The Sequel

     You can ask anyone in the upstate New York area about their experience with Hurricane Irene, and the answer usually starts with a long pause, and pursed lips with eyes that dart down to the ground and a headshake that sends a feeling of awe back to you.  Hands go into the pockets, and feet awkwardly skim the dirt.  Posture usually turns submissive.  It was awful.  Hurricanes aren't supposed to hit areas like the Catskills.  They certainly aren't supposed to hit the area twice in consecutive years.  Sequels are always worse than the originals, and that's the way the weathermen are talking about Sandy.

     Well, for anyone reading in advance, I wish everyone the best of luck.  This is not going to be easy.  Take every precaution that you can, and always err on the side of caution. 

     Human life is always first & foremost.  But, this is a fishing blog and I guess it's time for just a few notes of lesser importance.  I hit the Wappingers Creek for an hour+ yesterday morning just to see what's up, and wave the stick around for a little while before the storm hits and does God-knows-what to the streams.  The water table is already high.  I tossed one of my white streamers around for a little while but only picked up a smallmouth bass.  On my way out, I switched back over to stimulator-PT dropper and found a few sunnies.  Not sure where the trout went- I'm still catching panfish closing out October?  I guess if it's ok to get a Hurricane it's ok to catch panfish.

     With Sandy breathing down our neck, I couldn't help but notice that I was still looking at Irene.

     I would have been at the Esopus for my quick outing but the water's still stained.  Not one cast yet during the brown trout run.  It's just been too darn muddy.  Now, as of the time of this writing, they are doing a release to drain the Schoharie as the hurricane approaches.  I can understand that, I guess.  But, don't leave too much water in the Esopus... it crested at 79,000 CFS during Irene, no typo. 

     I don't know what this is going to do to the fishing moving forward.  It's going to blow out the Esopus for the remainder of the year.  It's going to blow out the Beaverkill for quite a few weeks.  I'll check the USGS but I bet you'll see 40,000 CFS in Cooks Falls.  November might be tailwaters only; fishing the rivers where the reservoirs absorb the water and not a lot of feeders creeks.

     I, personally, absorbed plenty of water thanks to Irene, and later Tropical Storm Lee.  I had my own reservoir to deal with.  I tried to create a personal tailwater with the biggest release I could muster, put it that way!  Never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd see this movie again, but I'm ready for Act II. 

     God be with you.  Good luck.