Recap of "show up if you want to JAM"

[krayfish]

Had to remove and will replace the post.

 

[krayfish]

Well, another season has come and gone in the Catskills. What a perfect way to end it. Beautiful surroundings, food, friends and fishing. Reports leading up to our trip were very promising but it appears that we were a few days late in hitting the hot fishing.

Thursday started off by picking up Brandon's disabled boat and taking it for a short float with Josh and Nick. Quite possibly the best question of the trip came from NickR as we were leaving the car. "I don't need my rain jacket, do I?" 2 minutes after launching the boat we had a pouring rain for 30 minutes. I think it's a safe bet that he never asks that question again.

Some of the crew rolled in Thursday evening and we met up at the motel. I'd like to say that we formulated a plan on attack for the following day but we drank beer and did a little BS-ing.

Friday involved a trip on the lower EB. Me, Josh and new / future forum member Tom from Jersey were in one boat while DaveS and NickR put his boat to good use. The water was slightly stained and the fishing was tough but not as tough as what we experienced at the Fishes Eddy access. As we neared the slow bend in the river, we heard guys shooting semi-automatics on the hill. We were trying to guess if they were AK-47, Mini-14 or AR-15's. Just about that time, bullets began ricocheting over our heads and striking the far bank. The idiots were shooting down hill and directly at the river. We dropped to the floor of the boat and waited for a break in the shooting. I rowed like hell to get us out of there. As we looked back, we could see Dave and Nick coming into the pool. Nick was nymphing the seam as they floated. Still shaking, we met up on the near bank behind a rock bluff. Everyone seemed to be well aware of how dangerous that was except Nick. He asked if we saw the fish rising between the boats. We said "those were bullets hitting the water!". I don't even remember how the fishing was that day but was happy to make it out alive. I do remember that it was the second straight day with nearly zero bug activity. As we rounded the corner to the take out, Brandon was standing there in jeans, made a cast and yelled "fish on bitches". After a skunkfest, he snatches one right out from in front of our boat. Pretty funny.

Saturday was met with weather that looked like it could rain us out but the clouds lifted. Fishidiot and DaveS set off for the WB to see if they could do any better that we had been doing on the EB. Dryflyguy was on the WB to see if he could keep his fish catching streak alive. I floated the EB again with Beeber and PhilC. By 2pm we had good hatches of olives, isos, hebes and caddis. The fish were up and feeding. Only one to make it to net was a smallie Phil took. We had our chances but failed to convert. Nick and his dad tried all branches and areas. They had some luck on the upper EB.

Sunday we did a very short float with Phil, Nick and Nick's dad. After the first 90 minutes it appeared that mother nature was going to hand us another dud. With the blink of an eye, the hatches began. Olives 18-26, hebes, Iso and caddis. We relentlessly pounded the pods of fish for hours. Nick’s dad hooked up on a small olive and was promptly broken off by a rainbow. I stung several and hooked one that jumped into the side of my pontoon before coming unbuttoned.

I fished less on this trip than any other but didn’t seem to mind. I was content to row the boat and get others on fish. If you categorize the quality of the trip by fish caught, it was poor. Fish or no fish, I had a blast. What a good group of guys. Once again, DaveS showed that he is the cream of the crop by catching when and where others didn’t. Fishidiot presented him with a life size painting of the Youghness Monster as well as donating a hand painted brookie for the FUDR raffle.

Parts of the trip I’ll remember most:
• Almost getting hit by stray bullets
• Watching DaveS almost **** himself watching Doug Stanhope DVD
• Actually pissing myself because I couldn’t get to the bank quick enough
• The sheer amount of food every night

Below is a short video of our trip. Awesome guys, awesome place. Anyone that floated in Brandon’s boat owes him a “thank you for lending us your boat”. Please have the courtesy to shoot him a quick email at esopusguide@yahoo.com

Also check out under “shop talk” thread for an offer from Coz at Border Water Outfitters.

 

[csoult]

Good stuff man, looks like you had a good time. Sorry I missed it.

 

[krayfish]

Join in next time. We usually go in late April / first week of May, early June and then an early fall outting. If the flows stay good, I'll also head up in late June through late July.... as many times as my wallet will take.

 

[SBecker]

Seems like I Kinda jinxed you guys again. However, anytime everybody can get together, bust some balls, and share some laughs, it will be a good trip. I am upset I couldn't make it.

 

[Fredrick]

These guys went up that way to practice shooting before they got arrested

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/08/us/08cnd-dix.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

 

[DaveKile]

Krayfish,

Nice recap and video. Thanks for putting this together.

 

[afishinado]

Great times. Very nice, Andy.

 

[Fredrick]

Looks like good times were had by all .

 

[martin0206]

Nice pics and video. What sections of the river close soon? I tried to find info on that and came up empty. I read a post somewhere that mentioned some sections closing.

 

[SBecker]

Any section not bordering PA.

 

[DaveS]

Excellent recap Krayfish! You should win some sort of prize for all that you do for everyone! Tank you for that. Thanks go out to Brandon as well for all he does for us, up to and including cooking the walleye! (that I barely got to taste you f'in vultures!)

Martin I believe the the NY portion of the West Branch, as well as the entire East Branch close Oct 15, to protect spawning trout. Check the NY DEC website before you fish.

 

[krayfish]

Right off the DEC site:

East Branch from the dam at Pepacton down to the Shinhopple bridge, closes from Oct 16 - Mar 31 in order to protect spawning.

East Branch from Shinhopple bridge to the mouth (Hancock) remains open for catch and release only from Oct 16 - Nov 30.

West Branch from the dam at Cannonsville to the Hale Eddy bridge, closes Oct 16 - Mar 31 in order to protect spawning.

West Branch (sections bordering PA) and Main Stem remain open for catch and release fishing only.

PFBC should take some notes

 

[martin0206]

Thanks for the info. I'll have to try to join next year and I'll bring my golf clubs so work on that golf game.

 

[krayfish]

Work on the golf game? Me? Nah. That's a lost cause. I shot back to back rounds of 73 - 85 last month. I don't practice anymore, set low expectations and just have fun. My regular playing partner is a +5 handicap so I'm familiar playing with "ringers". I manage to get in his head from time to time. LOL.

 

[martin0206]

Haha well shooting 73 is pretty damn good. I'm a 5 or so handicap now but definitely play more care free than I used to and just try to have fun. I enjoy it way more now and am just happy to be out there playing.

 

[krayfish]

It's a 45-60 minute drive to a golf course up in those parts. Grossingers is an awesome old course. It's probably a little over 7000 yards and no roll. This past trip up, we played the Monticello Monster. There was standing water everywhere from recent rains. We played the middle tees which were 7476 yards and that's measured to the fronts of the greens. "Monster" is a good choice of names. It's amazingly tight for the length. Sometimes we'll hit a course on the way up like Blue Ridge Trail or Jack Frost National.

You're a 5 handicap and that's pretty dang good. My handicap is golf. I fired up a 32 - 48 earlier this year. LMAO. I'll just bank on 80 and drink some beer. If it's better, great. If not, there's always more beer.

 

[martin0206]

Haha good way to look at it. 32-48 is a hell of a split but I think Ive come close to something like that a few times. I only played one 7500 yard course down in Florida before but I like longer courses there just aren't any around me that get past maybe 7100.

 

[JackM]

When I used to play golf, I was always perplexed that my group members always seemed so pleased to score less than me. I was so good I always reached 100 and these guys could barely reach 90 most times out.

 

[Maurice]

When I played more often I shot in the 70's. If it was any warmer out, I didn't play.