Fellas, fellas, fellas...
I am alive and well, and still fishing daily... Just been offline a bit more than normal, and not really catching many big fish the past few weeks. But I have been exploring plenty, and finding some here and there. I've been tied up at work with a lot fo stuff, and preparing for the US Open down at Betpage next week... As well as a two-week Colorado trip that starts as soon as I return from the Open. Rest assured, I've got a five-day vacation tacked onto the front-end of my CO busines trip and will be fishing my face off back in my old stomping grounds on the Snake, Blue and South Platte. Looking forward to getting back to the Rockies for awhile.
I got out with Ship of Fools one morning about two weeks ago and lucked into one small late-season Striper about 50ft from where Pech and his ruffian hooligan friends hang out in May:
I also got out on Brant Lake and Lake George two weeks ago and did well on the Bronzebacks. We had to splash Matty's "new" boat. Fished the North Basin around Rogers Rock, Hulett's/Glen Burnie, and found fish in just about every bay we fished. That lake still gives up some nice smallmouth!
Fished the Indian last Friday afternoon with my buddy Eric and slayed rainbows all evening. Not a single fish over 13", but probably at least 30 fish between us on dries... I don't think I took a single photo all evening, but while we caught a ton, none were really photo-worthy. But we were actually planning on the Schroon- but it was still running super-high. A short drive farther to the Indian put us on LOW water, but lots of fish.
I hit the Alplaus for smallies last week after work, ended up with three little ones, but got to revisit one of my favorite holes that I haven't fished since High School in my Niskayuna days. Reel Force might know this spot- it is right down the road from his town:
Fished the Poestenkill, Tassawassic Creek, Black River, and Owls Kill here in Rensselaer County last weekend to stay local and see what was up. Got one tiny brown on the Poestie, and a smallmouth below the Cherry Plain State Park dam on the Black River. Really nice little rivers around here I hadn't checked out yet. Here is the Poestie:
But the small streams in Western Rensselaer didn't seem all that 'troutish', really. Pretty warm, and I would assume more of a "put and take" situation than the Kinderhook which gets some reporoduction. But that part of Rensselaer is gorgeous! I stumbled across Cherry Plain State Park by accident- but had to stop in to check out the work of the ol' Civilian Conservation Corps who built the place. Nice work. Cool dam.
I also bought a remote-contolled sailboat at an Estate Sale last weekend, so that has kept me swilling peir and talking like a pirate a few nights after work when the wind is rocking:
Good ol' Santaman swung by this evening after work to drop off some firewood, and we got out on Snyders for about 90 minutes tonight. Didn't set the world on fire, but he got two LMBs and I got a LMB and a Wally. Some of you cats might remember this old face. The king of spinnerbaits and creature-baits.
I hadn't seen him since September of last year. He's been busy too!
My 5yr old nephew is coming to visit this weekend via a trainride from Syracuse. We will fish like wildmen on Saturday, after we go to the Port of Albany, USS Slater, and all other stuff he wants to do. He loves to fish after his success on Otsego Lake last summer. It should be a good time, and he is really excited for a weekend with "Uncle Jim". My sister in Syracuse, on the other hand, is terrified that I will be watching her kid. Ha!
As for all the other rumblings on this post- no comment.
Give me a ring, we'll fish!