A Quiet Saturday Morning

West Meadow Creek

 After an excruciatingly long week at work, a little piece and quiet was just what the doctor ordered. So this past Saturday morning I took an early morning walk down to West Meadow Creek with a  tenkara rod (actually a Daiwa Kiyose 45SF, which is technically a keiryu rod) and some flies to catch some snappers.

Though I caught a fair number of snappers and the fishing trip could be considered a success the fish seemed to be nothing more than a side note to a morning that was more important to my own mental health than hitting my limit of snappers for the day.  I probably spent as much time just watching the fiddler crabs and the herons going about their business and making a living as I did casting a fly.

Close up of a juvenile bluefish...AKA snapper 

Sometimes it's more important to sit back and "smell the roses" than to accomplish a goal.  Even though I grew up in the Hudson Valley and am more familiar with the changing of seasons concerning streams, rivers and small hills and mountains I have spent enough time around this tidal salt water marsh on Long Island to become familiar with the signs that signal a turn from summer into fall around here.  The sounds, smells and sights were all there for someone who was willing to sit by, observe and let the daily grind and it's worries slip away.

Fiddler crab burrow and sediment balls left over from feeding

I wish there was a way to experience this calm and peace every day , not just on one Saturday morning.  I think it's not just important but vital that all of us try to experience this feeling and take in what's going on around us to maintain our sanity. Fishing is a great way to get away but the most important thing is to getaway.

West Meadow Creek looking up stream

Snappers.....Or Lack There Of

The target

 I generally spend about 99% of my time fishing alone.  Most of the time that's what I prefer because a little time spent outdoors with your own thoughts can do wonders.  However, I do find it fun to fish with others especially my kids or my Dad.  But this past Sunday I had the chance to fish with fellow tenkara enthusiasts and bloggers Morgan Lyle and Chris "Tenkara Bum" Stewart.

Morgan taking a break

 The object of the trip was to catch some juvenile blue fish (snappers) tenkara-style.  Living on Long Island, Morgan and I have ample opportunity to catch snappers every summer but Chris has wanting to give a go at it since last summer.  The water looked promising at first with plenty of bait fish around and some splashing here and there but the trip wound up being less than epic.  The snappers were there but very few were caught.  As I was reminded, some days the fishing just does't pan out...though I still feel bad for the guys having made a long trip to my home turf.

Chris Stewart  looking for some snappers

Following our less than successful salt water foray, Morgan had to head home to take care of some responsibilities while Chris and I decided to head over to a local millpond for some warm water action.  This proved to be more productive for the both of us. Chris provided me with very cool flies to try out which worked very well for the blue gills. I'm hoping the guys were not too disappointed and that maybe we could give it a go sometime in the future.

Into Everyone's Life A Little Rain Must Fall

Purple Trillium

Fruit of the Purple Trillium

The day began overcast and with the possibility of rain, which eventually became a reality. Like many of my trips upstate to visit my parents I usually go out for a quick hike or try to visit some "thin blue line" looking for some wild trout. A few rain drops here and there usually doesn't phase me but for a few minutes here and there the heavens opened up.  The great thing about being out in the woods or along a stream is that no two days are ever alike. Many days heavy rain will put the fish off but not today.  I think the heavier the rain the more bites I had.  I didn't wind up bringing to many to hand but I was happy with what I caught.

Though the rain was a little annoying at times any wild brookie I got to hold put a smile on my face.  The only regret I have is that I was not able to take more photos because of the rain but I did manage to snap a few shots of a purple trillium moving along with ensuring the next generation of trillium's will be there next year. Overall the rain did nothing to dampen my spirit. It is just part of the outdoor experience.  Not every day can be sunny and 80 degrees.  Into everyone's life a little rain must fall.

A Tenkara Tackle Box For Those Thin Blue Lines

My new compact tenkara survival kit.

I am always trying to make useful compact kits for various tasks.  I have especially enjoyed the challenge of creating the smallest, yet fully functional, kit for tenkara fishing.  My first attempt at a tenkara "survival kit" has worked well for me but I like to keep experimenting.  My goal is to have the smallest tenkara kit that contains everything needed for a few hours to a day on the water.  I had purchased a couple of Tanago Tackle Boxes from Chris Stewart, the Tenkara Bum, a while back and decided to use them as the starting point for a new kit.

An opened box containing everything needed

There is one large compartment that I decided to use for my tenkara lines and tippet and five smaller compartments for flies and other items.

A foam tenkara line/tippet holder made to fit in the large compartment

A high vis tenkara line on top and 5x tippet wound into the bottom holder

This holder is as small as I can make it to fit but large enough to avoid introducing too much coiling and memory into the line.  In addition, a few slits added to the foam is all that is required to hold the tippet or line. This large compartment can also hold a mini tweezer to help remove hooks if necessary from a trouts jaw.

