Wednesday, May 13, 2009

A kick at the can...................


I had both the energy and motivation to get on the water this morning after talking to a few people last night. Bill Shearer with his always great reel and rod discussions; Big Ed lamenting about his constant diaper changing and lack of fishing; and the Commander lamenting on my lack of blog posts lately.

Well I did get on the water this morning for about three and a half hours. It felt like it has been six months since I last waded into the emerald green. I used strictly jigs today and ended up with 20 bass and 1 steelhead on the Catt.

I was dressed for spring weather as it was cold this morning but by 11:330 AM it was 64 degrees and I got out of there. The steelhead was a great surprise and made me happy that there were a few still around. I will put a picture up later if I get time. she was about 3lbs.

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Down and out................

I haven't fished since last Monday as I was infected with a chill inducing,bile heaving strain of some sort of bubonic plague early Tuesday morning. I honestly thought for the first time this could be it. Uncontrollable chills,gut wrenching dry heaving, and delirium raged through my body. So needless to say I have been camped out on the couch dead to the world and self quarantined as I am a bad sick person. I don't like babying. I just like to curl up in a corner under some rock to be left alone until my health improves. Today I am at 70% with a touch of energy and I decided to go out for some supplies.

There are still fish being caught per reports I have been receiving. I gassed up on the reservation today and took a drive over the Catt. She is a murky green not unfishable at all but we are calling for a cold front this afternoon accompanied with rain and 50 mph winds so that may change quick.

Congratulations to those of you have been out last week still catching them.

Thank god for the NHL playoffs to get me through every night. By the way this has been by far the best playoffs I can remember in my history. Every series is fast skating and hard played.

A few more errands and then back to the couch for a little HNIC.

Monday, May 4, 2009

Just when I think I'm out. They pull me back in.

I thought today would be be the end of the season. The day I would go out, catch only bass and put a period on this long but extremely gratifying season.

But no, no, no! There were a few steelhead to be had. Also thrown in were about 30 bass and two specimens of North America's most elusive species, the freshwater drum.


The Bass were banging jigs in various colors so I switched over to the magical pink worm on a 1/32 ounce jig head and BINGO.

The Steelhead were a mix of dropbacks and chromer jacks. The dropbacks were leapers and they were fun while the jacks were a little spunky too.








During the day I ran into Bill Shearer and his ace fishing partner Frank. They were on a mission and had various spots to hit during the day. I also ran into Willie. Willie is a fixture on one of Chautauqua County's more famous streams but today he was sharing a run with me on the Catt.

He was a very nice guy as was his partner who constantly busted his balls was a laugh. There seems to be a pattern here in the fishing world with the treatment of partners ha ha ha ha .


Both Willie and his partner got into some steelhead too and a ton of bass.

On a final note check out River Monsters on the Animal Planet channel. My friends and I love the show. There are also a bunch of clips on You Tube.

Until next time..................

Sunday, May 3, 2009

hope......

I didn't fish yesterday but some how I ended up at my cousin's cottage at Sunset Bay at the mouth of the Catt. I hung out with my Godson who is always the boss of me and everyone else in his vicinity LOL.

I took for walk down on the beach. The Catt was green despite the bump on the hydro graph and she is on the drop today. Coupled with the cooler temps last night and tonight hoping for a few fish during the week.

I am still getting reports of people pulling a few drop backs and chrome jacks off the reservation but the bass are everywhere.

tight lines and floats down

Friday, May 1, 2009

Getting down to the end of the run.................


Good reports are starting to dwindle at this time of the year. Yesterday the stream flow on the Catt decreased and their was light or no winds. I didn't catch any steelies nor did I see anyone else catch anything. The bass were even off yesterday morning.
Last night we had rain and gusty winds which equated to a slight bump in the graph. I only caught 2 steelhead today both silver jacks and countless bass on jigs primarily.
I got off the water around noon when I was low holed by 3 college age guys about 5 to 10 yards below me. Three buds line upped shoulder to shoulder. One kid said hey why are fishing here there isn't enough room that guy is float fishing. The alpha male in their group who had a striking resemblance to Curly from the Three Stooges or Bobby from King Of The Hill said to his friends, " I don't give a F*ck . I'm going to fish where I want.
I don't think they knew I could here them but I just moved down about 20 yards and caught more fish then went home for lunch. Literally they could have caught fish in a 200 yard stretch of water but chose to be up my azz. Sometimes it just is not worth saying anything. It is a big river after all. But in my younger days it would have been a different story.
I guess with age comes wisdom for us all.
On a sad note the boys and I lost one of our fishing buddies Charlie Spahn to cancer this week. We just found out last night while we were out having a couple of cocktails. Charlie was an ex Vietnam Vet and one of our elder statesman on our trips. A kind hearted, quiet man, who went on our fishing expeditions to Nippissing and the Kawarthas. He was so considerate to a fault. He cooked breakfast every morning, kept camp clean and put up with Tommy J.. Waiting for Tommy J. to get ready to fish in the morning is a 3 hr event. It takes patience. Glaciers move quicker than he does.
But Charlie would say he was just happy to be in the Canadian Shield around the loons.
I guess when you have been through a war you have a different outlook on things.
You don't sweat the small stuff so much.
God bless you where ever you are Charlie.
You are in the boys thoughts.
and F*CK cancer.