Not Always About the Fish It’s about New Friends And Old Places I have called The Croton Watershed in Southeastern New York my home fishing waters since I started fly fishing over 18 years ago. The rivers and reservoirs are just one part of The New York City water supply system. I have had some unforgettable experiences here, but one I will truly remember is the day in November 2013 I spent fishing with someone who is attached and loves the system as much as I do. Bill Elliott had sent me a Facebook message saying he recognized an area on the East Branch of The Croton River in Brewster, N.Y., from one of the pictures on my Facebook Page. He explained that he was the Vice President of The Croton Chapter of Trout Unlimited in the mid to late 1970’s and how he had worked with the New York State DEC and TU to rebuild the river. First, they began a new stocking program of fingerling brown trout, instead of the put and take stocking program that was in place. Once the state had changed the stocking, new regulations were put into place. Bill and TU faced some opposition, especially from within the DEC, and they fought to have one officer removed, and had to win over another to enforce the regulations. He also told me how the abundant food supply had helped the browns to grow to 20 inches in a little over 3 years, and they had transformed the river into of the best brown trout rivers in the state at that time. In April 2013, he let me know that he would be in the area in the fall, and that he wanted to fish the East Branch with me. In the time until November, we talked on a regular basis about the river and its history, along with our personal fishing experiences there. Bill fishing The East Branch in the late 1970’s
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