I've been dry fly fishing for 20+yrs and hired Todd as a guide to step up my nymphing game. He's a…read moremaster. An absolute wealth of knowledge, patience, zero pretense, great sense of humor and such a pleasure to spend the day with. The shop is great. Well-curated and stocked with only what you need and not a bunch of bells and whistles nonsense. Totally recommend both the shop and the guiding service.

From the owner: All you need to fly fish the Catskills and beyond! We are a full service guiding company. Call us…read moreto book your trip today!

My son and I were supposed to be with a guide from another county and realized I had misbooked the…read morelocation. I am familiar with the Phoenicia area but I had never stopped in this place. The proprietor, Paul, was so gracious and informative. At the time, the Esopus was down , as were trout. He recommended rivers where we were actually staying, even showed us how to access them. He recommended flies and techniques. I've been out with a few guides here and there but this gentleman was off the charts superb and NICE! So nice, that we are returning in the Fall to go out with him on the Esopus. He is the kind of guide I look forward to being out with. Remember, I had not been out yet but can't wait.

Paul is my go-to fishing guide in the Catskills. He has guided me twice now; last year we did a…read morehalf day in the summer, and last weekend we did a full day with a friend of mine. On both guided days I learned a TON, fished harder than I ever had before, and ended the day a significantly better angler than I started. Oh, and both times we landed a bunch of fish! He's extremely personable, a great teacher, knows the water like the back of his hand, and a really fun guy to be on the creek with.

Serene little spot in the Catskills of upstate New York. Perfect place to enjoy nature on the…read moretrails or on their surprisingly large lake. My girlfriend and I spent a few hours here on a Sunday afternoon in May. If you rent a boat you can keep it out as long as you want, and you have access to the whole property for the entire day. We spent awhile in kayaks and had the whole lake to ourselves for the entire time. We then spent some time down at the swimming hole and had that to ourselves as well. Everyone who works there was incredibly friendly and helpful. Beautiful day overall and the perfect end to a perfect weekend getaway.

Oh what a magical experience. My boyfriend Tom and I kayaked the lake that the owner Jim so kindly…read moreadvised us of all the animal population. Birds, turtles, fish, beaver dams. It was so wonderful we came back a second day, and took use of the grounds by the swimming hole. You truly felt like you were on another planet. It was amazing and will revisit!

It's a ripoff ! $ 30 to fish the lake , $30 for the rowboat…read more,$ 30 electric motor. If I'm renting your boat why should I have to pay $30 just fish ? Don't get me wrong I understand times are hard , and what makes it so bad you're not guaranteed to catch any fish . Don't get me wrong very nice people , will I go back there again , I don't think so . If you do go , bring extra cash with you , this lake is all about the money .

This is one of the best lakes you can fish in the catskills. The family who runs the lake is very…read morevery nice, I go there around 2-3 times per year because of how great the fishing is. There is a charge for the lake but there should be as they own the land and want to make a few bucks. I have no issue paying their fees to fish such a great lake!!!

Live this tranquil wooded lake. So calming to get there early am and just sit and gaze across the…read morelake and beautiful surroundings

Lake is amazing, beautiful and pet friendly. Go early as the sunbathing/swimming area fills up fast…read more. Well worth the trip

I would highly recommend this guide service! Brian was awesome! He was very knowledgeable and was…read moregreat at sharing his know how with us. He was also patient and put us at ease right away. We still are talking about how great our trip was, thanks to Brian!

I highly recommend Brian Foster and his company Reel Catskills! He provided me with a fly fishing…read morelesson that included time on the water practicing what we had just learned. He was patient and VERY knowledgeable. His passion for fishing on the Delaware County waterways is incredible! Don't miss out on your chance to learn a new skill! Thanks Reel Catskills!!!

Amazing easy/moderate hike in. No idea it existed and not that far away from Troy/Albany…read more Surprisingly big waterfalls and rock formations. Was told cause of all the rain it was not normally as high. Really peaceful. Thankfully no trash or other distractions from people. Will be back many times I'm sure.

I almost don't want to write a review for this conservation area because then it could become…read moreinundated with people. Simply put, you don't have to walk very far for some incredible views. We visited right after a heavy summer rainstorm so the trail right down to the falls was a bit hard to traverse (high water, slippery rocks, etc) but it was worth the treachery. But you don't have to hitch yourself down to get the full magic of these falls, you can also go for a slightly longer walk to see them at eye level. If you're visiting close to the Hudson area, a visit to the High Falls Conservation Area should be on your list! Then grab a drink in town.

It's a small manmade lake with beautiful views of the Catskills mountains. Perfect for a hot…read moresummer day. They rent canoes, and paddle boats. There's also a small playground. The food is nothing special... standard fast food and ice cream, etc. This place is fun for everyone and an inexpensive way to spend a day especially if you have kids. There were lots of people there but it didn't feel crowded. The beach was clean and the water was clear and refreshing. If you're adventurous and have the time, there is a lengthy hike that is connected to the complex that goes all the way to the top of the Belleayre Mountain.

