Saturday, December 31, 2011

Happy New Year......


To day I hit the water early with checking the flow data and of course my first stop of the day was high and muddy from the rains the previous evening.  That will teach me a lesson or two.

I did find some green and slightly murked water today.

I ran into  one of the regulars who got into a few but I had the skunk strip on me.

Frankly, I did not care a bit. 40 degree weather on December 31st?

I will take that any day.

May you all have a safe,healthy and happy 2012.

I have appreciated and will continue to appreciate my time on the water and my friends that share it with me.

Take care and thank you.

Until later.....

Monday, December 26, 2011

Perfect green, Perfect flow, Minimal fish........




Today the water was a beautiful green. The flow was slightly up but it was looking great. I started out at daylight and shortly thereafter was joined by Bill and Frank. You couldn't ask for better conditions in late December with the moderate weather conditions. It felt more like early November than late December. The problem was there were only  a few fish around to be had for some of the lucky fisherman today. A fish here or there or a skunk. No great fresh pods of eager fish moving in from the lake hungry for our offerings.

It was great to see Bill ,Frank, and Buda on the water today. A good number of fresh fish would have made it better.

Until later..................

Monday, December 19, 2011

Suckage...............








I got out out for a couple hours Saturday morning tolerating finger numbing wind and muddy water. I pulled one fish out of the murk to prove a point to my self and then had enough.

Sunday afternoon I got out with the Commander in more moderate temps and greener water. The results were Nil. Either the fish had lock jaw from the frigid evening the night before or we just suck.
Either way the results were the same. It was good to get out with the Commander after countless time conflicts throughout the season.

Today I could have fished in balmy 45 degree weather with Bill and Frank but my body and mind just said screw it, enough of beating your body into submission with little or no results.

Today was a day of mental and physical recovery.


Monday, December 12, 2011

Not much to say............










Today was slow and cold  for most of the day. I met Bill and Frank out at first light hoping to put some damage on some fish. The day started out with numb fingers and and cold feet until the sun melted off some of the slush and heated the air.

Bill hooked up with a fresh silver fish despite his choice in hats but that was it in the first couple hours.

We decided to ping pong back and forth between tribs looking for slush free water. Our luck was not so good today but we gave it our best. After Bill and Frank headed back north, I hit a couple of spots and got the skunk off myself with two fish on jigs.

just not much to say...............


Saturday, December 10, 2011

A respectable outing..................








A chilly start in the mid twenties this morning but there was no windchill. The action was slow but as the sun rose in the sky and heated the water the fish came alive. I was in solitude walking through fresh  virgin snow with only my tracks to be found. I did lose one pigger. I had beached after she took a jig and rolled herself in the the leader. Once I got her to shore,my Michigan Mitt was frozen like a rock. I tried bare handing her but I couldn't get a grip on her thick tail tail and she slipped back into the green with out posing for a picture.

Not a bad day.................

Monday, December 5, 2011

The hunch............






Today I had a late start due to a few appointments I had to get out of the way. I hit the water at about 10:30 am at a place I had a hunch about. The water was on the high end of fishable a murky green/ brown...brown/green on the verge of clearing up. The forecast called for rain today so my window of opportunity was going to be small. I was graced with a few fish today which included mostly fine silver specimens and one dark male. The fish fell to jigs tipped with small egg sacks in the murky green water. They were stubborn and did everything the could to use the current to their advantage.

I'll take a few hours on the water like this any day.

Just me and the fish............

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Marginally better than a skunk..............



This morning ended up to be be more of  nature walk than fishing expedition. I did come into contact with a few fish and the water still had a hint of green. I mostly  came into contact with other fisherman on my walk and bitching at me that they weren't finding fish. I am not the river keeper nor the Department of Environmental Conservation. 


We are all humbled from time to time and this humility makes our future success that much sweeter.

Still beats working............

Saturday, December 3, 2011

zero.............



