Thursday, April 30, 2020

John Blaise - The Squirrel Tail Streamer And The Brackish Waters


JOHN BLAISE
THE SQUIRREL TAIL STREAMER
AND
THE BRACKISH WATERS
by Dick Alley
This used to be one of Westport's prime fresh water fishing spots. While the left bank was always unsafe, the right bank was brush-free and  the perfect spot for family fishing.---And LOADED with fish of many species.
            It was the late 50's early 60's and I hadn't yet caught my first striper. I was all fresh water fishing, new to fly fishing and fly tying and struggling to learn the game. Early May found me wading what is now the Doc Skerlick Trout Management Area, just below the Ford. My fly casting efforts were coming along just fine, but the choices of what flies to use, where and when, left me pretty much skunked on most days. After about half an hour, frustrated I decided to move and turned to find that someone was watching me.
           " You might try letting that fly sink some more", he suggested with a smile. "Cast upstream a little more and it will drift deeper." I did as he said and on the third drift, the line tightened and moments later, I netted  my first trout caught fly-fishing.  I'm not sure who was happier, but I left the river, extended my hand, thanked him and introduced myself. 
            John Blaise was quite a bit older than me, but friendly, soft spoken and smoked a pipe. We talked a bit. He asked what I was using and I showed him a Mickey Finn which was the only fly I knew by name at the time. I told him I had tied the fly myself and he smiled, lied that it was well -tied and suggested I try a squirrel tail. He explained that it was a great streamer for the Saugatuck and was easy to tie and then reached into his fly box and presented me with one. And that is how friendships are made and endure.
Wood's Dam back then when it was accessible to anglers.
            John was an avid trout fisherman and I saw him many times after that over the years. I looked forward to our frequent meetings as much as I did the fishing. During one of those early conversations I asked him where else he liked to fish along the River. He mentioned  behind the Firehouse on Lyons Plains, Devil's Den and the "Brackish Waters", John's reference for the stretch of tidal water between the Kings Highway Bridge and Wood's Dam.
 Today, I couldn't even get close enough through the brush to take a clear shot.

            The water's between Wood's Dam are an ever-changing blend of freshwater and saltwater as tides flow in and out of the river from Long Island Sound. Back in those days, the Bridgeport Hydraulic Co. office or east side of the river boasted bare banks with plenty of room for casting, or setting up a beach chair, hooking a worm and waiting for a bite. River flow beneath waterfall and waters downstream were prime trout water. This stretch of river received generous supplies of fish from the DEP and there was more. John always spoke reverently about the spot, telling of the many different species of fish he caught there. Personally, I caught trout, perch, pickerel, largemouth bass, catfish, herring, crappie and bluegills over the years. One evening while trout fishing with an ultra-light outfit, I must have hooked a sizable striper as it stripped all the line from my reel before it broke off. Then too, there were the sea-run brown trout. John called them "Salters" and told of catching one once. Whitey McMahon fished the area often and always targeted these monster trout that made their way in from the Sound in early spring, catching maybe one or two a season, wall-hangers all.
This trout came from an upstate pond.
             The "best trout season ever" occurred one day in the 60's, when the truck from the State Hatchery, fully loaded with trout bound for the Housatonic River in Cornwall, suffered a breakdown of the compressor that keeps the fish alive during transport.  The incident happened on I-95 and Conservation Officer Joe Pysa who was in charge of the stocking operation, had the truck dump its entire load into this small stretch of water rather than lose the fish.  Needless to say it was the best stretch of trout fishing any of us had ever seen with plenty for all and repeated limit catches for weeks.
            I had looked forward to fishing the area again this spring after an absence of 20 years and couldn't believe it when I saw how overgrown the area had become. In hopes of a story to share with area anglers, I decided to take a  ride and check out the area. Armed with my camera, I took a few photo's from the bridge, then drove out behind the building to the rear area near the falls. Unfortunately, getting to the river was nearly impossible for a geezer like me, but turned out it didn't matter. I was walking around with my camera when a truck from Aquarion pulled over and the driver asked what I was doing. I explained that it used to be one of my favorite fishing spots, and I was just taking a few photo's and scouting it out.
           "This is private property. You are trespassing. You have to leave" . "Sorry", said I. I've been away and used to fish here all the time. It was always open to fishing when I lived here earlier".
            He said something about Aquarion now owning the property now, not Bridgeport Hydraulic and again told me to leave.
            I got in my car and left, and suddenly  regretted no longer having a newspaper column. Not that I could have done anything, but I certainly could have tried.  There are no more outdoor columns in area newspapers. In the old days, had I known this area would be closed to fishing, calls to Al Bennett (Bridgeport Post), Marty Armstrong (Stamford Advocate), Senator Doc Gunther, (State Legislature) would likely have rattled some cages and negotiations would have happened and public access might have remained open. I wonder what happened to the CT Outdoor Writer's Association.
          What started out as a story to promote a certain area for fishing, instead  became a sad story of the loss of public access. It sure would be fun to fish that stretch again, but I guess not this year.

