All my life's a circle.


Awoke this morning full of enthusiasm born of yesterdays success. Spent time repairing three flies that were a little worse for the wear, sharpened one dull hook point, and tied half a dozen new Hendricksons. While I was at the bench the sun poked through the clouds and I was sure that things would warm up enough for the bugs to hatch.

Checked the stream temps at noon and found that two were above 50, with several others warming up.  Decided on a travel route that would take me to the rivers with the most promising water temps at prime bug hatching time, and then it snowed. At 1:30 the sun had again appeared and had gotten the air temp up to 47. 

The drive out -I headed up the Pa side from Lordville, stopping at Buckingham - no bugs. At Hancock I turned right on 17, and headed up the EB, stopping at Cadosia and Tar Hollow - no bugs. Drove to East Branch and took a county route over the mountains. Encountered a loaded dump truck about two miles into the journey and was behind it for almost seven miles before it turned off. The route comes out on 97 where Basket Brook flows into the BR. Turned left on rte.97, drove past Hankins and turned right down Tower Road to the BR. Saw four deer along Tower Road and three trailers at the Tower Road take out. Turned left and headed down River Road to the Callicoon Bridge where, at 2:30, I parked, walked down to the river and saw Pseudos and Hendricksons on the water. Sat on a hummock of grass for about an hour, the hatch continued at the same pace. There were always a couple of bugs in sight, never more. The fish never rose.

The return trip - Gave it up at 3:30 and continued the journey. Back up rte.97 to Hankins, where I turned right and again took a county route over the mountains heading this time for Roscoe. About four miles into the journey, I encountered a second dump truck which I was able to pass five miles later on the only dotted line (no more than a quarter mile long) in the entire 15 mile trip. At Tennanah Lake (on top of the mountain) the car temp read 40 degrees. Arrived in Roscoe with the temp at 45. Got on rte. 17 and headed west. Exited at Fish's Eddy and again looked for bugs at Tar Hollow and Cadosia - none at either place. Drove back to Hancock, crossed the river on rte.191 and drove back to Lordville - stopping only at ? You guessed it, Buckingham to confirm that there was no G.D. dry fly fishing today. Pulled into my parking place at the Lordville Etate at exactly 5:00pm. Just in time for the cocktail hour.

The wildlife - Apart from the constantly braying geese everywhere on the river, which I find annoying,  and the deer on Tower Road, the only other noteworthy wildlife I saw was on the trip to Roscoe where I saw a Timberdoodle (aka Woodcock) in the road. Started to brake but the bird ran (thought they could only waddle), off the road.

Note to Jim N. - Used six gallons of gas which would put the trip cost at about $22.00, much less than the tip each of the two blighters in every drift boat today will have to pay, (and my car has a heater).

  

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