating, reptiles and amphibians that are still out are headed to winter hibernation spots, and many mammals are gathering mass or bulking up for the lean winter. more

BEACH LAKE, PA — If you’re going out on the Upper Delaware River this fall or winter—whether that’s in a boat, canoe or kayak—you will need a cold-water personal floatation device. more

An editor once told me in an email message that some of my writing occasionally tended toward melancholy. Looking back at a collection of the pieces that I’ve written for the River Reporter, I cannot take exception with that sentiment. more

Nosy neighbors know their neighborhoods. I refer to myself here, as I often wander slowly around my yard to see what my neighbors are up to. I’m not referring to the fellow human inhabitants, whose activities are typically more obvious—lawn-mowing, leaf-blowing and the like. The neighbors I find fascinating are those who share my experience here in more subtle ways. more

The planting season has all but passed us by for the year, and as we wrap up our over-winter planting and plot cleanup, one of the gratifying tasks left before the year ends is to spend the season’s profits on needed equipment and supplies for the coming year. more

This is not a fishing story, but a story about a bridge that is synonymous with a famous fishing place, the Esopus Creek. The Five Arches bridge, which links NYS Route 28 with Route 28A, has been a fixture since 1913, during the very period the Ashokan Reservoir was under construction. The reservoir was completed in 1915.  more

Most of us have seen the changing colors of fall during the past few weeks. more

As you may recall, at the end of my last column, I was on the eve of heading out to sea in pursuit of wild tuna. And while the goal was to catch fish to fill a freezer, there was always the possibility that that might not happen.  more

The nature of the Upper Delaware River region lies at the heart of what makes it so truly special—pristine waters, clean air, forested landscapes with a rich diversity of flora and fauna. These priceless features draw truly special people into the communities here, people with deep connections to the natural world and a passion for protecting it. more

Except for a few species that overwinter in a sheltered spot or underground, the majority of insects hatch out during the spring months. They go through their life cycles over the summer and into early autumn, and then the cold weather arrives. more

By now, large brown trout have begun their annual spawning migrations from the six large New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) reservoirs located in the Catskills. more

Hopefully you are already familiar with the exquisite work of the passionate nature enthusiast Lang Elliot, but if not, you are soon to experience some of the finest nature music of your life. more

I don’t recall ever writing a multi-part column before. I prefer to keep my stories concise and gratifying to the loyal reader as well as the perchance peruser. more