                                                    DWA





            
           

Monday, April 27, 2020

FOR GOODNESS SNAKES!


FOR GOODNESS SNAKES
by 
Dick Alley

           I hate snakes! Even though Connecticut isn't over-run with dangerous snakes, I am always watching where I walk when fishing.

The "BUD" was great. Time for the main course.


                  When it comes to trout fishing, Bob Byers and I always enjoyed exploring the rives and streams in the northeast part of the State. Rivers like the Natchaug, the Yantic, Fenton River, the Mount Hope River, Bigelow Brook and others always offer the promise of good trout fishing in April and May.
                    One day, we traveled down a dirt road through  the forests up around Ashford and Eastford, and came to an open area, the site of some kind of former industrial operation. There were building foundations and a nice stream meandered through the area. It only took a few casts to produce a couple of trout as we walked around casting into different pools and riffles.We were walking the dirt road when one of us looked down to see an area that was crawling with snakes. The critter shown in the photo quickly drew our attention as it was obviously in the process of eating a trout about 10-inches in length.

                 I quickly headed back to the car to get my camera and very cautiously approached this big hungry guy. I don't like snakes and normally do everything in my power to put as much distance between myself and the snake,"any snake" as quickly as possible.
               As I drew closer, it was obvious that I was unwelcome. That snake suddenly began coughing and wiggling, flexing those neck muscles until it expelled the body of the trout. Just as suddenly, it turned and coiled and lunged at me, mouth agape, fangs bared. Luckily I was far enough away that it fell to the ground missing me by a couple of feet. (Thanks for telephoto lenses.) I would have loved to have had that shot, but I was too busy back-pedaling in the other direction to take it.
              This photo remains one of my favorites and always came up in conversations when Bob and I would tell war stories over a beer or two.

DWA

Sunday, April 26, 2020

CALICO BASS or CRAPPIE





CRAPPIE
AKA
CALICO BASS
by Dick Alley


             Connecticut is by choice a trout state. Every season brings hundreds of thousands of these hatchery-raised fish to the rivers, lakes and streams scattered across the State. Trout are beautiful, scrappy, hit a large variety of baits, lures and flies, but they are by no means the only  fresh water species sought after by springtime anglers.
              While fishing rivers and streams is rewarding, geezers like me have to face up to the fact that it becomes a much bigger adventure as time creeps up. While looking for a bit more sensible approach to enjoying my favorite game, I jogged the memory banks all the way back to my pre-teen days.
           

