
The author caught his first steelhead on May 1.
Gary Dodson
The author caught his first steelhead on May 1.
Gary Dodson and I went to the Salmon River in Pulaski, N.Y. April 30 to May 1, to see if we could catch the tail end of the steelhead run and maybe annoy some smallmouth bass.
I’ve only been once before, 20 years ago, and I forgot that the name of the town is pronounced “Pulask-eye,” NOT “Pulask-ee.” Yes, this would come as news to the Polish general whose name adorns the landscape in at least 17 places in the U.S.
We stayed and fished the Douglaston Salmon Run, where we had a nice little house to ourselves.
We dined on successive evenings at the bar of the Tailwater Lodge in nearby Altmar, where I continued my study of the American cheeseburger platter. While I still maintain that the World’s Greatest Restaurant is Mizza’s in Lakeville and the runner-up is the Roscoe Diner, I can report that the best cheeseburger platter yet is at the Tailwater Lodge. At 18 smackers, it is also the most expensive, but only by a few bucks.
Gary said there was another, earthier option with excellent chow, but the last time he went there it was Lynyrd Skynyrd Karaoke Night, and the peril was too great to risk another visit. Personally, I thought it sounded amusing, and was willing to brave the peril, but Gary said no, it was too perilous.
Day One: After leaving Lakeville at 4 a.m. and driving to Gary’s in East Jewett, N.Y., arriving at 6 a.m., the result was predictable. I forgot several key items when transferring my gear to Gary’s truck.
This is called “Paging Dr. Boing-Boing.”
The doctor makes an appearance every time I (or you) forget something, or lose something, or some other issue of fishing logistics comes up.
Dr. Boing-Boing can and will strike at any moment. Eternal vigilance is the only answer.
We found a serviceable wading belt at Fat Nancy’s; the single biggest tackle shop I have ever seen. And it was only ten bucks.
Monday afternoon we fished down where the Salmon River widens out into an estuary before it segues into Lake Ontario. I caught the first of several smallmouth bass that were all roughly double the size of the biggest smallie I have ever pulled out of the Housatonic.
It doesn’t look so hot in the photo, a combination of giant net and moderate wide-angle lens. So I put the net over my extra-extra large head (I wear a 7 7/8 hat) and Gary took a photo for comparison.
Some necessary context: The stretch of river we were concerned with is only about seven miles or so, from the lake to the hatchery. DSR has 2.5 of those miles locked up; anglers pay a daily fee to fish there. There is also a lot of public access, which gets pretty nuts in the peak salmon and steelhead periods. This was the off-season.
Apart from a small population of resident rainbows, the river is home to migrating fish: two kinds of salmon, steelhead and smallies.
The salmonids are headed home. Home is the hatchery. I don’t know what the smallies are doing.
I had to throw pretty much everything I know about fishing out the window. For starters, almost everybody I saw was using a two-handed fly rod or a center pin rod. My nine-foot eight-weight single hand fly rod was an outlier.
Second, even though I was standing in the middle of some sort of hatch, the fish ignored the bugs as far as I could tell. What they wanted was something large and hairy. The initial smallie took a size 6 conehead olive Wooly Bugger with rubber legs, and Wednesday’s steelhead obligingly chomped on a black version of the same.
Tuesday morning began with a Boing-Boing moment, as I managed to sprain my left wrist trying to operate the shower controls. Such is the price of cleanliness.
That ruled out fooling around with the switch rod I brought along, to see if I could puzzle it out.
We fished all day Tuesday, except for a much-needed siesta mid-afternoon. All we encountered were smallies.
Wednesday morning neither one of us could face trudging the mile or so down to the estuary again, so instead we trudged a different mile or so upstream.
I got my steelhead on a different single hand rod, a 10 foot seven weight that fishes better with a number eight line. It was a floating line, with a short leader consisting of about four feet of butt section and two feet of 1X fluoro tippet.
With some coaching from Gary, I managed to land the thing without a net.
In fairness, the steelhead seemed a little out of it. It dove, it tugged, it jumped once. It went this way and that.
