My last post was way back in September. A lot has happened since then.
Some good, some not so good.
Fishing activity was very limited. I tried to get out a couple of times but I
just wasn't in the right place at the right time.
 |
| I pass it everyday and fished it a couple of times so I thought - why not today? |
 |
| It only took a glance to answer that question - Chocolate River - even the graffiti looked better than the high muddy water. |
October wasn’t totally fishless. However, it was definitely a fish of a
different color – orange – or more specifically - “pumpkin.” I saw a photo of a scene from Finding Nemo 2
and I thought that it might be something I could turn into a Halloween jack o’ lantern.
 |
| My rendition is not really close to the original, but it was fun to carve. |
Back to fishing stuff!
I was able to find the time to build another fly rod last
fall – a 12’, 7 weight Spey rod. Here
are a few photos of its construction:
 |
| Handle in my handmade handle vice |
 |
| Starting the wrap - two-tone brown on an Olive blank |
 |
| Wrap finished and Flex Coat finish applied and on the drying rack - all 12 feet! |
 |
| Finished product! Looks really great in the sunlight - better on the river - I bet! |
I have yet to test it on the water, but Spring is just
around the corner and the Steelhead will be staging soon to run up and grab a
few of my DFB flies. I CAN HARDLY WAIT!!!!!!
I also have 6 more rods in the Queue – I just need the time
to build!
My last fishing foray was back at my favorite trout stream,
the East Branch of the Croton River the day after Thanksgiving. As you know, I always try to get back to the
East Branch when we visit relatives for the holidays. This time it was, as I mentioned,
Thanksgiving.
I knew there were fish in my future – the signs were
everywhere – even in the Thruway rest areas on the drive down.
Here are some of the displays in the rest stops.
Then, once in CT – there was the food and fun – and for me
the fun included the fish!
Food, as always, was outstanding. And this time I managed to contribute a bit
with some help. And the two who helped me were Nona and my Mom.
The feast was held at Janet and Nona’s house. And it was truly a feast. Along with the Turkey and fixins, there was
the antipasto – a meal in itself. This
time, I was called on to pinch hit for Nona with Roasted Peppers. With Nona’s recipe and calling on the Italian 25% of my
heritage, I managed to pull off a respectable bowl of roasted red peppers.
 |
| Stage 1 - pick the best peps you can |
 |
| Stage 2 - Need a good FAST char - too long in the heat turns the meat to mush |
 |
| Stage 3 - no skin, no seeds, NO rinse = great flavor |
 |
| Stage 4 - Some like to leave them in big chunks - I prefer the thin slices that let the seasoning seep deep |
 |
| Stage 5 - Finished peppers ready for a crusty piece of bread, fresh mozzarella, and a touch of balsamic glaze - Thank you, Nona! |
And, after the Turkey bones were picked clean, I took the
carcass and with my Mom’s recipe and some spices and celery, carrots and onions
made turkey noodle soup for the next day.
 |
| Everybody in the pool! |
 |
| Hand needed, hand rolled paper thin and hand cut - I watched my Mom do this many many times - she made it look easy - it's NOT! |
 |
| Not as good as Mom's, but not too shabby - Thank you, Mom! |
But, the food highlight for me came a week later at home
when I was able to feast on Janet’s Eggplant – again.
 |
| Simply the Best! Thank you ,Janet! |
She’s been very kind over the years by giving
me my favorite dish of all time to take home to enjoy later.
And this time, it was extra special because she included a jar of her
incredible sauce – it could make my 10 year old Topsiders taste good!
But - Back to the Fish!
The Friday after Thanksgiving was very cold – high barely
30. But the day was clear and wind free
and I dressed for the cold. The fishing
was slow. I met a few fishermen who had very
little luck, but that was better than mine by late afternoon. Then, I met an angler who told me of a spot a
mile downstream that gave up 5 trout – the best I heard of that day. He used a #14 gold ribbed hare’s ear in
combination with a #20 midge pupa.
By the time the conversation ended, it was late afternoon and the sun was heading
down. I decided to take one more shot at
a spot I tried last Easter. I hooked,
played and lost a nice rainbow Easter weekend 2013 and thought I’d take the
hike and get in another try at the same fish.
With the sun falling fast, I got in two drifts and connected
with my Easter friend. This time, after several minutes of trying to shake the hook as she did last Easter, she let me slip a net under her and posed for a photo before she
went back home.
 |
| 16" of rainbow caught on the 10'6" 5 wt. switch rod I made - made my day! |
She took the Gold ribbed
Hare’s ear recommended by the angler I met earlier.
I went out again the next morning to try the spot
recommended to me.
 |
| Looks like a nice day - looks, as they say, can be deceiving! |
Unfortunately, while
the sun was again very bright and no wind, by 10:00 am the temp had only reached
23. My boots and waders were in the car overnight
and were very solidly frozen! It was
really a challenge getting ready. Then,
my line frequently froze in the guides.
I spent a few hours testing the new water, but got not a bite. And the only other angler I saw was a
feathered one – I hope he had better luck.
 |
| Can you see him? He's the one wet wading in nearly freezing water. |
 |
| There he is! Great Blue Heron - stone still waiting for the moment to strike. |
 |
| Here's a shot a bit closer and warmer! This one was from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/onlineguide/ The Cornell Lab of Ornithology Online Bird Guide - it's a really great site. |
But, things got really interesting later that night.
After dinner the Saturday after Thanksgiving, my wife fell and
broke her ankle in three places.
After
spending the night in the emergency room, we decided that we would not leave on
Sunday as planned, but head home Monday morning and get to the Buffalo
Orthopaedic Group (where my daughter Kristin works) and get set for surgery.
So, since we had to stay an extra day, my first thought was,
of course, one more day to go fishing!
No, I didn’t go – cold front still hanging around. But my wife did tell me it would have been OK
–
I love my wife!
She’s on the mend and the rivers can’t stay frozen forever,
so everything is getting back to normal – in more ways than one -
but it will take some time and
patience and understanding of the meaning of
"family".
See you on the water!
Dave