After taking a week off to recharge the batteries,I hit a few tribs with eager anticipation. The water bumped up a few days ago and started to recede leaving me with hopes of fresh fish in all my usual haunts. Today the water was looking nice and coming she was coming into its own but there were no fish located.

A number of the numerous other fisherman I polled on my way back to the truck shared the shape stories of frustration.

Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose......

I felt energetic and did a lot of walking today.

The fresh air was great.

I shall endeavor to change my luck tomorrow morning.

Until later............


Saturday, November 19, 2011

A day late and a dollar short............


The high water has receded and for those who hit it on the drop, they did very well. I know Bill and the  Premier had a good day prior to the weekend. As for today, the shallow water was clear and the pools were a light green to clearing. I had enough luck at first light to make it a satisfactory outing. As the sun moved higher in the sky the bite shut down and I called it a day.

Until later...........

Monday, November 14, 2011

This vacation day was worth it.............







Another Monday vacation day and I was eager to see if yesterday's success would hold for a second day in a row.  The weather couldn't be better. Warm temps, overcast skies and water in high 40's peaking into the low 50's.

Oh and the water............

That special green that we love to see.

I hit multiple spots in the system but when you found them they had their friends with them too. There was steady action at first light with fresh fish coming through and for the most part there were no skippers to be found. The fish were all muscular and healthy.

There was a the low light beast I caught at first light that was a long fine fish.

I also had one fat girl on today. She is the one posing with the Imperial. She took me down 30 yards in current before I could beach her.  Tussling with her was the highlight of the day.

Later Brad Kania  shared a run with me and he got into a few fish himself.

A little know fact about Brad is that he sold his soul to the devil this year or at least that is my theory.

While everyone else was putting in long marches to find sporadic fish , He consistently has been at the right place at the right time resulting in good numbers this fall.

I have had a blast the last two days. Fishing felt like fun once again and not work.

Now all I need is a camera man (Commander....Big Ed.......Bill....?) instead of the standard shore shots.

Until later.............

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Ok I will not sell my Centerpin..............



Yesterday was tough  going on the tribs. I put in the miles and was skunked out. The sport I love has been feeling  more like work lately and making me a weary SOB. I would say that this season the fish have been spread out and it is definitely not a lazy man's game this year.

I started off working a creek mouth with jigs looking for freshies being pushed in from the wind. Once the wind made it too difficult to get a good drift, I more on with the smell of skunk still upon me.

I made my way down the road and BING,BANG,BONG it was on like Donkey Kong. After telling big Ed the night before that I was selling all my equipment and recounting my conspiracy theories about the fishery; my optimism was restored. First three drifts and three fish and a relatively productive day began.

A few other pinners joined me some with permission after kindly asking  and some who made themselves comfortable as if I was personally holding the pool for them.  I ran into Mike Crehan who was one of only a handful of Americans I would see fishing a pin some twenty years ago when I got into the game. We had a good chat and caught  fish from a pod moving through. He is definitely a classy guy.

Sorry no pictures of the fish today. I left my cell in the truck charging on my drive to new water and I was not about to go back and get it while the fish were hot and hungry.

High winds and some rain may screw up my plans tomorrow. We shall see if I end up on Lake E. or Lake O...........

Until later.................





Monday, November 7, 2011

Damn the dam and a stop in G Town.........






This morning I attempted to cleanse myself of the putrid smell of the skunk by Scobifying my soul.
I headed up the system to where it began for me many years ago. I hit the dam at first light and there luckily was light pressure to deal with. Mostly bottom bouncing lead chuckers right at the base of the dam. They got a few fish from what I could see. I concentrated on the tailouts to no avail but it was nice to be there. This was one of the spots that Big Ed and his dad would fish with me back in the day.

