Steve Piatt: Soaring temperatures force an audible in plan to fish New York’s Ausable River
On paper, this trip was going to be special. Back to the Adirondacks, and back to the West Branch of the Ausable River, which I proudly called my home water during our 16 years up there.
Two days of fishing, plying my favorite stretches of the river, nymph fishing the pocket water and, perhaps in the evening, switching to dry flies – maybe even Green Drake or Coffin Fly patterns in sizes easy for me to see on the water.
It would be just like old times, like reconnecting with an old friend, picking up the conversation just as we left it years ago.
Keuka Lake in New York’s Steuben and Yates counties offers lakers, smallmouths, and more
Keuka Lake probably wouldn’t be considered the hottest of the Finger Lakes angling destinations. That title these days belongs to, arguably, nearby Cayuga Lake. But the unique, Y-shaped water that straddles Yates and Steuben counties shouldn’t be overlooked, especially if you’re targeting lake trout or smallmouth bass.
Keuka Lake in New York’s Steuben and Yates counties offers lakers, smallmouths, and more Read More »
Steve Piatt: Old age adds to the appreciation felt for the turkey woods
Spring gobbler season is, quite literally, a painful reminder that I’m now the same age as old people.
Yet I still hunt, and my pre-season scouting runs essentially turn May Madness into a two-month or longer effort, rising each morning without benefit or need of an alarm clock, the passion still firmly intact even if the body is not. In the sports jargon of today, I would be described daily as a “game time decision,” dealing with a “lower body injury” that will at some point be addressed, but not until after the season.
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Go big, or small, on New York’s Canadarago Lake in Otsego County
Anglers visit Otsego County’s Canadarago Lake for a variety of reasons, both big and small.
Literally.
The big lake, at nearly 2,000 acres, offers up a smorgasbord of sorts when it comes to fish species, ranging from panfish to bass to walleyes all the way up to tiger muskellunge.
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Wild times on New York’s Esopus Creek in Ulster County, where no stocking is necessary
There are plenty of reasons why Esopus Creek – specifically the Upper Esopus – attracts a lot of anglers, especially those wielding fly rods.
Geography alone is quite enough, given the Ulster County water’s proximity to the New York State Thruway and some sizable cities (Kingston, Poughkeepsie, Newburgh).
Good fishing access is another, with nearly 14 miles of stream available via Public Fishing Rights on state lands as well as New York City DEP recreation lands (which require a free access permit).
Wild times on New York’s Esopus Creek in Ulster County, where no stocking is necessary Read More »
Steve Piatt: One happy dog, despite the cancer
Over the years, each of the seven Labrador retrievers we’ve owned has occupied a spot in our hearts, and along the way acquired various titles we’ve placed on them. Magic was the toughest, Brooks the smartest, Ben the best hunter, Maddie the best behaved, Hailey the quirkiest, and Riley, our latest and youngest, the prettiest.
Finn, our eight-year-old fox red Lab, is undoubtedly the happiest in a lineup of happy hunting dogs. Tail constantly wagging, always ready to hop in the truck, quick to greet everyone and, even though the elder dog in our home these days, typically the one to initiate any rousing play with Riley.
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Canarsie Pier in Brooklyn carries a storied history in the heart of the city
It’s heading toward its 100th birthday in 2026, so it’s no surprise that Brooklyn’s Canarsie Pier has a storied history, from its construction nearly a century ago by the New York City Department of Docks to its reputation today as a superb recreational spot in the Big Apple.
And those recreational activities include fishing in what can be a very productive Jamaica Bay, with a variety of saltwater species available at various times of the year right in the heart of the city.
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Long Island trout? You bet on the Carmans River
Long Island is best known for its outstanding saltwater fishing. From striped bass to bluefish to summer flounder and other species, chances are pretty good there’s always something to target: inshore or offshore.
So, it’s perhaps a bit of a surprise to many anglers that some superb trout fishing can be had out on the island, in the freshwater, and within all the hustle and bustle of the heavily populated Suffolk County.
Long Island trout? You bet on the Carmans River Read More »
Steve Piatt: Canada’s Algonquin Provincial Park a special wilderness experience that keeps calling
On the wall at the bottom of the stairs of our home, we walk past the big map several times daily. Sometimes I stop and look closely, knowing where we’ve been and wondering, too, whether we’ll ever return.
Canada’s Algonquin Provincial Park has, over the years, been one of our special places, a maze of canoe routes and trails where we’ve paddled, portaged, camped, hiked, snowshoed, fished, and enjoyed encounters with moose, wolves, otters, loons, and black bears.