The other side of the kit easily holds a number of flies and a line nipper

I have found that I rarely use more than dozen flies during any outing on the water, including ones lost to fish and vegetation.  Therefore this box holds more than enough flies.  The nipper is pretty self explanatory and the this one from stream works is very compact and works well.

Compact nippers

Some Royal Sakasa Kebari and Killer Bugs are essential flies for any trip to the stream or pond

Overall this kit is not much larger than Altoids tin and has all that is needed to enjoy tenkara fishing for a day on the water (including line, tippet, flies, nipper and tweezer).  I have made this kit specifically for exploring those "thin blue lines" out in the woods but find that  it would be equally useful as small kit to keep in the car or in a backpack for those moments when the urge to cast a fly or two in the hopes of bringing  fish to hand needs to be met.

Cicada Sakasa Kebari

17 Year Cicada

I have not had a great deal to blog about lately.....probably does not help that I have had no time to blog either.  However, I have a moment now to write up a quick post for another sakasa kebari that was inspired by a relatively recent trip home to the Hudson Valley.  On my last visit home the periodical cicadas made their first appearance in 17 years. I know there are fly patterns out there specifically to mimic this biological wonder but my sakasa kebari was not meant to imitate but simply use the color scheme.

Cicada Sakasa Kebari

  Hook: Mustad C49S,, size 12

Hackle: Hungarian Partridge, grey

Head: Pearsall's gossamer silk, color red

Body: 6/0 Uni-Thread, color black

Rib: Pearsall's gossamer silk, color hot orange

I don't know how effective this pattern might be but I figure that the bright red head (like the cicadas red eyes) or contrasting orange rib (like the cicada's orange wing veins) might induce a couple of strikes.  I doubt  this pattern will replace any regular pattern in my fly box but it's always nice to tie something a little different and change things up.

Sunday Morning

The Millpond with some residents just enjoying the early morning sun.

 Sunday morning, nothing crazy , just a little fishing at the local millpond for some bass and bluegill.  More importantly it's some time to relax and let the stress of the week drain away.  Just a tenkara rod and a size 10 Killer Bug was all I needed to enjoy my morning.

First Bass of the morning

The bulk of my catch in any trip to the pond consist of  these bluegill

Mountain laurel in the morning sun

A closer view of mountain laurel

As with any trip to the pond, especially one this successful and peaceful I always have to make "one last cast".  My last cast for the day landed this respectable largemouth bass at 16".  In my opinion, a very nice way to wrap of my visit.

My Killer Bug was apparently not too insignificant for this guy to inhale

"Home again, I like to be there when I can..."

Moodna Creek

It's not just a line from a Pink Floyd song....it's the title of this post.  I thought it would be appropriate. Last weekend while my wife and Isabella were at a regional baton twirling competition in PA (where Bella took two regional championships....Couldn't help putting that in, Daddy is very proud) Alina and I headed up my parents home for the weekend following work. It was a chance to do some visiting  give my Dad and Mom a hand with a few items around the house and do a little fishing.

Fishing was a little slow.  I worked my way up stream on Moodna Creek to a small tributary called Woodbury Creek. Both streams are essentially put and take streams with browns and rainbows stocked in March and April.  I was hoping that there would be something left hanging around.  I did manage to land a small small mouth bass on a Killer Bug.

This guy put the "small" in small mouth bass

 The only other catch was a very shy brown who didn't care to have his picture taken. Overall it was a pleasant day on the stream(s).  The most notable thing about today's outing was the first emergence of the 17 year cicadas.  The "droning" that thousands to millions of them make is hard to mistake that sound for anything else even after 17 years.  They were everywhere....on every plant, tree, and rock in sight.  It may be a little irritating to have to 2 inch long bugs bouncing into your face every minute or two but from a biological prospective, they make an impressive sight.

Sycamore on Woodbury Creek

 The other notable observation was a something I spotted in the woods about 20 yards from the stream and at least 75 yards from the nearest road.

Yes, that is a dumpster.  It's unfortunate that people will dump garbage in the woods but this is not something  that someone would/could drag to this location....not to mention that they had enough energy to smash the bottom into a tree.  Everybody remembers Sandy but before Sandy there was Irene.  Irene wreaked some serious havoc and there was terrible flooding all through the Hudson Valley up into the Adirondacks and New England.  More than likely that is how this dumpster wound up in that spot.

Alina along the Coxing Kill

One of my highlights from the weekend was having a chance to take my youngest daughter, Alina up to the Shawangunks for a little Daddy-Daughter hike along the Coxing Kill.  It's always been my favorite stream to walk along but it's even better with Daddy's little girl.  I don't think things get much better than being able to spend time with your children sharing the outdoors. There is definitely something to be said for going home.