What better way to celebrate the holiday than go fishing,
The rivers were roaring up my way, so I focused on a smaller brook and a local pond in North Adams instead, from 1 to 4 PM.
The afternoon started out cool (55 degrees) and mostly cloudy, with occasional glimpses of sun, and finished out with a steady rain.
I began on Hudson Brook in the Natural Marble Bridge State Park, where I was fortunate enough to find a backwater below a small waterfall, and eventually reeled in a 6" brookie and a 9" and 10" brown.
Then it was on to Fish Pond (Windsor Lake), where I saw one other fisherman, who left shortly after I arrived, but reported having landed a rainbow earlier on.
I also spotted a great blue heron hanging around for about 10 minutes or so, which is the first time I can recall seeing one there.
By the end, I had caught an 8" sunfish,a 10" perch, a 10" and 13" largemouth bass, and two 13" rainbows.
I was soaked to the skin and kinda chilly, but it felt good to get out and play tug-of-war with some fishies.
