Disappointing Yesterday, Better Today

[bogtrotter]

Yesterday, my younger son and I gave NY Free Fishing Day a whirl . . . and the fishing was lousy,

It was a nice day, blue skies, temps in mid top upper 60's, and the water was up from the dismally low level that it was at this past June . . . actually a bit more than I would have preferred.

First stop, the Little Hoosick in Petersburg . . . had a few light hits, but whatever they were were too small to hook, much less land.

Second stop, the Quackenkill in Cropseyville . . . same problem.

The third place we went to was the pond next to the Pittstown Fire Department (where I recalled seeing some local kids haul out some big bass many moons ago).

On his first cast, my son's "suicide duck" lure flew off the line (either the line snapped or the knot untied) and landed in the middle of the pond. Fortunately, it floated, and eventually we were able to retrieve it when it drifted close enough to the shore to retrieve.,

While we waited, we passed the time catching a couple good-sized sunfish apiece - - but that was the only action we had. (No bass made an appearance).

Finally, we tried fishing the Hoosic in Hoosick Falls . . . both by the St. Gobain plant and below the bridge in the down town, but nothing happened.

This afternoon, we decided to try to rinse the bad taste from yesterday out of our mouths by trying the NW Housatonic along Wahconah Avenue in Pittsfield.

Again, sunny and blue skies, albeit a bit cooler (probably low to mid 60's) . . . with the water levels still elevated.

We caught a dozen or so perch (including one 14" whopper) and three small (10") but feisty bass, and my son had a pretty good tussle with an 18" carp that finally got away when (I think) its lip gave way and it slipped the hook. (My fault: I'm pretty sure he would have been able to land the carp if I had thought to bring my net).

[Bartman44]

Give it a week, waters you're fishing are still up but will recede and we'll get some cooler weather soon.     

[lowaccord66]

Way to get out Jim.  Its time for you to come visit.  I landed over a dozen bows on the flyrod tonight.  Nothing big but lots of fun.

[bogtrotter]

LOWACCORD WROTE: "Its time for you to come visit.  I landed over a dozen bows on the flyrod tonight.  Nothing big but lots of fun."

Thanks, Jon, that's a tempting offer, but I'm afraid I won't be down your way until Free Fishing Day next year.

I am too cheap (or, as I prefer, "thrifty") to buy an out-of-State license.

[westernmas]

LOWACCORD WROTE: "Its time for you to come visit.  I landed over a dozen bows on the flyrod tonight.  Nothing big but lots of fun."

Thanks, Jon, that's a tempting offer, but I'm afraid I won't be down your way until Free Fishing Day next year.

I am too cheap (or, as I prefer, "thrifty") to buy an out-of-State license.

Its worth it!

[lowaccord66]

Jim no worries.  Licensing kills me every year.  Pat we should all meet up at the gorge one of these days then.

[westernmas]

Jim no worries.  Licensing kills me every year.  Pat we should all meet up at the gorge one of these days then.

I'm game.  One of the weekends in Oct. should work.  Going to the salmon river I think the second weekend but outside of that my schedules is wide open.

[lowaccord66]

Meantime you should meet up local.  The trout have been willing up by me.

[westernmas]

Meantime you should meet up local.  The trout have been willing up by me.

I did a little exploring down in the collinsville area yesterday.  Found a nice spot near the bike trail.  There were a bunch of fish rising but I couldn't figure out what they were hitting.  I missed a couple on a hornberg and my cousin landed one and missed a couple using nymphs.  We tried one other area, where we saw a spin fisherman land a nice bow, before heading home.  I had much more exciting plans which my buddy ruined by not waking up so I got double skunked (tried Onota from like 630-11) yesterday.

However, I did see a big bull moose when driving through the Granville State Forrest.  It had a nice sized velvet rack and ran right down the road for about 25 yards before taking off into the woods.  Its only like the 3rd or 4th moose that I've ever seen.

[lowaccord66]

Down there has been off.  Much better up north.