Claire Hayes gets hooked on fishing with big First Lake catch
Claire Hayes caught this 36-inch Northern Pike the other evening on First Lake. She did a fine job of battling the fish, which she said was the biggest she’s ever caught.
I sure am happy I don’t live below the Pennsylvania border after last week’s temperatures of 100-plus degrees. Many were, or are, without power after a rash of violet thunderstorms roared through the area taking down thousands of trees.
Nor would I want to be out in Colorado where several forest fires have driven thousands from their homes, many of which were torched by the fires.
Give me the Adirondacks anytime. I can put up with a snowstorm now and then in the winter, a few blackflies in the spring, maybe a 90 degree day during the summer, and those beautiful fall leaves.The bass fishermen are out in full force and being on the water nearly every day I get to talk with a lot of them. Most are having pretty good luck.
I talked to one who had caught over eighty in one day.
I won’t tell where he caught them as everyone would be there tomorrow.
One lucky fisherman, William Altman, caught a brook trout weighing 5 lbs.,14 oz. on May 5 in the West Canada Wilderness Area in Hamilton County and broke the New York State record.
You will probably see this record beaten again this summer or fall and maybe even again next year when many of these wild brook trout get to be five years old and older.
A photograph of Mr. Altman and his fish can be found on the DEC website: http://wwwdecnygov/outdoor/7935.html.
The domestic strain of brook trout live only three years where as when crossed with a wild Temiscamie (Canadian-strain) brook trout they become a Temiscamie hybrid, which can live five to six years.
These hybrids also have a better survival rate when stocked in some of the more acidic waters of the Adirondacks.
Another strain of wild brook trout stock in some of the local waters is from Horn Lake wild fish.
This strain was preserved by adding lime to the waters of this local wilderness lake, which kept this strain alive and this lake from going acidic.
These trout live even longer than the Canadian strain, sometimes 8 to 9 years old. Some of these fish I remember in Limekiln Lake being over six pounds in five years of growth.
One local fisherwoman Claire Hayes was out the other night on First Lake with Kerry Rogers and caught the biggest fish of her life.
The fish, a northern pike, was 36 inches long and I heard she had a ball catching it. I think you can tell by the smile on her face in the photo.
Now her aim is to catch a bigger one which is what all fishermen and women aim for. Go Claire.
Many of the local Loons have chicks in tow on the water and only a few are still sitting on a second nest after losing their first one.
If you come upon one of these families give them some space—take few pictures and leave.
Don’t stay with the family for a long time as the chicks don’t get fed while you are close by.
Many wild orchids are now in bloom on the local bogs Rose Pogonias, Grass Pinks and White Fringed Orchids. In the woodlands you might find Pad Leaf Orchids, Spotted Coralroot or Rattlesnake Plantain.
In some wet areas you might find both large and small Purple Fringed Orchids.
All of these orchids grow in this area and with a little searching you can find and photograph them.
Don’t dig them up as they probably won’t grow in your yard, as they are site specific.
They are beautiful where they are so leave for others to enjoy.
Bears without wild food are moving in but that’s another story. See ya.