From there I checked out the "Ham". The water was nice but my spider senses told me to blow it off and move down stream. I ended up in G Town by the school. There wasn't much pressure today and as I walked up from the truck I noticed Skiv occupying a run. In the first few minutes that I was there he started banging a few fish. The fish were full of piss and vinegar and gave both of us our money's worth.

While I was fishing below Skiv, he asked me if I wanted to share the run with him. I graciously declined and told him a man should never take another man's lucky spot while its hot :).

I then asked him if he minded if I took the fast water above him. He told me no problem and I proceeded to wade out knee high in the  fast current. I threw on a pink worm; bulk shotted the line and gave it a whirl.  My skuniness was washed away as I watched my float disappear under the gurgling and bubbling current. The fish fought hard and added a few leaps into their repertoire.

The skunk is gone................

Until later....................




Sunday, November 6, 2011

Fishless and wishless............






Last night I canceled with the Commander. I thought he would be better off fishing close to home or not at all instead of experiencing the spotty conditions down my way.

I started of hitting a few pools near the lake in hopes of some fresh fish trickling in. I got out there of there after 30 minutes of futility and went to the big trib  to fish a section that was reportedly pounded to high heaven the day before.

Today there was minimal people. bonus!!!


But there was also no fish to be had by anyone I saw.

I fished a few of my favorite spots without harassment and headed home.

If you do what you always did. You're going to get what you always got.

Maybe its time to mix it up.

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Everybody and their brother......






This morning I set my heart on fish a spot on the big trib. I was up extra early to get to the spot before daylight. As I drove down the dirt road with anticipation, I became excited since I didn't see anyone around. I grabbed my gear and  walked about 20 yards only to see two vehicles shoe horned down a  tiny path ,dome lights still on, and their industrious owners making a run for the spot before I could get there.

Not a good way to start!

I jumped back in the truck and went up the road and hit a number of spots with no luck.

A beautiful sunny morning and perfect green water.

 One problem......a large number of the competition were out too to enjoy the morning.

  This put a little cramp in my style.

There were a number of Pennsylvanians escaping the insanity of the  Elks and Walnuts of this world.

In addition there were enough of my favorite Ontarians to hold a parliamentary election.

I did not witness a lot of fish caught at all. I got one on my way back to the truck. A fresh fish that fought hard for her size and unbuttoned herself by shore.

Reports came in to me  of a of a few fish here or there but no concentration of  good numbers.

I ended it after 4 hours in and decided to stop at another trib that Big Ed was fishing.

I got a coffee and spoke to the DEC officer for a while before I headed back to  see Big Ed.

Officer M. was a good guy and  conversed with me for about a half hour.

Ed was fishing with his Dad who I haven't seen in ages.

 His dad is a great guy and used to drive us  to the Catt to fish as teens.

He hasn't  changed at all. It's like I saw him a week ago and we picked right up.

This has been a sentimental year with a lot of time recounting the good ole days.

I had a great time just hanging on the bank talking while they fished.

Ed was fishing fast water that was clear with some fishing holding tight to the bank.

Big Ed's luck was horrible too.

He now believes that he must have been a bad man and the universe is paying him back for his sins.

Perhaps Edward perhaps.......

Until later...............

Monday, October 31, 2011

One from here and one from there...........





Happy Halloween Children!!!

Today was a slow day but it was sure better than a skunk. I started on the medium sized trib where the water still had good flow but was clear in the area I was fishing. I threw on a bead and on my walk back up to the truck I landed a nice male.

 I spent about an hour there before I made a quick pit stop and decided to challenge myself on the big trib which was still moving about 650 cfs. She was still brown but she had a little green starting to mix in to her color. I changed over to 10 grams, long leads and double bagged it for a while then switched over to a jig made with UV yarn. I land one smaller fish there and saw one nice fish caught that took the fisherman down 30 yards with the faster current.

I left after a few hours as the waders are developing slow leaks in the seam at the heel on each foot. The socks get damp but not soaked. It may be time for another purchase.

Until later............