Not even a Lake...more a pond...pretty sure man made. Beach a small strip of sand that obviously…read moreman made too...scenery stunning Catskill Mountains Pond water dark brown, green and gross I WOULD DEFINITELY NOT RECOMMEND!

Just camped here again and was extremely impressed with the cleanliness of this campground. The…read morebathrooms and showers were meticulous, and every campsite in loop 4 was flat and well-maintained, perfect for any tent. While we were here, we saw staff removing tree roots that were impeding the campsite next to ours. I also appreciate that the DEC drives around and ensures that campers are abiding by the fire and bear safety rules and wish that other NYS parks did the same. There was SO much wildlife we saw just on the grounds - friendly deer, baby turkeys, and baby ducks. We were fortunate to have a few nights here without any neighbors and it was so serene and beautiful even in intense rain and fog. There are boat and canoe rentals on South Beach, and so many hiking trails that lead to breaktaking views. I really can't say enough good things about this campground and am already looking forward to our next trip here!

I don't normally write reviews especially a negative one. We had a very upsetting experience at…read moreNorth-South Lake. We drove over two hours to visit my husband's childhood campground for the first time with our three kids (ages 5, 7, and 9). When we arrived at the entrance, we were asked if it was a day visit, and we said yes, we were only staying for the day. We paid the fee, received a map, and drove in. My husband was so excited to finally share this place and create memories with our children. Looking for a place to park, we thought we were lucky to find an empty campsite in one of the loops where he used to camp as a child. We parked the car hoping to enjoy the view of the lake, take a walk, and maybe make the kids a couple of s'mores before heading home. At around 2:15-2:30 p.m., the "SUPERVISOR" in the white Kia approached us in an extremely rude and nasty manner, speaking as if we were committing a serious crime and comparing our situation to "sleeping in someone else's hotel room." She asked us if we had a reservation; we said no. She said, "Someone else reserved this spot." We were very apologetic, embarrassed, and immediately put our stuff in the car. I said they could have told us; we would have moved right away. I'm sorry. She said, "They aren't supposed to talk to you; that's why they send me here." She told us we had ten minutes to leave, waited there while we put our chair, blanket, and s'more cookies in the car, and refused our 9-year-old daughter access to the bathroom while we packed up our three things, and even followed us out of the loop to make sure we didn't park elsewhere. My daughter came to us crying because the lady told her she couldn't use the bathroom and had to get in the car. Well, she had an accident in the car right as we were pulling out. We were mortified and apologetic. My husband even offered to leave the firewood we had just purchased for the next campers, but she was dismissive and harsh about that as well. The following day, I called and asked to speak with a manager to explain how we were treated. The manager was just as unfriendly and miserable sounding as the supervisor. I was told they had been looking for us "for hours" and that it's "common sense" not to park in a campsite. She actually said it's considered trespassing. So, a friendly warning for first-time visitors: Apparently, if you don't know that "day use" doesn't mean "park in any empty campsite," just for the day, you're officially a trespassing criminal--at least according to the manager. Yes, really. Reading the website now, I see that check-in for people with reservations is at 2 p.m., which was the time we were trying to make a small fire, so unless someone left their site and returned, it's unclear how they could have been looking for us "for hours." We were right there at 2pm. The website also states: Day Use * Anyone who is not camping is a day-user. Day-use hours are from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Day-users are not allowed between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. We were not camping but didn't realize we couldn't park in an empty campsite. I think "common sense" would be to inform DAY USE visitors at the ENTRANCE to use public parking, especially for families or first-time visitors who may not be camping experts. Bottom line: this was my husband's childhood family spot. We just wanted to take a beautiful fall drive and have a special day with our kids. We understand now that we needed to reserve the parking spot ahead of time, and it was an honest misunderstanding. I would have even offered to pay for the campers' stay for their trouble. What we wish for is that the staff had approached us respectfully and explained the situation instead of treating us like criminals. Imagine being such a miserable person and working in such a BEAUTIFUL and peaceful place for families. This was meant to be a special family day, honoring memories of my father-in-law and creating new ones with our children. Instead, it became stressful and humiliating. Sadly, this is what our children will remember about the day and about North South Lake The photo is the space we took up and the stuff we had with us. Lol

Saw bald eagles, had a good swim, good boating and there was shade and good bathroom facilities…read more Just don't tell people about it, otherwise it will get crowded.

This place is so beautiful! Came out for an afternoon to dip my toes in the water. Lots of space…read morefor picnics or sun bathing if you're not there to swim. Close to Bethel and Hectors historic Inn from the Woodstock era