Hook, Line and Sinker by Judy Van Put

Fishing is a pastime that is enjoyed by young and old – a lifetime sport that has no age limits – and one of the few outdoor sports that one can participate in all year long. Many are passionate about their favorite type of the sport, whether it is reservoir fishing, fly-fishing, salt-water fishing, bass fishing, trout fishing. There are some fishermen who only fish during the winter; and those whose passion enables them to walk on water (frozen water, to be sure!)

This Saturday is the opening day of the regular big game season here in the Catskills. It’s a day long anticipated by many who love to hunt, and venture out into the woods on a cold crisp morning, dressed warmly with a thermos of coffee in the backpack, and the prospect of a deer to provide the family with a freezer full of delicious and healthy meat for the long winter.

The second half of September can bring good fishing, given enough water in our rivers and streams. With the trees just beginning to preview the colorful fall foliage to come, and a cold snap in the air, it’s a great time to be out of doors. This year, however, has brought unusual weather conditions, in that we started with a drought, had some early summer rain, several days of thunderstorms and showers, and then receded back to a drought.

Al Carpenter of Al’s Sports Store in Downsville reported that trout fishermen on the Pepacton Reservoir have been seeing better numbers of fish, and that the fish are starting to look a little bit heavier; “fairly healthy, not fat, but a little bit better,” he said.

The last week has brought us showers and thunderstorms, with some much-needed rain. Our vegetable garden shot up appreciatively and lawns looked somewhat less parched. However, even the three inches of rain that fell last Sunday and additional inch or two this past week didn’t seem to do much as far as bringing up the water level in the Beaverkill and other free-flowing streams.