Looks like Another Brown Trout Day

Most folks will look out the window and immediately complain about the cloudy drizzly day ahead. I see BWO and caddis hatches with sporadic sulphurs. I can hear the trout happily slurping away as they greedily suck in those delicious flies. Yummy, yummy!! Now don't get the wrong idea, they just don't eat every fly that comes swing their wing past  them. They can be very particular what they want. They do have some memory of that hook from last time! Or more likely that sting they felt on that one bug that enticed them. Drakes are coming soon to a stream nearby!!

Sent to the Corner and Put on the Dunce Cap

Okay I get it keep to fishing, fly tying, nature and environmental issues and avoid conflict. After writing ten thousand times "I will not post bull shit", I needed to be reminded that no one cares about my or anyone else's opinion. Take a breath, smile and say "cheerio" and walk away.

Now as promised the NO WAKE story!!!

Back in the previous century at the dawn of cell phones analog not digital lived a man who dreamed and worked in the future. My Dad was an electrical engineer and was part of the twentieth century's greatest achievements. Space, man flight, silicon chips, smart weapons a true cold warrior, a member of the military industrial complex.  Yes that stuff! The right stuff! 

Or we thought, he was a product of the depression, lost his father when he was twelve, almost died of rheumatic fever, went to school and got two degrees at night. He was protective to his younger brother and his Mom. A strong and stoic woman. He meet the german rocket scientist even the big guy old Werner, who he characterized as a Nazi plain and simple. He once told me the only thing worse than a Nazi were the Russians. He knew the enemy and at all times kept his mouth shut, secrets are meant to be kept. Most of all he was a devoted family man who sacrificed fame and fortune to keep his family safe and provided us with a comfortable life. He was married to my Mom for almost sixty years, Mom also knew how to keep a secret too and took most of them to the grave.  Most surprising one was that she assembled the famous nordon bombsight (loose lips sink ship) during the war.

He loved boating and every year we would go to the NY boat show and step onto every boat looking for the right one. Eventually bought a boat and a house on the water to go with it. He got involved with several boating groups and the local harbor watch. Boating and boat care consumed much of his retirement life. He had an orange whistle he wore around his neck (till the day he died) and bought a cell phone analog of course. He had a handheld marine radio to monitor the weather or call the coast guard, harbor police and the like. He programmed all the important numbers into his phone, then would do a phone check to make sure they actually worked. All hours of the night too, the battery must have died! Funny an engineer not trusting the technology, must have known something about not trusting products from China.

We build a floating dock to facilitate the boating and thats where the trouble began. Besides the twice annual ritual of putting the dock in and pulling it out for the season, usually bribed with one of my mothers Sunday dinner specials. He became obsessed with the wakes people powering through the harbor were making. He would see a boat push white water a mad sprint to the floating dock, an air horn blast and whistle sounded, followed by NO WAKE at the top of his lungs. We all would cringe at the spectacle. The moment of real infamy occurred several years later  in the mall. I spotted him in the crowd and my son and I tried to duck away, but....... that damn whistle!!! 

On his passing I tucked the whistle in his breast pocket at his wake and told my Mom if she didn't behave herself she would spend eternity with her matching whistle!! Never had a problem again. When I pass the church yard on occasion I do hear a faint whistle and I chuckle and reply with NO WAKE!

 

Conflicts

The news is always dominated by conflicts. Yesterday a gal walking her dog turned into a "racial" incident because she felt threatened by some guy screaming at her. It quickly escalated into viral video as the gal tried to call 911. Use your head, the best way is to not engage and walk away. Everything doesn't require enforcement of every rule. The man seemed ready to video his angry confrontation after he instigated and baited her into a response. There is always two sides to a story, but the referee only catches the reaction.  People it is now a video ready Instagram world out there, don't get baited into someone's trap for their self gratification. If someone needs Instagram likes to validate their existence don't become the subject. Walk away, and by the way keep the dog on its leash.