John Tucker with a typical crappie found in lakes and ponds across the State

 Living in upstate Connecticut at the time, I was well aware that Crystal Lake was loaded with big trout. Problem was that we didn't even own a car until I was 14. Walker's Reservoir, another trout-stocked pond was always stocked but even that was a two-mile bike ride.
            Fortunately, I lived just across the street from the Hockanum River where it widened into the Paper Mill Pond. It was not stocked with trout. In my several years of fishing there, I never even saw a trout come out of the "Pape" as my friends and I described it.  There was "the log" left by an earlier flood, right in the middle of the pond. It served as a resting spot when we swam across the pond, and being the only visible structure was also a great fishing spot.  
            This fabulous pond did not hold trout, but there were lots of bass and  pickerel and bluegills and yellow perch and in the spring before the waters warmed up too much, there were crappie.
             We called them calico bass or calico's for short in those days. Yellow perch could be caught all year, especially on "perch bugs" (another story for another day) but those calico's were our early spring favorites.  
               They aren't normally a big fish. Crappie of eight to twelve inches are great eating size. Many southern and mid-west States boast big crappie. A one-pound fish is respectable, a two-pounder a big fish.  The world record crappie was close to six pounds caught in a small pond in Tennessee. (Check out this months Field and Stream magazine for the 14 biggest crappie on record).
               Crappie hit lures and flies and worms. They go crazy for small minnows. When the kids were young, we took a camping/ sight-seeing trip to Washington D.C.. We camped at Burke Lake Campground in Fairfax Va.  It was a cold, rainy couple of days, but one afternoon, the rain stopped and we rented a rowboat at the lake, joined a small fleet of boats anchored a few hundred feet from shore and went fishing. I recall the water being muddy, but I snapped on a small weighted jig, made a few casts, switched to a brighter color and bang-- a 6-inch fish swung into the boat. I rigged similarly for the kids and we spent a couple of hours catching and releasing small crappie on almost every cast.
A couple of nice slabs from Lake Lillinonah
We kept a few for dinner and returned to our tent site with happy smiles after a cold and rainy sight-seeing trip.
             Crappie saved the day for Eddie Rusnak and I when we rented a rowboat at Lake Candlewood one late May day. It was a hot one and fish were not biting. We were targeting trout 
and catching nothing when we decided to  head closer to shore and try for pan-fish. We found a small island with a rocky shoreline and small spinners quickly had us smiling when every cast produced either a nice crappie or a big bluegill. 
               When I purchased my canoe back in the 70's, I made my first trip to Lee's Pond above the Dam on the Saugatuck River. I launched next to the Dam, paddled around the corner to a fallen branch about 50 feet from the old rope swing we enjoyed as teenagers, dropped anchor and started casting. It was a warm drizzly day and the pan-fish loved it. First a bluegill, then a crappie, then another and back to bluegills and more crappie on almost every cast. By the time the drizzle turned into a downpour I was more than satisfied to head for the riverbank and  anticipate my next canoe trip.
               While popular just about everywhere, many southern and midwest States rate crappie among their most fished species. Check out catalogs for many of the big fishing retailers and you can appreciate the attention paid to these little fishing gems.
              When it comes to food fish, crappie also come close to topping the list of frying pan favorites. They can be scaled or skinned or filleted, coated in flour, dipped in batter and have a delicious flavor.
               Whether you're a geezer like me, unable to wade the trout  streams or simply want to try something different and relax a bit, put crappie and other pan-fish on your list this spring.
                                                                                 30




Tuesday, April 21, 2020




 BASIC BASSIN’
by
Dick Alley
                                      


Striped bass fishing can be as simple or as sophisticated as the individual angler wants it to be. The simple fact is that striped bass are the biggest and the best when it comes to fishing the waters of Long Island Sound. The current World Record striper came from the Branford area of Long Island Sound. Past State record stripers were recorded in waters off Norwalk and New Haven. The month of May is prime-time when it comes to catching the undisputed king of the Long Island Sound recreational fishing scene.

          Striped bass are a frisky species that run in size from foot-long schoolies that must by law be returned to the water unharmed, to trophy-sized giants that go to 50, 60 and more pounds. The World Record striped bass weighing in at 81.88-POUNDS  was caught in the Branford area of the Sound a few years ago by Captain Greg Meyerson  in August of 2011.
                                                                     
                                         
Greg Meyerson  displays his World Record 81.88-pound  striped bass

                                                   
          The biggest bass I ever caught weighed in the mid-30 pound range. That one came from the Norwalk islands as do many other bigger and smaller bass every season.   I’ve enjoyed scrapping with the little schoolies caught from Compo Beach along with the bunker-bait and sandworm eating fish that weighed in the teens and twenties taken  from boat and beach, at many shoreline spots from Greenwich to New Haven over the last half-century.

