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2. Fly Fishing Beginners
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3. Are these reports reliable?

http://www.orvis.com/New-York-Fly-Fishing-Reports I have watched these all season and wonder if there is anything to them.Does somebody actually go out and fish these ares and make an actual report?When they give recommendation on what is hatching,it just seems to be what you can read in books about what hatches at a certain time of year in certain areas.They give a "best stretch" on a particular stream,what exactly do they base that on?Just wondering.

You have to take most fishing reports with a grain of salt. Depending on the quality of the source and frequency of updates, they can be useful for run timing (for migratory species or just spawning-related movements), major recent hatches, or major weather events. Other than that, they often include way too much specific detail that isn't based on any sort of trustworthy data. Maybe they call up some guides and ask for their hunches, even though they might not have been on half the streams in the area in the last few days or weeks. It's different everywhere. Most of the things that determine the quality of the fishing vary on a different time scale from the update schedule of the reports... weather, hatches, etc. And they may not be the same from one part of a river to the next.

I just took a look at one of the reports for a stream I am familiar with and that report is about as vague as vague gets.

Jason called it, it all depends on the place giving it. Sometimes they are inflated to get you in the area to spend, other times they are actually decent accurate reports of the conditions so you can decide for yourself if its worth the drive.

My advise is to find a shop you like close to where you like to fish, and just call them up. Once they get to know you they will be happy to give you the current scoop, maybe even directing you to specific locations that are producing. CJ

I like the check with the shop advice. It's also good to ask specific questions. I visited a shop on an unfamiliar river some years ago in the month of July and asked about the fishing. I was told how good it had been. Then I asked the person behind the counter how they had been doing and the reply was "Oh, I haven't had a chance to get out yet." In July. You know what I thought of the report. Specific questions are good.

As someone who occasionally puts reports out. I always find it curious as to why a shop would put out a report that is not faithful to what is really happening. Those that do that soon get the reputation of either putting out worthless reports or worse yet, being flat out liars, who will do anything to sell a dozen flies. I suppose it's better to be general if you have to put something out but the deceptive reports will catch up with you after a while. Like John and Tim said, there are shops and guides out there that will tell you what's really happening. It may take a little time, and maybe a little money spent on flies and tippet material, but you will find the reputable ones. To me, as someone who doesn't have much of a travel budget (read none) I understand that people put a lot of hard earned money into tackle, and travel expenses, even for a weekend trip. Why not give them the best info you can, that good karma will come back to you. It might not be in dollars but a couple 20" dry fly eating brown trout will suit me just fine. ;)

It all depends on who you check with and what guy is putting the material up. I have found some to be really great and some to be quite off.

I seldom look at reports because I'm likely to go as long as it isn't raining cats and dogs. But when I make the six hour drive from York to Elk Creek you can bet I'm going to be getting as much info as possible and that includes accurate weather reports regarding rain events, how much rain fell, when is it going to stop, and then call a very reliable fly shop right on the creek who always gives accurate and truthful information.