Conflict two: kayakers and fisherman, seems like both think they own the river and delight in annoying each other. Follow the rules, the Park is open Thursday to Sunday between 9AM to 3PM for kayakers and canoeist. Put in is above the LIE off Yaphank Ave by Lower Lake. The flow runs north to south and that is the general direction one should paddle in. In shallow stretches, wade and pull your boat as not to disturb the river bottom and plant and animal life. Using your paddles as shovels is bad for the environment. Remember  that voices travel and not everyone needs their quiet and solitude disturbed by rowdy hooligans. Share the river and share the experience. Limit  the number of boats in your party to enhance the experience. When encountering fisherman, remember they paid a fee to fish and ask before paddling through a pool. Drift quietly as possible through.
Never paddle upstream, litter or use profanity, some users are there with small children and they don't need to hear your ignorance. Report to Park police any bad activity, they are trained your not. Avoid conflicts and enjoy the river.

Now this guy knows how to get the most out of his experience on the water. Photographed in the Adirondacks a place more suitable for both activities. 

Ivan's Tree

Along the shores of the Carmans River, grow Red maples some have been there for hundreds of years. They bend and twist reaching for the sun and occasionally break off huge branches only to sprout again. The buttress roots and old root flares are evident of this. How many anglers passed by without noticing and how many fish have used their shade to hide under?

One such tree is named after an old colleague of mine, we had worked as arborist together many years ago. Pruning trees in the cold winter sun, sharing a story or two and eating a quiet lunch, a respite from the work of the day. Now Ivan is gone, he lived a good life, a kind man. I do miss him.

The other day while fishing a new member (to remain nameless) casually said he fished under Ivan's tree.  I surprised by the remark, asked him "do you even know who that is?" he remarked "some old member!" Well you ignorant fool I thought, and responded that "he was a friend mine"! Ivan once confided in me that he was mildly embarrassed by the tree name. That sums up Ivan!

So yesterday, the same guy was pained by my appearance and tried to ignore me as I fished HIS pool. After all he had been there for at least three maybe four hours. He tried and tried to cast to rising fish, but he was always short of or pulled his fly away, creating a wake. Tommy, you all know Tommy (yeah that annoying guy), well he was busy catching fish and on top. You see Tommy is one of those guys no fancy equipment but can exhibit patience and can catch fish. I have a new respect for Tommy and sure he talks too much and mostly out of his hat. But I have to admit there is something pure about his abilities. Now if he would only shut up. The annoyed one grew tired and left for parts unknown.

As soon as he left, Art caught a few fish and had a beautiful take on an olive pattern. The brown just pushed his nose above the water and let the fly drift seamlessly in. If only I had it on video it was a classic.

A word about etiquette, most times you should give anglers space, however in a small stream like the carmans it's tough. Staying and staking out a pool for hours is not being a good sportsman. After all how many fish do you need to catch? I divide the river into two parts: easy spots, plenty of stocked fish,  place to practice casting or techniques. Hard spots a place to catch those challenging fish using seldom used techniques. Fish hiding under banks, bushes and grass.  I prefer the hard to catch fish over new stockies. You do need to challenge yourself to become a better angler.

Doug told me recently that he had seen enough of these new guys who only nymph fish don't really know how to fish. "Two split shot is the difference" he likes to say. Doug always the patient man, is always giving pointers to newbies and old timers alike. Doug like me is in that stage of fly fishing where you just enjoy.

Ivan Frank

Arborist, fly tyer, angler and gentleman

Finding Out the Truth

Well no one is really going to fess up? So the lying continues, let's just stick to fishing and tying some great flies. My favorite (now) is the english pheasant tail, real simple and fished correctly (depth and drift) is a fish catcher. Trout are basically lazy, they are not going to look up or down unless something looks like food. Caddis larvae, nymphs and other bugs are usually  bland small creatures. some swim, some tumble with the current and some cling until they are ready to hatch. Check the water, what do you see? nothing? Then you don't know what you're looking for. Take the time to look under rocks, check your boots after fishing for clues to type, size and color. Spot where the fish are, are they active or passive. Learn patience, then be patient!

Biological Warfare

Look around, smell the air, close your eyes and listen to the sounds of nature. Sense it, see it, smell it hear it, feel it? A change is in the air! The upside of the current problems is that nature is making a come back, the skies are clearing, the pollution no longer clouds our vision. A month and a half thats all it took. We can let nature heal itself ; just stopping ourselves. If we were all disappeared tomorrow the earth wouldn't even notice. That's how important we are. So why is it so difficult?