But that first smallie put up much more of a fuss. Probably because it hadn’t been milked at the hatchery and wasn’t stumbling back to the lake.
Three days in Western N.Y. state was a serious dose of America. Rolling back into Salisbury Wednesday afternoon was like entering a theme park — Disney’s “New Englandland” or something.
Back in New Englandland, after disposing of some work chores, I ambled over to the Blackberry on a sunny and almost hot afternoon and had a good time catching a bunch of normal, unexciting regular trout that eat bugs.
This was promising enough that I inveigled a friend to give it a shot the next day.
You know what’s coming.
She hopped out of her car, only to discover she had remembered her waders but forgotten her boots.
“Allow me to introduce you to Dr. Boing-Boing,” sez I.
Luckily she had a pair of muck boots, which did the trick.
And then, after observing small children training to be Jedi knights at a “Star Wars” activity, I made my way up to one of my secret brook trout streams and found that the winter’s incessant rains and subsequent high water had reconfigured the brook, mostly for the better. I landed several and tickled more wild char, most of them attacking a size 8 Stimulator that was bigger than their heads. Some less ambitious fish hit kebari soft-hackles and the always-reliable Bread and Butter nymph.
There was no sign of Dr. Boing-Boing.
LAKEVILLE — After receiving ARADEV LLC’s new application to expand the Wake Robin Inn earlier this month, the Planning and Zoning commission decided at its May 19 regular meeting to table its scheduling of a public hearing for the project until its next meeting on June 2.
The decision was made to allow the town’s Water Pollution Control Authority time to review the application sewer survey and render its own decision, as well as await a verdict regarding ongoing legal action against the Commission.
P&Z is currently opposing a restraining order against a May 2024 amendment to its regulations surrounding hotels in the “rural residential 1” zone, within which the Wake Robin Inn is located. The litigation was filed in February by Wells Hill Road residents and neighbors to the proposed development Angela and William Cruger, who opposed ARADEV’s first application as intervenors during the extended public hearing of its first application in late 2024.
P&Z Vice Chair Cathy Shyer acted as chair at the May 19 due to Michael Klemens’ absence. She said she wasn’t sure if the court was likely to issue a ruling before the next meeting.
“I don’t have any experience with that,” she said. “I don’t think any of us would.”
She did indicate, however, that scheduling a new hearing is “likely to be subject” to the court’s decision.
Land Use Administrator Abby Conroy stated the timeframe still works with the statutorily-defined 65 day window for the Commission to schedule a hearing after receiving an application. The last day to schedule the hearing would be the June 16 meeting, giving the Commission two more meetings to do so.
Several Commissioners agreed that the application’s extensive traffic report should undergo third-party review, and Cockerline suggested that a sound engineer be contacted to look over the detailed acoustics report that ARADEV filed with its application.
As for the town’s decision on the application’s sewer plans, WPCA Superintendent stated on May 20 that “the study has been received and is being reviewed.”
Celebrating food, wine and the spirit of giving, the community invited to a festive social evening at the Litchfield Community Center at 421 Bantam Road, on Wednesday, May 28 from 5 to 7:30 p.m. for the 7th annual “A Tasteful Event” fundraiser to benefit FISH/Friends in Service to Humanity of Northwestern Connecticut, recognizing efforts for those facing food insecurity and the homeless of the Northwest Corner for more than 50 years.
Several area restaurants, caterers, bakers, and spirit distillers have volunteered to prepare savory and sweet treats for event supporters. Attendees will enjoy music from Jacque Williams Entertainment.
Supporters will also have the opportunity to participate in a silent auction featuring gift baskets, a variety of wines, picnic fare, a dinner for six delivered to your home, an Energy Fitness membership, children’s books, toys and numerous gift certificates to area restaurants and for services.
Celebrity “Food Tasting” Judges are Julia Scharnberg, Lisa Ferris, Matthew Daly, Jeff Geddes and Jack Sheedy, who will be awarding trophies to the event's food providers for best savory and best sweet treats, favorite distiller and event newcomers, and for best in show presentation/display.
