Meridia

Cold Spring Creek Guides

Status: active | Rating: 4.7/5 (3 reviews)

Small-stream specialists. We guide the tiny tributaries that feed the Beaverkill and Willowemoc — creeks most anglers walk right past. Native brook trout in crystal-clear water. 3-weight rods, short casts, big rewards.

Details

  • Species: Brook Trout, Brown Trout
  • Tags: Fly Fishing, Wade Fishing, Dry Fly, Freshwater, Intermediate, Advanced, Spring, Summer, Autumn, Half Day, Full Day, Wade Trip, Catch & Release, Shore / Wade Only

Waters Serviced (3)

DestinationType
Beaverkill Riverriver
Willowemoc Creekcreek
Catskill Mountainsregion_colloquial

Affiliated Lodges (1)

Reviews (3)

Noah Bennett5/5Tiny streams, big adventure

Eli took me into tributaries I didn't know existed. Crawling through rhododendrons to reach pools holding wild brookies. Caught 20 fish, none over 8 inches, all gorgeous. Pure joy.

Olivia Chen5/5Small-stream mastery

If you want to learn small-stream craft, Eli is your guide. Short casts, stealth approaches, perfect presentations. The opposite of a big-river float trip and equally rewarding.

Gavin Walsh4/5Bushwhacking for brookies

Not for everyone — you need to be fit and ok with tight quarters. But the payoff is wild native brook trout in stunning little creeks. Eli is the real deal.

FAQ — Cold Spring Creek Guides

Raw guide data (JSON)
{
  "id": "fcf80977-cbf2-4730-8fce-f5d5cfb8a246",
  "organizationId": null,
  "name": "Cold Spring Creek Guides",
  "guideName": "Eli Whitmore",
  "slug": "cold-spring-creek-guides",
  "bio": "Small-stream specialists. We guide the tiny tributaries that feed the Beaverkill and Willowemoc — creeks most anglers walk right past. Native brook trout in crystal-clear water. 3-weight rods, short casts, big rewards.",
  "yearsExperience": 15,
  "city": "Lew Beach",
  "stateProvince": "NY",
  "countryCode": "US",
  "isVerified": true,
  "status": "active",
  "createdAt": "2026-03-23T22:16:17.655Z",
  "updatedAt": "2026-03-29T16:38:42.883Z",
  "reviews": [
    {
      "id": "2d078f1d-7d89-4a81-be2d-44d3c466bf4a",
      "guideId": "fcf80977-cbf2-4730-8fce-f5d5cfb8a246",
      "authorName": "Noah Bennett",
      "rating": 5,
      "title": "Tiny streams, big adventure",
      "body": "Eli took me into tributaries I didn't know existed. Crawling through rhododendrons to reach pools holding wild brookies. Caught 20 fish, none over 8 inches, all gorgeous. Pure joy.",
      "tripDate": null,
      "verified": true,
      "createdAt": "2026-03-29T16:38:43.447Z",
      "updatedAt": "2026-03-29T16:38:43.447Z"
    },
    {
      "id": "e591a3ca-87d4-498f-9765-ab9017edcbe0",
      "guideId": "fcf80977-cbf2-4730-8fce-f5d5cfb8a246",
      "authorName": "Olivia Chen",
      "rating": 5,
      "title": "Small-stream mastery",
      "body": "If you want to learn small-stream craft, Eli is your guide. Short casts, stealth approaches, perfect presentations. The opposite of a big-river float trip and equally rewarding.",
      "tripDate": null,
      "verified": true,
      "createdAt": "2026-03-29T16:38:43.447Z",
      "updatedAt": "2026-03-29T16:38:43.447Z"
    },
    {
      "id": "6203f3ff-6f5f-477c-8f7c-a78ef93fcfc7",
      "guideId": "fcf80977-cbf2-4730-8fce-f5d5cfb8a246",
      "authorName": "Gavin Walsh",
      "rating": 4,
      "title": "Bushwhacking for brookies",
      "body": "Not for everyone — you need to be fit and ok with tight quarters. But the payoff is wild native brook trout in stunning little creeks. Eli is the real deal.",
      "tripDate": null,
      "verified": true,
      "createdAt": "2026-03-29T16:38:43.447Z",
      "updatedAt": "2026-03-29T16:38:43.447Z"
    }
  ],
  "credentials": [],
  "geom": null,
  "tags": [
    {
      "slug": "fly-fishing",
      "name": "Fly Fishing",
      "tagType": "fishing_style"
    },
    {
      "slug": "wade-fishing",
      "name": "Wade Fishing",
      "tagType": "fishing_style"
    },
    {
      "slug": "dry-fly",
      "name": "Dry Fly",
      "tagType": "technique"
    },
    {
      "slug": "freshwater",
      "name": "Freshwater",
      "tagType": "water_type"
    },
    {
      "slug": "intermediate",
      "name": "Intermediate",
      "tagType": "ability"
    },
    {
      "slug": "advanced",
      "name": "Advanced",
      "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": "catch-and-release",
      "name": "Catch & Release",
      "tagType": "trip_format"
    },
    {
      "slug": "shore-only",
      "name": "Shore / Wade Only",
      "tagType": "boat_type"
    }
  ],
  "faqs": [
    {
      "id": "933e15d3-a99d-4c79-aefb-48a3dbf0c1b3",
      "question": "What do you mean by small-stream fishing?",
      "answer": "We fish tiny tributaries — creeks that are 5-15 feet wide, often canopied by trees. Short rods (6-7 feet), short casts (10-20 feet), and delicate presentations. The fish are small (6-10 inches) but wild, colorful, and challenging. It's a completely different discipline from big-river fishing.",
      "sortOrder": 0
    },
    {
      "id": "f702c336-89a5-465f-b896-e01d1b429f0d",
      "question": "Do I need special gear?",
      "answer": "We provide small-stream-specific gear: short 3-weight rods, small flies, and light tippet. Wear earth-toned clothing (no bright colors), sturdy wading boots, and long pants to protect against brush. The approach is as important as the casting.",
      "sortOrder": 1
    }
  ],
  "destinations": [
    {
      "slug": "beaverkill-river",
      "name": "Beaverkill River",
      "type": "river"
    },
    {
      "slug": "willowemoc-creek",
      "name": "Willowemoc Creek",
      "type": "creek"
    },
    {
      "slug": "catskill-mountains",
      "name": "Catskill Mountains",
      "type": "region_colloquial"
    }
  ],
  "accommodations": [
    {
      "slug": "the-debruce",
      "name": "The DeBruce",
      "type": "fishing_lodge",
      "primary": true
    }
  ],
  "species": [
    {
      "slug": "brook-trout",
      "commonName": "Brook Trout",
      "category": "freshwater",
      "seasonality": null,
      "notes": "Native headwater brookies"
    },
    {
      "slug": "brown-trout",
      "commonName": "Brown Trout",
      "category": "freshwater",
      "seasonality": null,
      "notes": "Wild stream-bred fish"
    }
  ],
  "reviewCount": 3,
  "avgRating": 4.7,
  "imageUrl": null
}