Bass can be caught in the Norwalk River, from the fishing pier, at Sherwood Island, Frost Point, Weed Beach and from one end of the Norwalk Island chain to the other at dozens of excellent fishing spots.
Catching stripers requires good but not necessarily expensive equipment, a basic knowledge of feeding and migration habits and a willingness to sacrifice sleep at times as well as discomfort on occasion, simply because those happenings coincide with the best times for striped bass fishing.

THE SPRING MIGRATION: Stripers from the Chesapeake Bay are currently cavorting in the waters off southern New Jersey. They will soon cruise on past Montauk a few making the turn and entering into eastern Long Island Sound. Even more stripers are migrating down the Hudson River into western Long Island Sound to make up the major segment of our summer striper population. In addition, winter-over stripers are spreading from the Housatonic, Thames and Connecticut Rivers from smaller winter-over populations that are now joining with the bigger schools.
This 74-pound monster held the State record prior to Meyerson's catch.
It was caught in New Haven Harbor.
Following the spring (and fall) migrations can result in outstanding fishing. For example. One of the earlier coastal spots is the West Haven sand bar. A week or two later, the fish are banging lures at spots like Penfield Reef or Sherwood Island State Park.. If they show at Frost Point on a given day and then disappear, chances are, the reefs off Cockenoe, then Goose or Copp’s or Sheffield Island, will be yielding some good catches within a couple of days.
Warm water spots that highlight power plant outflows, river mouths and other areas where water temperatures fluctuate can be factors in migratory patterns.

MANY METHODS: Striped bass are suckers for many varied fishing methods that include casting lures, trolling, and utilizing a wide variety of live and natural baits that include sandworms, bloodworms, clams, squid, herring, bunker and more.
When I started bass fishing, the guys in the boats mostly trolled from small skiffs in and around the Norwalk Islands and surrounding coastline. Del Knapp one of Norwalk’s most famous anglers, was a fly-fishing expert in fresh water, but loved trolling around Fish Island and other islands. He strictly fished daytime hours, trolled bloodworms as a favorite and caught hundreds of fish every summer, but most were small and probably wouldn’t even be legal under today’s laws.
Bait fishing on the bottom from the beaches was also popular in the old days. Heavy surf outfits tossed weighted baits of worms or squid and waited for a bite. Hank Barrille fished the night tides of Sherwood island on a regular basis and often caught large stripers on squid baits fished from shore.
  Worm drifting with oversized sandworms became popular in the 60’s. It’s a great fishing method from boats, utilizing light spinning outfits, small hooks, big worms and catches big fish. We’ll go into more detail when the time is right.
  Live eels are a favorite bait for big stripers and they are best fished during the dark hours.
Todd Alley with a couple of keepers
Spin fishing with Artificial lures and/or fly fishing is the most fun when it comes to striped bass.                     Every fish is an adventure simply because every bass is an individual. Sometimes a 10-pound bass will fight like twice its weight. Bass fight hard so catching even 12 to 16-inch throwbacks on fresh water tackle can be a blast. Fly fishing for stripers started in the days of Joe Brooks and A.J. MacLane on American Sportsman and peaked around the turn of the century. Many Fairfield County bass followers became addicted to fly-fishing for stripers. Guys like Lou Tabory, Pete Kriewald, Nick Curcione and Johnny Posh  became recognized experts in the game. Lou and Nick authored many books on salt water fly-rodding.
Choosing and finding the right lure for a night or day of bass fishing can be as much fun as catching the fish. These fish hit lures bounced off the bottom and smash poppers splashing along the surface. They are attracted to a variety of swimming lures with names like Atom, Rapala, Bomber, Rebel, and many soft plastic lures----

all produce. Best bet to finding the right lure comes with a visit to your tackle dealer, who will be happy to share what’s hot and what’s not.

