Big Indian Fly Fishing
Status: active | Rating: 4/5 (2 reviews)
Guiding the Esopus Creek from Big Indian to Phoenicia. We focus on the upper Esopus above the portal — less pressure, wilder fish. Also guiding the Birch Creek and Bushnellsville Creek for native brookies.
Details
- Species: Brown Trout, Brook Trout, Rainbow Trout
- Tags: Fly Fishing, Wade Fishing, Nymphing, Dry Fly, Freshwater, Beginner, Intermediate, Spring, Summer, Autumn, Half Day, Full Day, Wade Trip, Gear Provided, Shore / Wade Only
Waters Serviced (2)
| Destination | Type |
|---|---|
| Esopus Creek | creek |
| Catskill Mountains | region_colloquial |
Affiliated Lodges (1)
Reviews (2)
Adrian Vasquez — 4/5 — Upper Esopus gem
Omar guided the upper Esopus above the portal — less crowded and more wild. Caught a mix of browns and brookies. The Big Indian area is beautiful and Omar knows it well.
Hannah Foster — 4/5 — Solid half-day trip
Nice morning on the Esopus with Omar. He's young but clearly knows the water. Caught 6 fish on nymphs and a couple on dries when the hatch came off. Good experience.
FAQ — Big Indian Fly Fishing
Raw guide data (JSON)
{
"id": "c757d7e9-e306-4311-8e0e-2f29e7f3b190",
"organizationId": null,
"name": "Big Indian Fly Fishing",
"guideName": "Omar Hassan",
"slug": "big-indian-fly-fishing",
"bio": "Guiding the Esopus Creek from Big Indian to Phoenicia. We focus on the upper Esopus above the portal — less pressure, wilder fish. Also guiding the Birch Creek and Bushnellsville Creek for native brookies.",
"yearsExperience": 7,
"city": "Big Indian",
"stateProvince": "NY",
"countryCode": "US",
"isVerified": false,
"status": "active",
"createdAt": "2026-03-23T22:16:17.655Z",
"updatedAt": "2026-03-29T16:38:42.883Z",
"reviews": [
{
"id": "def5fc05-90e8-4a1a-9a7a-cd101240f9f3",
"guideId": "c757d7e9-e306-4311-8e0e-2f29e7f3b190",
"authorName": "Adrian Vasquez",
"rating": 4,
"title": "Upper Esopus gem",
"body": "Omar guided the upper Esopus above the portal — less crowded and more wild. Caught a mix of browns and brookies. The Big Indian area is beautiful and Omar knows it well.",
"tripDate": null,
"verified": true,
"createdAt": "2026-03-29T16:38:43.447Z",
"updatedAt": "2026-03-29T16:38:43.447Z"
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{
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"guideId": "c757d7e9-e306-4311-8e0e-2f29e7f3b190",
"authorName": "Hannah Foster",
"rating": 4,
"title": "Solid half-day trip",
"body": "Nice morning on the Esopus with Omar. He's young but clearly knows the water. Caught 6 fish on nymphs and a couple on dries when the hatch came off. Good experience.",
"tripDate": null,
"verified": true,
"createdAt": "2026-03-29T16:38:43.447Z",
"updatedAt": "2026-03-29T16:38:43.447Z"
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],
"credentials": [],
"geom": null,
"tags": [
{
"slug": "fly-fishing",
"name": "Fly Fishing",
"tagType": "fishing_style"
},
{
"slug": "wade-fishing",
"name": "Wade Fishing",
"tagType": "fishing_style"
},
{
"slug": "nymphing",
"name": "Nymphing",
"tagType": "technique"
},
{
"slug": "dry-fly",
"name": "Dry Fly",
"tagType": "technique"
},
{
"slug": "freshwater",
"name": "Freshwater",
"tagType": "water_type"
},
{
"slug": "beginner",
"name": "Beginner",
"tagType": "ability"
},
{
"slug": "intermediate",
"name": "Intermediate",
"tagType": "ability"
},
{
"slug": "spring",
"name": "Spring",
"tagType": "season"
},
{
"slug": "summer",
"name": "Summer",
"tagType": "season"
},
{
"slug": "autumn",
"name": "Autumn",
"tagType": "season"
},
{
"slug": "half-day",
"name": "Half Day",
"tagType": "trip_format"
},
{
"slug": "full-day",
"name": "Full Day",
"tagType": "trip_format"
},
{
"slug": "wade-trip",
"name": "Wade Trip",
"tagType": "trip_format"
},
{
"slug": "gear-provided",
"name": "Gear Provided",
"tagType": "trip_inclusion"
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{
"slug": "shore-only",
"name": "Shore / Wade Only",
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],
"faqs": [
{
"id": "c9c6c29b-f8a1-4c7a-9afb-bbccea73243f",
"question": "What's the upper Esopus like above the portal?",
"answer": "Above the Shandaken portal, the Esopus is a smaller, more intimate freestone stream. It doesn't get the turbid portal releases, so it runs clearer. Fewer anglers fish up here. The trout are wild — a mix of browns, brookies, and the occasional rainbow.",
"sortOrder": 0
},
{
"id": "87bc8da6-30c5-4980-89b5-f9772bcb740c",
"question": "What is the Shandaken portal?",
"answer": "The Shandaken portal is a tunnel that diverts water from the Schoharie Creek reservoir into the Esopus Creek. These releases can dramatically change water conditions — raising levels and adding turbidity. Above the portal, the Esopus fishes like a natural freestone. Below it, conditions depend on release schedules.",
"sortOrder": 1
}
],
"destinations": [
{
"slug": "esopus-creek",
"name": "Esopus Creek",
"type": "creek"
},
{
"slug": "catskill-mountains",
"name": "Catskill Mountains",
"type": "region_colloquial"
}
],
"accommodations": [
{
"slug": "esopus-creek-lodge",
"name": "Esopus Creek Lodge",
"type": "fishing_lodge",
"primary": false
}
],
"species": [
{
"slug": "brown-trout",
"commonName": "Brown Trout",
"category": "freshwater",
"seasonality": null,
"notes": "Upper Esopus above the portal"
},
{
"slug": "brook-trout",
"commonName": "Brook Trout",
"category": "freshwater",
"seasonality": null,
"notes": "Birch Creek natives"
},
{
"slug": "rainbow-trout",
"commonName": "Rainbow Trout",
"category": "freshwater",
"seasonality": null,
"notes": null
}
],
"reviewCount": 2,
"avgRating": 4,
"imageUrl": null
}