Lake Champlain

I'm behind on my posting so I'll make an attempt to get caught up tonight.

After our tour of New Jersey and Lake George, we were on the road to Vermont. It was an overcast morning but there was some pretty good color along the Adirondacks.



We met Mark & Sue and enjoyed lunch together and a visit with Sue's mother. They then took us to the beautiful spot where Bekhy was put to rest and we all had time to reflect on this amazing young lady's life. She was indeed special and it was a time to share and to remember.

Next we went for a walk to enjoy the beauty of God's creation.

Here are a few samples of what we saw:

Killdeer on the Beach

Rocky Shoreline

The Happy Couple - Mark & Susan

Mud Creek Hikers

Stump Fungus

Oak Leaf on the Water

One-Eyed Frog

Foggy Frog

Water Bug

Heron on the Wing

All in all it was a beautiful day and we enjoyed the visit with Mark & Sue.


We had a nice surprise and were able to meet
brother Bruce and his wife JoAnne for dinner.


All in all it was a great day in Vermont!

Lake George

No fishing today.

Some would say that for a fisherman that would be a lost day but I got to spend an enjoyable day with Tracy visiting some old familiar places and checking out some new ones.

We started in Clinton NJ and after breakfast headed to North Branch to drive by the old homestead before heading to Lake George.

We lived in the central NJ area for three years and it is still a pretty place as these photos attest.

North Branch of the Raritan River


296 Burnt Mills Road


Two Car Barn


Another View


Pears


Lilacs for Mrs. Bocks

After the trip down memory lane was complete, we headed north for NY. We stopped for lunch south of Albany and then again for some yarning in Saratoga Springs.

We reached the destination of Lake George whild it was still light and had time to snap a few pictures before supper.

Tracy looking out over Lake George.


Scenes along the shore


Cruising the lake in a Paddlewheeler


Fall Flowers

I did manage to find some fish after all:

Pumpkinseed


Rock Bass


Black Bass


Leaf Fishes

OK Maybe that's stretching it a bit......

Ken Lockwood Gorge II

What to do after a day's work in New Jersey?

What about wetting a line in some flowing water?

I was going to forgo this outing to make a quick trip back to Atlantic City to visit my friend and co-worker Mark who took an unexpected medical leave yesterday. After I spoke to him on the phone and was instructed to proceed with plan "A", I had no choice but to comply.

Get well soon buddy - this post is for you!

Last year during a similar trip to NJ several of us tried unsuccessfully to fish the KL Gorge a fine piece of trout water between Califon and High Bridge NJ.

This is the South Branch of the Raritan River and is C&R managed fly fishing only territory.

We got blown out by a rainstorm then but the sky has been cloudy but rain-free all day today.

I enlisted the services of my trusty companion and semi-professional photographer to capture the moment. (Photos by Tracy)

The Ken Lockwood Gorge


Surveying the Waters


Preparing the Selected Fly


Tight Loops


Mending


Searching close to the rocks


Low backcast to get under the trees


"High Sticking" the pocket water


A look back

I did not land a single fish but saw a few rising just as we were leaving. In all I saw about eight other fishermen in a 1/2 mile stretch and only saw one fish caught.

The water was low and clear and the fish were educated and spooky. I'm sure I was using what probably worked "yesterday" or "sometime last week".

One guy told me that I should plan to be there "tomorrow" after the rain when the water would be a little cloudy but not too high. Whatever the magic formula, day, or time, is didn't change the fact that I got to fish in a beautiful place with all the sounds and smells of a real trout stream. What could be better?

It's off to NY tomorrow and then Lake Champlain on Saturday. I'll bet I can tempt a yellow perch or a pumpkinseed to one of my hand-tied specials. Stay tuned!

Surf's Up

On the road again.

This trip is to Atlantic City, New Jersey to attend a business meeting.
Tracy and I are staying in Bally's on the Boardwalk.

I took this picture for Mrs Bocks



This is a shot of the hotels and casinos from the beach

As luck would have it the Atlantic City Surf Fishing Derby is scheduled from Sept. 18 through Oct. 29, and you can obtain a pin at the store for a $10 fee which allows you to drive Brigantine Beach in full, including the middle section, as well as the Atlantic City, Ventnor, and Margate beaches.

Stripers blues, fluke, and other fish are being caught in the surf right out in front of the hotel. I could look out the window of our room the 31st floor and see people fishing!

Who knew? I guess I should have checked....

And part of the proceeds go to support the United Way. Talk about a Win-Win!

We did get to see some nice beach scenes and some actual fishermen (and women) with their catches.

Jumbo Seagull



Need help with that?


This husband & wife team were covering all bases.
She was using plugs, and he was using live bait.



Throwing the cast net



Finger mullet & small crabs



Egg case of a skate

Skates mate and lay their peculiar egg capsules, which are sometimes called mermaids' (or sailors') purses, on the seafloor. Most produce the egg capsules in pairs, with a single embryo developing inside each one. After anywhere from several months to two years, the young skate breaks open a weak seam between two of the horns and swims free of the capsule, which may then eventually wash ashore.

Further down the beach we came upon two more fishermen using dead shrimp.

Surf fishing at sundown


Small shark caught in the incoming tide


Time to get off the beach

We had a nice walk and a good night's rest.

When we got up in the morning we were blessed with this beautiful sunrise:


Man's feeble attempts at beauty are no comparison to God's workmanship.

Parts is Parts

I love seeing fish in the fading light of the evening....

Especially when they are hanging off a BGW on the end of my line.

I spent the better part of the day shopping with Tracy today. After we returned home and made some pizzas "nearly from scratch" I was eager to take a ride out of town to visit my "friends" in Lake Evans.

With me being gone for most of the week, the pond has quieted down. I think the Evans fishermen are preoccupied with dove and deer season from now until Thanksgiving so I should be the sole angler in the lake.

There was some cooler weather (even thought today was back to the 90's) and the fish are setting up new patterns of feeding and activity.

I tried the BGW in my usual pattern and wasn't rewarded with a strike until I had casted about 25 times along the cove.

The first two fish were small and I only got the camera on one of them.


Can you see my reflection in the eye?


The fins are translucent in the fading light.


Try to copy that pattern of color and texture!


Ready to return to the deep.



Sundown over Lake Evans