Big bait - Big Fish: The same rules apply whether the bait is natural or artificial. Tossing big lures made of wood or plastic can pay off in a hurry when the bigger fish move in. Toss a smaller lure into a school of feeding stripers and you should see some action. Bucktails, small soft plastic minnow imitations, Rebels, Bombers, Atom plugs all work well. Increase the size of the lure and your chance of catching a bigger fish will improve.

All that’s needed to get started striper fishing is a medium weight spinning rod, a decent spinning reel and a few lures. Almost forgot! You’ll also need a salt-water license, courtesy of the politicians in Hartford. Calf Pasture Beach, the fishing pier, spots along the river and Veterans Park are good early-season spots to begin. Likewise for the Saugatuck River or the cove in Darien any place where public access can be found. Some of the restricted beaches of summer, don’t post guards in the early season.   Check with area tackle shops for  news in a particular area.

                                                             DWA





Saturday, April 18, 2020

Wishing the Mackerel Were Back


WISHING THE MACKEREL WERE BACK
by
Dick Alley


             It's been a long time since Boston Mackerel visited the waters of western  Long Island Sound. They first showed up back in the late 50's, early 60's  as tiny tinker mackerel in Bridgeport Harbor. The following spring, bigger versions weighing 1 to 2-pounds, appeared in mid-April, mostly away from the beaches, maybe a mile or so off shore.


 This shot goes back a few years. My daughter Lori was about 15 when this photo was taken.


              It was a time when mackerel were a major component of the springtime fishing season. They showed up for several seasons, usually around the end of April ------ to feed on dense schools of sand eels. They normally hung just off  shore in 15 to 25 feet of water, but would swing into the beaches often enough to make things interesting for the surf guys. That said, the guys in the boats had an advantage.


             The main method used to catch the critters was by jigging multiple-hook feather or plastic tube rigs, weighted with a Diamond Jig weighing from 2 to 4-ounces. The rig was simply dropped to the bottom and then jigged up and down in wide sweeps. If the fish weren't on the bottom, we simply advanced the depth towards the surface until a fish grabbed hold. That's when the fun begins. When one fish grabs hold, the rod bends, the line is tight and then another of the lures is hit, followed by another, again and again until all the hooks are filled. These Boston torpedoes weighed anywhere from 1 to 2 pounds, sometimes more, so a full rig meant for a pretty good challenge. Ideally, when two anglers are fishing together, one keeps his rig in the water while the other unhooks, keeping a steady supply of fish next to the boat.
Bob Stanley & Ed Boland jigging up mackerel.


             Mackerel were a pretty good food fish, a little on the strong side, but they were even better as bass and bluefish bait. A good afternoon of fishing would fill a 32 gallon garbage pail, enough for a supply of bait for most of the summer.
Our old friend Doc Skerlick with a couple of mackerel that came within casting range of the beach.


               Once the bucket was full whether for bait or breakfast, it was time to break out the light spinning rig and cast metal lures. On the jig-rigs a full jig made for a workout. Caught on light rigs and single lures, mackerel put on a speed show, streaking off line to make the reel drag scream. They're fast movers, so a speedy retrieve helps. Lures like the Hopkins, the Fiord Spoon and the Kastmaster were top producers.

              When the blues moved in, the mackerel moved out, but a fair-sized population usually took up residence in each and every boat basin. Come the evening tides, striped bass and blues would enter the basins and chase the macks around. Fishermen would line the shore, casting to whatever might grab the lure. Unfortunately, that resulted in some broken boat windshields and hooks on anchor lines and eventually, most marina's banned fishing within their boundaries.

Many years have passed since mackerel showed up in western Long Island Sound. They will probably be back someday. We hope so. They make for plenty of added fishing fun.

