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Was able to visit a couple of New York's prettiest rivers and streams this Spring. With water levels high, it was a great year to cast a line into running water. I've been meaning to shares these photos earlier but have been busy catching up on chores.
One trip took me on a 3mile hike up a small Catskill hill. Once on top, I set up camp, then hiked another mile down the other side to a small brook. Bushwacking was easy in mid April...very few leaves on trees and bushes. Too early for blackflies and mosquitos were no where to be found either. Not many things more enjoyable than searching for deep cold pools along a mountain stream. What brought me to this spot in the first place was a 30 or 40 foot waterfall that exists a mile or two downstream of where I was "hunting." I wanted to see if trout existed upstream of such alluvial features. In addition to seeking firsthand knowledge, I started reading Nick Karas' "Brook Trout" in which he describes everything trout. (I noticed one significant error concerning the geologic time scale in his book but who am I to point the finger - what's 50 or 60 million years here or there in the grand scheme of things anyway haha). I was told he shares evidence in his book for the existence of trout upstream of giant obstacles like waterfalls. In any case...they there. Finally found the right pool...free of strainers and low hanging branches, it was deep and clear. No bohemoths, but they there. Anything I cast usually got a hit. Pulled half a dozen out in 30min. All returned safely.
After breaking camp the next day, I drove south to another spot that I've been to at least a half dozen times trying to figure out where the trout are. A 2mile hike in with ticks every time but gorgeous enough for the scenery alone. For years I've only found smallmouth and perch but knew there were trout present. The experienced fisherman would've either caught trout the first time or never gone back
. I walked upstream to a spot I never came to before with little time left before Sunset. I was standing on a large boulder casting to the opposite bank to another boulder with a large eddy behind it. I would cast and let my line drift downstream hoping for a bite. Well it finally came and my heart rate spiked! I prayed to Mother Nature as quickly as I could and asked her to make it a trout and not a smallmouth (unless it was five pounds or greater). She listened. A beautiful brown! I played him a little too long perhaps for when I tried to scoop him into the net, my line broke! I collapsed on the boulder face up in a combination of disbelief and satisfaction. I knew I had to come back. It was getting dark and I still had a 3hr drive ahead of me. Two weeks later, I'm back and nailed three of the strongest fish I ever caught. These weren't enourmous trout but they were some of the coolest fish I've ever seen. Their heads looked like the heads of tuna...built for speed, strong currents and hydrodynamic. A slightly hooked beak to boot. Put there by the DEC?...perhaps. Someone put the first Brown in these waters but were these naturally reproduced in the river or stocked this year? Going to leave that spot alone for a while now. Maybe go back when the colors change.
Thx for reading.
One trip took me on a 3mile hike up a small Catskill hill. Once on top, I set up camp, then hiked another mile down the other side to a small brook. Bushwacking was easy in mid April...very few leaves on trees and bushes. Too early for blackflies and mosquitos were no where to be found either. Not many things more enjoyable than searching for deep cold pools along a mountain stream. What brought me to this spot in the first place was a 30 or 40 foot waterfall that exists a mile or two downstream of where I was "hunting." I wanted to see if trout existed upstream of such alluvial features. In addition to seeking firsthand knowledge, I started reading Nick Karas' "Brook Trout" in which he describes everything trout. (I noticed one significant error concerning the geologic time scale in his book but who am I to point the finger - what's 50 or 60 million years here or there in the grand scheme of things anyway haha). I was told he shares evidence in his book for the existence of trout upstream of giant obstacles like waterfalls. In any case...they there. Finally found the right pool...free of strainers and low hanging branches, it was deep and clear. No bohemoths, but they there. Anything I cast usually got a hit. Pulled half a dozen out in 30min. All returned safely.
After breaking camp the next day, I drove south to another spot that I've been to at least a half dozen times trying to figure out where the trout are. A 2mile hike in with ticks every time but gorgeous enough for the scenery alone. For years I've only found smallmouth and perch but knew there were trout present. The experienced fisherman would've either caught trout the first time or never gone back
. I walked upstream to a spot I never came to before with little time left before Sunset. I was standing on a large boulder casting to the opposite bank to another boulder with a large eddy behind it. I would cast and let my line drift downstream hoping for a bite. Well it finally came and my heart rate spiked! I prayed to Mother Nature as quickly as I could and asked her to make it a trout and not a smallmouth (unless it was five pounds or greater). She listened. A beautiful brown! I played him a little too long perhaps for when I tried to scoop him into the net, my line broke! I collapsed on the boulder face up in a combination of disbelief and satisfaction. I knew I had to come back. It was getting dark and I still had a 3hr drive ahead of me. Two weeks later, I'm back and nailed three of the strongest fish I ever caught. These weren't enourmous trout but they were some of the coolest fish I've ever seen. Their heads looked like the heads of tuna...built for speed, strong currents and hydrodynamic. A slightly hooked beak to boot. Put there by the DEC?...perhaps. Someone put the first Brown in these waters but were these naturally reproduced in the river or stocked this year? Going to leave that spot alone for a while now. Maybe go back when the colors change.Thx for reading.
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