I got to thinking about Ted Patlen’s posting in another thread regarding names of pools along Catskill Rivers and any potential connection to people. I know Ted was referring to famous anglers, but still I thought I’d mention a few places along the Esopus so named.
By way of brief background, I did a fair amount of research on Esopus Creek pools names back in the very early 1980’s when, as a member of a TU committee, we developed the
Esopus Creek Stream Guide. I wrote several mini-chapters for the pamphlet and also did the research on pool names. I continued along this path in the early 1990’s when Jim Capossela put together one of his many fishing books, this one now out of print titled
Trophy Trout Streams of the Northeast. My contribution was Chapter 13 on the Esopus Creek.
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Well to the point at hand below are some noted pools/locations along the Esopus bearing the names of various people associated with the area. Where I know a bit more about the individual(s) involved, other than just the pool name, I’ve provided it. But anyway, at one time, pools along the Esopus were known by the people who were somehow connected to that location. And yes, the Esopus has its fair share of pools/locations known by their proximity to physical structures and/or natural features like: Trestle Pool, Five Arches, Saw Mill Pool, Rock Cut, Bridge Pool, Twin Rocks, so on and so forth, but for now below are pool names associated with people.
Atkins Hole ---
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Hudler’s Flats --- Hudler is an old Shandaken family name. The local Mount Tremper cemetery also bears this name.
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Jennings Pool --- Named for Preston Jennings, noted fly tyer/fisher. Jennings wrote
A Book of Trout Flies first published in 1935. He did research in the Esopus Creek for portions of this book and often fished this pool.
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Kinsey’s Pool --- The Kinsey farm dating back to the late 1700’s was located near this site.
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Mother’s Pool --- Named for noted local outdoorsman and guide Ray Smith’s mother, Agnes Moon Smith.
- Mother's Pool, Esopus Creek, Phoenicia, NY.JPG (90.47 KiB) Viewed 10409 times
Rawson Hole ---
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Elmer’s Bend --- Named after Elmer Loveless and his eatery, Elmer’s Dinner, once located at the outskirts of Phoenicia near a bend on the Esopus Creek.
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Simpson’s Hole --- Simpson is another old Shandaken family name. At one time family members owned a tannery along the Esopus Creek and later developed the first New York State ski slope on Romer Mountain near the Woodland Valley Creek. (No photo
)
Mueller’s Pool --- A family member of the C.F. Mueller Company, founded in 1867 and makers of pasta, owned a Catskill “getaway” along the Esopus Creek at this pool bearing his name.
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There are a few more such places, but these might be the best known.
Ed