DWA


Wednesday, April 15, 2020

AFTER THE RAIN





AFTER THE RAIN
by
Dick Alley


              April showers, some of them heavy, have area streams and rivers topping their banks. Local weather forecasts are predicting more of the same.  Rainy days can be both good and bad for fishing in the aftermath of spring showers  and flooded waters.
               Trout season has only just begun and recent storms can only aid in ensuring some excellent fishing right through the Memorial Day weekend. While this week's storms  made for high, fast and muddy currents, two or three dry days in a row will have thee trout putting on the feedbag once again.  Warming temperatures and bright sunshine will bring on the insect hatches.
This pair were caught on a Thomas Buoyant
                As my old friend and Westport-raised fly-fishing expert, Lou Tabory used to say; " April Trout Look Down". It was the title of Lou's first-ever fishing magazine article. Lou tied and fished some of the most effective possum nymphs I ever used and he liked the big and buggy in the early season. When the water was high and fast like in present conditions, weighted nymphs worked even better. My own favorite was always the Hare's Ear. 
Some of my favorite spinners
               Present conditions are also favorable for spinning and live-bait fishing. Whether it's drifting Trout Magnets under a float, or retrieving a flashy spoon like a Phoebe or Thomas Buoyant, or maybe a spinner like a Super Vibrax or a Rooster Tail or one of the famous Mepp's spinners, all will draw hits in these spring conditions.
               I like to cast a bit upstream and bounce the lure on or near bottom using a slow retrieve.
Likewise for bait fishing. Live bait fishing covers a lot of territory. I come from a generation that was out every night just after dark in the early season, gathering night crawlers. They're laying atop the lawns at this time of year and a flashlight and quick hand can fill a bait box in no time simply by reaching down really quick and grabbing the little critters. While night crawlers were always our bait of choice as kids, they were by no means the only live baits. 
         
The Doc Skerlick Fly-fishing area is running high and fast. Calls for caution and weighted streamers or nymphs.
 When our fishing gang began gathering at the Natchaug River for opening day camping trips more than 40 years ago, we learned from other campers and friends at evening campfires when the fishing was over for the day. Everyone has favorite lures, flies and baits, but not everyone catches the most or the biggest fish. Some anglers are luckier, maybe smarter, maybe even better fishermen than others.  In our fishing gang, the super-star was Ed Stalling. Ed ALWAYS caught more and bigger fish than the rest of us. Whether we were fishing trout, stripers or panfish , Ed was always top gun.
Ed Stalling - This beauty hit a live minnow
               I remember one year  when the bite was slow at our campsite. While we were sitting around the campfire, drinking beer and bemoaning our bad luck, Ed took a walk up and down the river, watching  other anglers, stopping and talking to a few and making new friends. When we took a ride later in the day and stopped at a local bait shop, Ed purchased a bucket and a bunch of live minnows and a couple of minnow rigs. When I inquired as to what he was up to, he just smiled and said he thought he would try minnow fishing. I'm not that dumb. I purchased a couple of minnow rigs for myself.
             Back at camp, we headed for the river once again. I stuck with spinning lures, but Ed rigged a live minnow,  stored a few more and headed downstream. An hour later, we were back at the campfire. We compared notes. I had  a couple of hits and landed one small rainbow. Bob was happy with a pair of fish. Ed was  grinning. He then brought out the biggest fish of the day and  told of non-stop action on his live minnows.
             Trout worms, red wigglers and meal worms are all popular baits for early season trout. The best part is that all of the above can be caught on light or ultra-light tackle. There are times when fly-fishing reigns, specially those days when big trout suck dry flies off the surface and matching the hatch becomes part of the game. But right now, when the water runs high and fast, don't be afraid to fish down deep.

                                                                       30



REMEMBERING DOC SKERLICK




REMEMBERING DOC SKERLICK
by
DICK ALLEY

                   I first met Doc at the Westport Tackle Shop back in the early 60's and immediately liked the guy. At That time, he was working the security graveyard shift at Sherwood Island State Park. As the Park was gated and usually quiet at night, Doc usually managed to catch a cat-nap during his shift, which translated into more fishing time during the day.
Doc holding court at the Westport Tackle Shop
In the 1970's, Nutmeg Chapter, Trout Unlimited was instrumental in re-designing the stretch of river off Ford Road, formerly known as the "FLY AREA".    which was named honoring Doc at it's dedication. Unfortunately, whether by accident or vandalism, the sign was damaged. The plaque  is still there.






