Angler's Club of New York

[cwfly]

I do not know a great deal about it. As far as I know it is still extant.
I had the pleasure of staying there and fishing on a couple of occasions.
Lovely water.

[SalmoNewf]

I have had the pleasure of once visiting the Club. I was originally set to visit in January, 1975 on the basis of a letter of introduction provided by a member, a distinguished entomologist I was working with at the time. When he heard I would be visiting New Jersey to visit relatives he offered the letter, knowing of my deep interest in fly fishing even in my then 20’s. I called the Club to set up a time but when I arrived it was less than an hour after the fatal bombing by Puerto Rican separatists and the surrounding streets were full of various responding police, fire fighters etc.. So that was that.

In 2002 or 2003 I was to visit New York on vacation and used the contact information in the Club’s then active website to ask about visiting. Much to my surprise I received a positive response and was able to arrange a time. Having by then read a description of the Club in Arnold Gingrich’s “The Joys of Trout”, I travelled with tweeds and an appropriate tie to wear but on the set day it was horrendously hot and thinking that my visit would be a quick 5 minute walk around I went in shorts and a pressed short sleeved shirt. When my wife and I presented ourselves we were quickly ushered to a side room with a polite explanation that some of the “older” members were still at lunch in the main room and they might be put out by my attire more than anything else. We were offered lunch and a cold beer (gratefully accepted) and had a good chance to look at the many artifacts lining the walls. They included flies tied by everybody from Theodore Gordon to G.E.M. Skues to Lee Wulff, Skues favourite Leonard rod, documents signed by famous anglers from Isaac Walton on, just incredible stuff.

Once the members had all left the main room we were able to visit and view the artifacts there (the collection of books, written by members primarily, is just incredible) as well as chat with the gracious staff and the then VP of the Club, and have another cold beer before we went out into the broiling heat again. All in all, a wonderful experience.

[crowebeetle]

Not to waylay the thread but the oldest continuously run private club in the english speaking world is the Schuykill Fishing Company. Very private and interesting.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schuylkil ... ng_Company

[sentiquant]

Appreciate the responses gents!

[andre49]

Tuscoroa club is very much still open to my chagrin. They own 8 miles of water on Mill Creek I would love to fish. Beautiful grounds, much nicer than the other Catskills clubs, although many black bear on their grounds. This picture taken on their grounds last fall.

Andre

[Flyman615]

Thanks for adding to this thread. Good stuff!

Scott

[sentiquant]

Are these clubs, The Anglers Club, Tuscoroa, etc, old money clubs, you need to be a Rockefeller for a member even to consider you?

[gt05254]

LOL, well, I doubt many members of those clubs are on food stamps. I do know quite a few of them. And I do qualify for food stamps.
Gary

[andre49]

To give you an example the DeBruce Club on the Willow (Good water and about 6 miles worth) goes for about $3500.00 a year and has some openings. This is far less than most other clubs, with I believe Tuscarora and Brooklyn Flyfishers Clubs to be oldest, near impossible to join and way more expensive than DeBruce club. I have no idea how much exactly they are to join and yearly fee but there membership does not change much over the years. Actually I wouldn’t join BFC if I could as their water dosen’t look all that good to me. Beaverkill Stream Club on the other has water to die for. Got a chance to guide some members last year and was very impressed.

Andre

[sentiquant]

Conjecture: I suspect some of these clubs get a high number of members early on, buy tons of land, then slowly over the years only admit family/blood so essentially the non-profit land becomes a family heirloom.

So who wants to start a club with me, 501c, buy some real estate on the West Branch, and block off a bunch of water for ourselves? :-)

[cwfly]

Conjecture: I suspect some of these clubs get a high number of members early on, buy tons of land, then slowly over the years only admit family/blood so essentially the non-profit land becomes a family heirloom.

So who wants to start a club with me, 501c, buy some real estate on the West Branch, and block off a bunch of water for ourselves? :-)

Now that you have stated your biased and subjective viewpoint, you'll get no more contributions on this thread from me.

[sentiquant]

Note: opened by 'conjecture'

[PYochim]

We belonged to the Theodore Gordon Flyfishers when we lived in NYC. I was reluctant to join as I thought it was a bunch of stuffy old men but soon discovered that they were a bunch of irreverent reprobates like me.

[jeffkn1]

Great Caesar's ghost, Andre! Is that their guard dog?

[sentiquant]

Yeah just joined TGF last week. In lieu of just fly fishing and not giving back, I'll be more active for the conservation cause and giving back.

[andre49]

Great Caesar's ghost, Andre! Is that their guard dog?

Jeff,
Let’s just say the bears do keep the poaching down on their stretch. Not sure if they leave garbage out or what but never fail to see a bear or two when I’m in the area.

[roblew]

Hello from the West Coast. I am a member of the San Francisco Fly Casting Club, a private club which started in San Francisco but is now located in Truckee, California on the Truckee River. Our Club was started in 1894 which means that we will be celebrating our 125 anniversary this year.

Our historic records suggest that we are the second oldest fly fishing club in America. However none of these same records name that older Club. We would love to connect with that Club or really any other fly fishing club over near our age.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

bob

[crowebeetle]

I don't know if this qualifies as a fly fishing club but it is the oldest fishing club and the oldest social club in the english speaking world.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schuylkil ... ng_Company

https://www.poconorecord.com/article/20 ... /150929446

[roblew]

doesn't help but very interesting.

bob

[tbov112]

Having just recently joined this forum I am amazed at the wealth of knowledge I am finding as I investigate gear I have that belonged to my grandfather. One of the reel bags (holding a Hardy St. George 3 3/8, 2 screw reel) is printed with the Anglers Club of New York insignia. I've attached a photo below but it says:

Anglers Club
of
New York
1906 - 1956

So, guessing these were made for a 50th Anniversary celebration. I do not know if my Grandfather was a member (he lived in MA) but as a President of Trout Unlimited (in the 60's) and an avid fly fisherman, conservationist, lecturer and film maker I would not be surprised if he attended events at the club.