About 14 degrees   at 5 AM, but gave it a shot.   Met Charlie and we walked in a 6.   A foot of snow in front of the gate.  I will spot burn because the place we went will close after tomorrow.   There were only 2 others there and we got a spot in the gut of the pool. Fishing was in spurts but  hook ups were fairly plentiful, but landings were not.  Lost several at shore ,  the hook would pop after a long fight.  Lost several to the 4 lb tippet I was using too.   Charlie and I both  got one to the net.   My camera is broke so maybe he will post some pics.      Hot flies for me were   Rhyacophila caddis of several variations.  Egg patterns in blue and peach mostly in the babine style, nothing special the 2 eggs just separated by some red thread.   Of course the steelhead hammer in pink did well too and got the fish to the net.   There was a mixture of fresher and darker fish throughout the day
 
It was cold enough to have to clean the eyes often and my feet got a bit cold, bit not frigid.
 
Highlight of the day was when a guy was fishing across from us and a guy came out of the woods and started yelling at him for walking on his land to get there, told him he called the police and they would be waiting for him andhe stormed off.   The fisherman  left 5 minutes later and was gone for a while and then came back.  He said the guy met him at his property line and then proceeded to call the DEC.   He parked in the LFZ lot and had walked up and the DEC officer could tell by his tracks that he made a "reasonable effort"  (officers words) to stay within the easement.   The officer then asked if he would like to file a  Sportsman harassment complaint against the guy,  turns out he was not the land owner but a "caretaker"   also said he was a guide and this was not the first time he has called and caused trouble and they were sick of it .   The officer wrote the a hole a ticket and was nice enough to set the court date to a time where the fisherman could come.  

 
The pool fished well until  a speytard set up down from us  in the middle of the run frothed up the water and pushed all the moving fish to the other bank.  Then the folks across from hooked up alot. 
 
We left and fished mid river for a while,  alot of water looked good , but did not produce.  It also seemed the water was warmer mid river too as my feet were not as cold and the guides took alot longer to freeze up.
 
Supposed to be close to 0 tonight so good luck to Charlie tomorrow AM, I will be sitting this one out.   May or may not go Sunday.   I have another week of work and then another week off so will get a few more days in then before ice hits
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Great report Clint and sounds like some things remain the same at brown town this time of year, where did they go though ?
The speytard was I bet , the same net the dead fish guide some of have seen in action in the past. He was there with a client doing the same while I was there. They caught none, I was on the north side and moved up higher and did well.
Ah well, gotta expect tards on that river .
I love the DEC story. Super nice to know that we are in the right as anglers and DEC respects our rights to easement and not be harassed . I try to stay as close to the bank as possible now and do not follow the herd path anymore.
Years ago it was just an open field I guess some things change.

I heard and got some good reports that many lakes are safe to walk on ice. Stuck at JOB until weds and a last blast if the woods. Dec-10 is my ice weekend adventure but I may walk out sooner from the graveyard shift.

Charlie have fun and catch a bunch

HT through where??  If you mean the fisherman he stayed close to the bank  (in his words) all the way from the LFZ.   He also said  that the officer said as long as the he made a "reasonable effort"  to stay close to the bank  he was OK.   The tard was just a guy I think, he asked if he could "squeeze in" above me and I just looked at him and said "where"  as there may have been enough room for a friend to squeeze in, but not a stranger.  Charlie and I heard him  and another tard saying something about rotating  in from above us.   
 
Does not look good for ice around here for a while as there will be a warm up next week.   Next vaca starts on the 9th.   Still waiting for that Killzone to get back in stock too.   I did get an old Clam shanty with a fold up suitcase type base for free and it will work  with just a little duct tape for a few holes in the tarp.  It is big and heavy though. Possibly looking at the Marcum vx Pro 1 flasher too. I have a few credit card reward points to turn in for gift cards .............

I was just wondering where the browns have went..  Since the 2010 flood they sure ain't going up there anymore.. I think the change in LFZ had some effect too.. Both happened the same year.. Ah well at least the steel still wander..
Rotate, geesh.. If I beat the water to death in front of me without luck Id always want to fish where the other guy is.. What ever...
 
I think Killzone is not going to do that ice shanty again..  There are some other hub shanties out there that compare in price.. My only hang up with the pop up is mobil.. Once they are up you are pretty much base camped.. But they are great base camps...
Things are getting very solid around here and my friend was on 4 " very near where Charlie lives , Washington county.. The ADK's even better and it's going sub ZERO tomorrow night with no above 32 day temps for next 10 days.. I bet there will be 6+" by dec-10th when I can get out..
Keep feb on your radar.. Bring the family for a weekend on Lake George and I'm sure you'll have a blast.. We got shanties and electronics to go around .. My bro-in-law just bought a black friday special vex-20.. He already has a hummingbird .. Anyone that wants to walk on ice with me will be just fine ...
 
 

I really like the idea of the closure. Leaving those fish alone to winter over is probably a big reason they stay so healthy. NY has it so right with the size and creel limits. Taking it a step further on the SR with the Flyzones makes it an even better situation. JMHO, jus say'IN..
 
 
As far as other guys, some dont know that they dont know. With ALL that water, there's no reason anyone should be closer than 10-15yards to one another. Spredd AWT! We gottem in some fast water, some slower pools, just about anywhere we applied the right techniques. Do a little work instead of squeeze'in, ya might be pleasantly surprised and rewarded... 'Course I'm preachin ta tha Choir.......

I'll put up some pics, Clint.  It was a pleasure, bud. Had a couple heartbreakers, today.   Cold, but absolutely fine. Fishing was a blast. Doesn't mean I won't be looking to cadge a vex, and a shanty, though.
Gotta be about safe up north on the smaller ponds  now, HT. That puddle below the museum was SOLID this afternoon, Clint.

Clint, why use 4lb tippet for steelhead, was that all you had handy?  I use 10lb - 12lb for steelhead....4lb just seems so light. 

A few reasons Jim
1) Thinner line gets down faster
2) Thinner line has less resistance when drifting
3)  It works better to turn over smaller flies.  Size 8 is the biggest fly in my box, many 12 and 14's
4)  I started with 6lb got fewer hits  switched to 4lb  started getting hits.
5) I  use Drennan so 4lb is more like 6lb.
 
I lost 2 or 3 fish to either breaking the tippet or knot at the hook and in at least one case I should have changed it out due to it getting beat up by a fish prior.   In winter I usually only go as high as 6lb Drennan in most conditions, in high fast water I may go to 8, but rarely. 
 
I like to fish lite as I feel I get more hits and I get a better drift.   I only get to 10lb for salmon and I very rarely break a line or tippet on them
 
 
 
 
 
 

Clint, you are too kind!'
 
4 lb just does not work with size 1/0 sponge flies!
 
L13
 

i was in the area so i headed to erie on black friday
elk was frozen with the exception of about 35 yards, hooked 6 landed 2 (its like they knew they could break off under the ice
went to 16 mile and it was a pizz trickle got 4 there
went home and got ready for deer season
hope you all had a great turkey day