Doc Skerlick was always an entertaining guy. He sometimes murdered the King's English, but it never stopped him from giving his opinion on anything and everything related to fishing and conservation. He was well-read, attended any and all meetings in the State and usually expressed his thoughts at every one of them.



Doc with a nice catch  of Boston mackerel at Burying Hill Beach back when the mackerel runs were an annual event.

Doc fished both fresh and salt water, kept a daily journal on each and every trip and kept and froze many of his fish. He would fish trout from the beginning of every season until Memorial Day and then switch to another species. He had a goal of a designated number of snapper blues every late summer and early fall, and would end up cooking them for one or more of the many organizations he belonged to. Doc belonged to the Westport Striped Bass Club, Westport Fish & Game, Newtown Fish & Game, Trout Unlimited and many more and seldom missed a meeting. He would drive up to Hartford on any conservation issue.

I'm told his nickname came from the days when he was a Trainer for football squads in one or more of the  Naugatuck Valley high schools. Doc loved Country music and played a mean Harmonica. He traveled to many music festivals and was popular among other attendee's.

Doc was most of all a teacher. He loved teaching kids how to fish, especially those who ventured into the fly-fishing area which eventually bore his name. He tied flies and made lures and had displays of many of his creations which he was happy to show and talk about when ever anyone made a request.

It's been several years since Doc passed on. Towards the end, he was wary of driving after dark and I often drove him to this or that meeting. He smoked the foulest-smelling cigars available and I would always have to ride home with the windows open after dropping him off. Whenever I smell cigar smoke, even today, I think of Doc and miss his good-humored and valued opinions.

                                                                     DWA



Wednesday, April 8, 2020

A STRANGE NEW SEASON



A STRANGE NEW SEASON
by
DICK ALLEY

             Another beautiful day!. Plentiful sunshine, a light breeze and the thermometer  edging into the mid-sixties. April is not yet a week old. Water temperatures in the rivers and streams are in the 50's already and they are pushing that number in Long Island Sound. Winter flounder are out of the mud and stripers are on the move.  Trout season saw an early opening a week ago and anglers can be found in spots all over the county. On its' surface, this early season is something I've argued and waited for, for decades. There has to be a catch and in this case, the problem is COVID-19.
               Though the weather is great and there is reason to believe fishing should be good, going fishing can be problematic---especially in Long Island Sound.
Trout like this one are available across the State and two weeks earlier than normal.

             Only a few boats are in the water. Some launch ramps are open, but others are located within areas closed to the public. Right now, all beach areas in my home town of Westport are closed to the public. Entrance gates are blocked and in some cases even temporary parking areas are roped off. All because "some" people were walking and talking or standing ---- "too close to one another" in violation of safe spacing recommendations. Meantime geezers like me can't even drive into the beach area to look for breaking bass or enjoy a beautiful sunset. 
             What happens as the season progresses and fishing opportunities improve? Will beaches and parking areas remain closed? Will boat owners be allowed access to their boats?  

A catch and release schoolie bass caught at Compo Beach. Even under crowded fishing conditions, anglers are rarely closer than 15 or 20 feet. Not being allowed access to the beach is unfair..

              The best fishing spots are the same from year to year. Best times to fish, the best fishing conditions, are reliable factors that seldom vary. Getting to those spots might be a problem this year. Hopefully this whole Coronavirus plague will quickly go away. If not, the "cure" may become a bigger problem than the virus itself. Many people who obey the rules will be perfectly capable of leading normal lives. Likewise for the many people who have recovered from the virus. Their idea of "normal" does not include blanket rules for a few that impact the vast majority.
               Government should not  make rules that penalize those who obey along with those who violate those rules. Don't prevent the angler who maintains safe space while fishing from getting to his or her fishing spot, because half a dozen people who ignore the rules get together for a picnic. If a group of anglers gather after fishing then penalize them, but  don't penalize those who are following the Guidelines.
               Government has once again taken the easy way out in closing the beaches. Right now, it matters little. In another few weeks it will matter a lot. Hopefully by then, we will once again be able to enjoy a sunset at the beach.

