May begins her second week and we are forced to look into her third for some hope of a return to fishing. I watched the television weather man in Binghamton this morning talk of another one or two inches, perhaps more, for tonight and Friday. Nature isn’t finished compensating for last year’s deficit.
Most of the Catskill reservoirs are spilling, the others are teetering on the brink, and our rivers are all generally too high to fish. Need to wade? Try your bathtub. This is necessary, no perhaps not all at once in cherished May, but very, very necessary. After last year’s horrific decision by NYC to execute a drawdown in the middle of a drought so bad it ignored the effects of a hurricane system, it was going to take something truly significant to rectify the problem and relieve the drought. Our freestones were in dire need as well, for the snowpack wasn’t nearly heavy enough to recharge everything. For now, the Red Gods get a big, big win and anglers are left to mow our lawns and grumble. I think I’ll tie a fly.
I have been putting by a few March Browns for my boat box, tying some early terrestrials, and I am scheduled to be the Guest Fly Tyer at the Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum on Saturday afternoon. Keeping in practice.
For the moment, I am happy that the freezing overnight temperatures are a memory instead of reality. Today seems like a good day to wash out the drift boat now that my hose bib has been safely enabled. Crazy weather makes me smile. I remember my first spring as a full-time resident here: 2-1/2 inches of snow on one day, Hendricksons on the next. That was the intro. There have been many examples during these six and counting seasons. Launching my boat for a float on a 34-degree morning in May stands as a monument. Fishing was great! Crazy…
Bright Waters Catskill 