The Times They Are A Changin'

 Had a business meeting to  attend in Syracuse this morning and didn't get down to Lordville early enough to try any WB fishing during prime afternoon bug time. At about 3:30 I headed over to the BK to see if fish had accumulated in thermal refuge areas. Half way up Lordville Road I passed a red fox trotting along the shoulder. The BK was up to 375cfs which was more than twice what it was yesterday. It was cloudy,  (the sky), so visibility was limited and I saw nothing.

The dead yearling deer along 81continue to accumulate. There have been at least ten fresh kills on each of my last three trips down. Have seen a mom with one fawn and another with twins here in Lordville and we have a doe in Lafayette keeping her fawn within 30 feet of our house. Have also seen several fawns while out fishing. Every year I see at least one out on an island and this year is no exception. The bears and coyotes get some of the fawns down here while it's mostly coyotes that do the damage in Lafayette. 

Headed out for the evening fishing at 6:30, saw a few rises in the flatwater below the Lordville Bridge and a few more in the flatwater below Buckingham. One trailer at Buckingham and four at Stockport. Got to Shehawken and was surprised to find the parking area almost empty. Its been the epicenter of the bug hatches for the last two weeks. Friday there were trailers out to the road, today there were four trailers and a like number of cars. Sadly, I found out why.

The fishing - For me, there wasn't any. Pulled into the parking lot, got my stuff on and waded downstream where the only other wade angler was ensconced in the primo spot. Waded below him, sat on a tuft of grass, looked for risers and watched him a bit. There were almost no fish rising but he was working the water with one drag free float after another. Saw a few fish rise along the far bank and waded down to them but the "stained" water from last night's rain was close to 1,000cfs which was too high for me to wade out far enough to reach them, (I promised Jean), Yesterday, before the rain, it might well have been a different story.

Where it's at - Saw a few drift boats and wade fishermen on the WB  driving down to the Lordville Estate. There were none on the EB or the BK this afternoon and almost none tonight. The "Big Bug" season is over. Many of the guides have left. Green Drake mania is also over, and only the diehards remain. Is there still fishing? Yes. For at least a day or two you will be able to fish anywhere. The next heat wave will put everyone in the Sulfur Zone, hopefully not before the sulfurs, (Dorthea's), arrive.

Me? I haven't caught a fish in the last four days! 

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