Posted on August 01 2020
The comment section seems to be growing by leaps and bounds. While I enjoy reading the comments, the job of responding is becoming more onerous by the week. Will be attempting to lure someone off their $600.00 a week unemployment to work on the answers and do the typing.
Chris Z - The mousing craze has sure resulted in an increased demand for mouse patterns at the Troutfitter. It is a nighttime thing and to be both safe and effective you need to do it from a boat. There will be some good fish hooked no doubt but I will leave that fishing to the younger anglers, I don't have a boat and need my sleep. As to the small fish in the summer. DEC fisheries biologist Tim Pokorny would be the one to ask. If he happens to read the blog perhaps he'll chime in. Two thoughts: When big fish are feeding you rarely see small fish (they don't want to become part of the meal). In the summer the hatches don't attract the big fish and the small fish chow down. Although there is considerable spawning in the WB, I'm not sure how much survival there is what with the number of Mergansers and cannibalistic big browns. It may be that the yearlings you see after the big bug hatches are those that have dropped down out of the tribs as their water levels decline. They have to survive kingfishers and herons but I think their survival rate may be better than their cousins born in the WB.
Andy - My apologies for the tardy reply. You are the only one who comments on the Angler119 page and I don't look there on a regular basis. The "Perfect Manhattan" is a combination of a Canadian blend rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, dry vermouth and a twist of lemon (it's important to keep track of the number of twists in your glass 2 is more than enough).
Dennis - You were "Low Holed", a not uncommon occurrence on the river system and one of the many causes of conflict between waders and drifters. While both waders and drift boaters are trout fishing, their methods are very different and conflict with one another. Many blue ribbon stream managers have established regulations to minimize the conflicts. I have suggested setting aside "no float" areas (at least during the big bug season) where wade fishermen could fish without boats rowing through their fish every few minutes. This would also greatly reduces the number of wade anglers on the rest of the river thus easing the way for drift boat operators to maneuver their way downstream. Unfortunately the current head of Region 4 fisheries is a non-fisherman and doesn't understand the nature or extent of the conflict.
Steve - Good advice for anyone new to the river. If you try learning it by yourself you're going to take your lumps, I know I did.
Freestone - Thanks for filling the void, you were the only one of the seven comments that I could understand.
Jim V - Next time you're on the river stop and see Dave at the Troutfitter.
Greg, Don A, Dick, Ed S and anyone I may have missed - Your kind words and comments contribute to the blogs appeal and to my enjoyment. Thanks!
Chris Z - The mousing craze has sure resulted in an increased demand for mouse patterns at the Troutfitter. It is a nighttime thing and to be both safe and effective you need to do it from a boat. There will be some good fish hooked no doubt but I will leave that fishing to the younger anglers, I don't have a boat and need my sleep. As to the small fish in the summer. DEC fisheries biologist Tim Pokorny would be the one to ask. If he happens to read the blog perhaps he'll chime in. Two thoughts: When big fish are feeding you rarely see small fish (they don't want to become part of the meal). In the summer the hatches don't attract the big fish and the small fish chow down. Although there is considerable spawning in the WB, I'm not sure how much survival there is what with the number of Mergansers and cannibalistic big browns. It may be that the yearlings you see after the big bug hatches are those that have dropped down out of the tribs as their water levels decline. They have to survive kingfishers and herons but I think their survival rate may be better than their cousins born in the WB.
Andy - My apologies for the tardy reply. You are the only one who comments on the Angler119 page and I don't look there on a regular basis. The "Perfect Manhattan" is a combination of a Canadian blend rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, dry vermouth and a twist of lemon (it's important to keep track of the number of twists in your glass 2 is more than enough).
Dennis - You were "Low Holed", a not uncommon occurrence on the river system and one of the many causes of conflict between waders and drifters. While both waders and drift boaters are trout fishing, their methods are very different and conflict with one another. Many blue ribbon stream managers have established regulations to minimize the conflicts. I have suggested setting aside "no float" areas (at least during the big bug season) where wade fishermen could fish without boats rowing through their fish every few minutes. This would also greatly reduces the number of wade anglers on the rest of the river thus easing the way for drift boat operators to maneuver their way downstream. Unfortunately the current head of Region 4 fisheries is a non-fisherman and doesn't understand the nature or extent of the conflict.
Steve - Good advice for anyone new to the river. If you try learning it by yourself you're going to take your lumps, I know I did.
Freestone - Thanks for filling the void, you were the only one of the seven comments that I could understand.
Jim V - Next time you're on the river stop and see Dave at the Troutfitter.
Greg, Don A, Dick, Ed S and anyone I may have missed - Your kind words and comments contribute to the blogs appeal and to my enjoyment. Thanks!
Angler119,
Thank you, I was happy to jump in. If you are serious about finding someone to assist you with the comments / a ghost writer, lets talk or better yet meet to discuss, any reason to get to the river works for me, I am sure it would make a great partnership