Posted on May 20 2024
My schedule this week is a muddled mess. I have two things written on my calendar for the month of May, both are this Tuesday. The meeting at FUDR about the work on the pipeline starts at 10:00 and my physical exam is in Syracuse at 1:00. Will not be able to attend the meeting at FUDR. If anyone goes, please provide us with an update in the comments section.
Drove down after a second grandson's graduation party. Enjoyed chatting with son Rick who runs the Syracuse Troutfitter, our daughter-in-law, and both grandchildren, but 81 year old arses don't handle hard wooden picnic table benches as well as they use to. Was on the road by four and drove right on by Deposit and Hancock, (been in the company of more than enough people and boats lately).
Saw the first ragged robin in the ditches around Binghamton on the way down. It's the precursor of the drake hatch. Tried four pools. One was occupied by three people and I dnf, the others had but one fishermen (me), bugs, rising fish, and, yes, singing toads. For only the second time this year, the later it got, the better the fishing was. It was the rainbows time to shine but I did land a brown that was picture worthy if I hadn't left the cell phone in the car.
What to do? Get yourself on the river system, right now, it doesn't matter where. The fish are everywhere. March Browns and Gray Foxes have been hatching for a while now. Invaria were what got the fish up tonight. Stones, Green and Brown Drakes and Isos will all hatch within the next two weeks.
“81”. Your mind tells you that you can still do what you want, but your body says maybe not old man!!!
Returned home from the Delaware system and I miss it already. Here’s my trip report (I shared my Friday experience in your other post so I won’t repeat myself).
On Saturday, while standing in the river, I was thinking that all I was doing was something my mom told me not to do as a kid: which was play in the rain and catch a cold. Ultimately I hooked into a footlong rainbow on Lower EB. A gentleman from NJ who was fishing near me broke his rod tip and had to walk all the way back to the public access to salvage his trip (It was a long walk back for him).
Returned to Deposit area, went to Troutfitter and asked the man what was going to hatch that night and his suggestions would ultimately pay off for myself and my friends. $71 well spent. Went 7/7 that night. Caught large fish (2 18 inch browns and a few 14 inch rainbows. One rainbow liked the paralep, but the rest couldn’t resist the Hendrickson spinners. Very heavy fog that evening.
Returned to the river Sunday morning and went 3/4. Biggest fish was 13/14 inch brown. All on Hendrickson spinners.
I’ll have to live vicariously through your reports. I look forward to reading them to start my morning. Be back in July. Enjoy your summer with your family and friends! – Kirk