                                                                           DWA



Saturday, April 4, 2020

FISHERMAN FRIENDS AND A FLY BOX



FISHERMAN FRIENDS AND A FLY BOX
by
Dick Alley

              Art Bradley was a fisherman friend who always had a great sense of humor. He liked both fresh and salt water fishing, tied his own trout flies, was a big hockey fan and kids coach and all-around good guy.


            For a few seasons, Art showed up at Nickerson Park Campground on the Natchaug River in northern Connecticut, usually accompanied by a couple of friends, "Frank "(last name escapes me) and Artie Schultz. Most times they were only a few sites distant from our own campsite, where Ed Stalling, Bob Byers, my son Todd and I always opened the season.
           We always had a great time, sharing coffee, beer, snacks, Jack Daniels and a roaring campfire as fishing hours, weather and social time dictated. In other words, we would fish until the cold April waters numbed our legs beyond feeling and then struggle to the riverbank and warm up by the fire. As each of us experienced different degrees of endurance, whoever happened to be out of the water at a given time would pile wood on the fire. It was a toss-up as to whether we more enjoyed the campfire conversations or the fishing, but usually the two were related. Sometimes the fishing would slow, but there was seldom a time that good conversation lagged. 
         On this one opening day, we first gathered shortly after a sizzling breakfast of bacon, eggs, home fries and onions, and within an hour found ourselves anxious to head back out into the river. Ed and I opted for the stretch of river directly in front of the site. Bob headed down to the big pool by the rec hall with his spinning rod and Art and friends walked upstream about a hundred yards to fish the faster water.
Ed Stalling and Bob Byers unloading their gear for a trout fishing weekend.

              It was a typical fishing opener. After that first fast flurry, angling settled in and the bite slowed. Ed and I were both using fly rods at the time, although we often alternated our choice of tackle throughout every day. Art, Frank and Artie were fly-fishing devotee's, not an easy chore in the cold spring waters. Ed and I each hooked a trout or two over the next half hour, but it wasn't long before the numbing cold once again penetrated the waders and the long johns. We were wading back to the river bank when Ed spotted something floating on the surface, reached out with his net and snagged a fly box. It was full of flies, all wet, but none the worse for wear and he shoved it into the pocket of his vest, "Maybe the owner will turn up," he remarked, adding, "that's a nice bunch of flies."
        With lunchtime approaching and fishing slowing down, it was time to remove the fishing gear and relax. Ed poured some coffee, while I popped the top on a beer. We piled a bunch of wood on the fire, pulled up a couple of chairs and absorbed the warmth of the fire. A few minutes later, Art, Frank and Artie wandered in.
Artie Schultz with a typical spring trout.
        "How'd you guys do," asked Ed? Frank displayed a beautiful rainbow about 13-inches long that had smacked a weighted Hare's Ear nymph, bounced along the bottom. Artie Schultz told of releasing a fish and one other hit. Art was unsmiling. " I lost my favorite fly box," he muttered. Ed looked at me, stifling a grin as he rose from his chair and walked to the camper where his vest and waders hung.
       "How did you do that", I asked? "Damn water was cold," answered Art. My fingers were cold and I was trying to hold the fly box in two fingers while tying the fly on, when splat---the box fell from my hand, hit the water and disappeared in the current." Art continued on, talking about the flies he had tied and the fish those flies had taken and never saw Ed approaching from the rear. Suddenly, Ed reached out over his shoulder and dropped the fly box into Art's lap. We all laughed and smiled as Art stopped talking picked up the box, opened it and turned to see Ed with a big grin on his face. He took Ed's hand, thanking him over and over.
            Ed passed away five years ago and Art died last week. I like to think they're both up there right now, telling great fishing stories, especially the one about the box of flies. It's only part of what makes this sport much more than the simple act of catching a fish now and then.

                                                          DWA