I grew up in a small town in central NY outside of Syracuse. Other than College Basketball and lake affect snow, there isn’t much else people know about that area. I feel somewhat fortunate because I was able to explore the area growing up and it turns out that the entire area has incredible fishing. With in an hour and a half from Syracuse may be some of the best fishing in the North East. The area has bass, carp, pickerel, brook trout, brown trout, rainbow trout, steelhead, king salmon, coho salmon, landlocked salmon and I could go on. For someone looking to catch different species of fish, this area provided it. I can’t say enough about central NY, and the opportunities and memories it has provided.
My favorite river was the West Canada Creek. Known for big hold over brown trout. This river is not easy, but the rewards can be great. There was also the Lake Ontario Tributaries, The Delaware River, Chittenango Creek and the Finger Lakes and tributaries. It seemed I could find a different body of water ever week to fish.
Now, I am located and primarily fish saltwater so I hadn’t thought about the rivers and lakes of central NY until recently, when we at Rise Fishing sponsored Team Deaddrift of the Trout Legend Circuit. The Trout Legend Circuit is a competitive fly fishing competition featuring both teams and individuals. They fish rivers, lakes and streams all over the country, bringing some of the best anglers from across the country to participate.

It turns out that one of this year’s stops is on the W. Canada and some other local streams and lakes in the area. This is a great event for central NY. The fishing in this area is unbelievable and as long as the weather holds out I think the fishery will turn a few heads. It’s nice that the area I grew up and came to appreciate is getting some press and recognition.
For those who are interested in the tournament you should check out Troutlegend.com. Anyone can enter a tournament as they leave spaces open for local anglers. It is also a good way to tests your fishing skills and maybe pick up a tip or two from some of the veterans. Good luck to team DeadDrift!