Enough is Enough

Not much went on during the past week. Monday showed up with rain, so did Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Sometime during the night on Thursday it changed to snow, and it kept snowing until Saturday morning. There you have it, a whole week shot! I checked the weather for the next 15 days and it looks like there may be a few nice days ahead. I will spend them walking Penny at the beach. I also plan to read my new book, A Year Long Day. I can only hope that the weather warms up sooner than later and drives the bass out of the rivers as soon as possible.

This Year is shaping up to be a tough one. Between work and everything else i have only been able to get out fishing or hunting a few times. The days I have been able to get out have been Poor days for fishing an hunting. The brisk blue bird days of winter are the last things i wanted to get on my days off. I would have traded them for snowy and overcast days in a hart beat. Last weeks fishing kind of followed that same pattern of bad luck. On Wednesday i was able to get out and fish candlewood. Again, i had a big high pressure system edging in on my day. At first, the bluegills and pumpkin seeds were very active. As the sun came up and the NW wind picked up the fishing shut down for the day. Saturday morning i had a few hours to tie up some flies for the up coming spring. This next week is looking to be a wet one with 4 days of snow, sleet, and rain coming in, followed by, several windy days. I hope i can get out on Wednesday morning for some squirrel hunting.

Winter

This is the time of year that you realize your just as far in as you are out, and it is the dead of winter. The nights seem down right frigid, and days cold. We got about 9 inches of snow this past week, which just seemed to dash any dreams of an early spring. Good news seems to be ever so slightly rearing its head, however. I have noticed the sun rises about 30 minutes later and sets 30 minutes later. The real first sign that winter is fighting a uphill battle that it will inevitably loose to spring soon. Cabin Fever seems to be setting in with just about everyone, and i was no different. The terribly cold nights and windy days seems to be keeping everyone inside. The time had come when i just had to get out and have some winter fun. Monday i got out of work and looked at a swamp that at one time was dammed up by beaver. The property owner seemed to believe they were back because the water level changed, so I went and took a look for myself. I put on my waders and grabbed my ice spud. I spent about 45 minutes crashing through the swamp, and breaking ice. It was clear that the beavers had not returned. There was a series of 3 dams, each with breaks. If the beavers were there they would have patched the holes over night.
I went out and picked up some fly tying materials for the upcoming spring on Thursday. I got some nice long saddle in grizzly and white. They should turn out fantastic flies. Even though, we are in the dead of winter, spring will be here soon. I better get going and crank out some flies so i am not caught with my pants down in April.
I ended the week with a preserve pheasant hunt on Saturday. I went with some people up to Fairholm upland preserve in Woodstock, CT. The place was top notch and i could not have been happier. The people feed you breakfast and lunch, and drove you out to the hunting areas. We had a 20 bird hunt, 12 pheasant and 8 chucker. Ozzy the dog put birds up all day and out of the 20 we only lost 1. The upland birds are not tough at all when compared to sea ducks and don't fly nearly as fast. I really want to recommend Fairholm Upland Preserve to people that want to have a good time and shoot a bunch of stuff. We even put a cap in an opossum that was out during the day. Food was great as well. I can't wait to cook they birds up. Thanks to scott and his brother for a great time.

Back in Action!

What a busy week. I ended up working a bunch of extra shifts, and acomplished a lot of stuff on my "to do list". I did get back onto the ice on thursday, however. The warm weather that put ice fishing in CT on a short hiatus was reversed. Last weekend saw lows in the below zero range. Needless to say all the lakes tightened back up.
I had to work thursday mornging so when i got out i picked up fishing buddy Michael SW CT form www.ctfisherman.com. We got some bait and hit Candlewood lake for some jigging action. The weather was sunny and brisk, not the best day for fishing by any means. I wish i was able to go friday. The fishing was as tough. We kept moving around trying to locate some forms of life on our flashers. We did a lot of moving and not a lot of finding. Michael and I did not get skunked, however, and we did have a hell of a time. I ended up with a small trout and mike got a perch and a bluegill. During the madness that is my life i was able to find some time to tie flies. I ordered a new fly box, The Crab Shack, by Cliff Outdoors. This has got to be one of the best saltwater fly boxes i have owned. Next week is going to be action packed. Monday i am going to scout out a place to trap some beavers, wed i am going to do some squirrel and rabbit hunting and saturday i am going on a pheasant/chucker hunt. I should have a lot to say next week. Enjoy some trout eye candy!