Monthly Archives: May 2013

Mitchellsville Gorge, the Finger Lakes Trail

On a clear, comfortable morning in late May, Brent and Catherine and I rambled above the Mitchellsville Gorge, near Hammondsport, N.Y. The Finger Lakes Trail/North Country National Scenic Trail follows the rim of the gorge for 2.5 miles. We walked … Continue reading

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Greys, and Greens, and Sulphurs Too

The bright, cool weather felt good when I arrived at Kettle Creek for my tradition of fishing this quality trout stream on the long holiday weekend. The upper Kettle in northern Pennsylvania seemed in fine shape following a bit of … Continue reading

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Entering Wetlands

No angler merely watches nature in a passive way. He enters into its very existence— John Bailey. When I first read the above quote from a 2013 calender produced by Trout Unlimited, I thought, “Sure, that makes sense,” but then … Continue reading

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Above Slate Run

The high country feeder enters a tributary of Slate Run before dropping into Pennsylvania’s Pine Creek Valley. For years I’d been only half aware of this little stream on state forest land. I’d seen it on the topographic map but … Continue reading

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The Cloudburst Council

Last weekend I attended the two-day Cloudburst Council, a gathering of poets and writers at the Gell Writers Center northwest of Naples, New York. The Cloudburst Council. But what’s in a name? It was a nice gathering of artists at … Continue reading

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Wild Trout and Trillium Flowers

On Mother’s Day I crossed the creek and drove into the hills to see the one who’d brought me kicking and screaming into this world long ago. She lives alone now and requires daily care. It was my turn to … Continue reading

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The Back Country, Sinnemahoning

Large coyote pauses on an open slope. Looks down-valley at the human looking up. Coyote ambles off, into the woods, the wild. Small caddis hatch from the big stream, under deep blue sky, among the greening hills. Anglers stop on … Continue reading

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Finger Lakes, A Backyard Trail

In a recent post about the Finger Lakes Trail (FLT) in western New York, I mentioned that we humans often disregard important outdoor resources when we live close by them. It’s as if these resources near the backyard really don’t need to … Continue reading

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Spring Journal: What the Trout Sees

For the previous week or more I’d been anxiously awaiting a good Hendrickson hatch, the mayfly whose appearance on Eastern streams and rivers has a tendency to produce good dry fly action on the surface of the water. Although the … Continue reading

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