Showcasing favorite specialty and ethnic dishes include: The Venetian, DaCapo of Litchfield, Espresso 59, Ciesco Catering Company, Litchfield Distillery, Noujaim’s Bistro, The Nutmeg Fudge Company, Love It Vegan, Vera Roma Grille and Bar, Red Horse Bakery, Kaylan’s Kitchen, Café 38, Clevelands' Country Store and La Guera Mexican Grill & Cantina – some entering in both categories.
All ATE patrons will have the chance to cast their vote for the People’s Choice Award favorite. More than thirty area businesses and individuals have generously donated as event sponsors and will be recognized, including Title Sponsors: Northwest Community Bank, Torrington Savings Bank and the Allan Borghesi family; Platinum Sponsors – Thomaston Savings Bank, Brooks, Todd and McNeil Insurance and Arbella Insurance; and Gold Sponsors – Aflac of Litchfield County, O&G Industries, the Gleeson-Ryan Funeral Home, Sullivan Automotive and Hartford Healthcare/Charlotte Hungerford Hospital.
Tickets are $40 per person, and are available at www.fishnwct.org, by phoning FISH at 860-482-7300, or at the door. The event will also feature wines and other beverages to please attendees.
Lime Rock Park is slated to host the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Friday and Saturday, June 27 to 28 in Lime Rock, Connecticut.
SALISBURY — At a special meeting Thursday, May 15, the Board of Selectmen tabled the issue of approving a permit for traffic rerouting on Route 112 Friday and Saturday, June 27 to 28.
Lime Rock Park is hosting a weekend of NASCAR events. In anticipation of a large crowd, estimated between 12,000 at 15,000 in attendance, LRP has asked to have one-way traffic on Route 112 (Lime Rock Road) from Route 7 to White Hollow Road and the main track entrance between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. and again between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. on both days.
Tom Burke, Director of Facility Safety at Lime Rock Park, told the selectmen that this option was chosen because it does not involve detours on local roads. At their regular monthly meeting Monday, May 5, the selectmen had expressed dismay and concern at an earlier proposal to route traffic over narrow and windy Brinton Hill Road.
Burke said there will be at least two electronic variable message boards used and traditional “hard” signs.
And there will be state troopers deployed to assist motorists.
Public comment was negative. Victor Jermack said the entire idea seemed unreasonable to him, and Michael Klemens, who chairs the Planning and Zoning Commission, voiced concern about what he called “programmatic creep” at the track.
Sarah Wolf, who lives on White Hollow Road, wanted to know how people in the neighborhood were supposed to go about their usual business during the periods of one-way traffic on Route 112.
First Selectman Curtis Rand asked if the track’s representatives had been in touch with the neighbors. Burke said no, because they are waiting on final approval before informing the neighbors.
“That’s a lot of pressure on me,” Rand replied, adding he is wary of signing off on the plan without much input from the public.
He also asked why he has to sign off on the plan at all, since the traffic disruptions take place on a state highway. He said he was going to call the state Department of Transportation and ask the same question.
Selectman Kitty Kiefer pointed out that there is another event Thursday, June 26, that the selectmen could not discuss because it was not on the special meeting agenda. By state law special meeting agendas cannot be modified, whereas regularly scheduled meeting agendas may be amended at the start of a meeting.
The Lime Rock Park website lists the Thursday event as a “Pit Stop Party and Hauler Parade” at the White Hart Inn in Salisbury, with details to come.
Selectman Chris Williams said that while it doesn’t help the immediate situation, the town and track need to consider the town’s infrastructure, or lack thereof, when planning events that draw large crowds.
Ultimately the selectmen agreed to table the matter and resume at another special meeting. Rand said he was going to consult the town attorney in the interim.
The selectmen will have another special meeting Wednesday, May 21, at 2 p.m.
FALLS VILLAGE — The Board of Finance will hold a public hearing on the proposed spending plans for 2025-26 Wednesday May 21, 6:30 p.m. at the Emergency Services Center and on Zoom.
First Selectman Dave Barger will present the municipal plan and Board of Education Chair Pat Mechare will handle the plan for the Lee H. Kellogg School.