August angling: Unleash the Chupacabra

Gary Dodson’s rainbow takes a run in “Disneyland.” We got a late start July 25 and the water temperature was about 64 degrees at 9 a.m.
Patrick L. Sullivan
Gary Dodson’s rainbow takes a run in “Disneyland.” We got a late start July 25 and the water temperature was about 64 degrees at 9 a.m.
Welcome to the Mixed Bag edition of Tangled Lines.
A recent sojourn to the Catskills was not as productive as I’d hoped. The hot and dry weather rendered the freestones all but unfishable, with low flows and correspondingly high water temperatures.
That left the tailwaters, and from Phoenicia, New York, to either the East or West branches of the Delaware or to the Neversink was more driving than I wanted to do.
So the Esopus was the default setting.
This is not your standard tailwater, with cold water coming out of a dam. In this case, the water comes out of a tunnel, drilled a century or so ago under the mountains. It conveys water from the Schoharie Reservoir to the north into the Esopus at Allaben, which isn’t even a wide spot in the road.
The water dumps into the Esopus at what is known as the Portal, and the river from there down some 11 miles and change to the Ashokan Reservoir is a tailwater.
In theory, the cold water releases keep conditions congenial for trout.
In practice, it is important to remember that the whole point of the exercise is to provide drinking water for New York City. The health of fish, and mental health of fishermen, comes in a distinct and distant second.
The United States Geological Survey has a gauge in Boiceville, before the river enters the reservoir. This gauge has lots of useful information, including water temperature.
It was clear that fishing the lower part of the Esopus tailwater could only be done in the morning, as afternoon water temperatures were getting into the low 70s.
But the closer you get to the Portal, the cooler the water. So at Point A, the water temperature at 5 p.m. was a reasonable 63 degrees.
I confined myself to swinging wet flies through the riffles. Leadwing Coachmen, Light Cahills, and assorted soft-hackled wets did the trick, and I netted several small, wild rainbows. This is pretty standard stuff for an Esopus outing in late July.
The next morning Gary Dodson and I convened at what we call Disneyland in Boiceville. It looks like hell, as the state is replacing the main bridge there, but the recreation area is the western terminus of a trail that runs along the old railroad bed all the way to Hurley. It is very popular with bicyclists and joggers and other land-based life forms.
It also provides handy access for anglers.
August brings warm-water lake fishing, which means it’s time to test out the new big flies. The Chupacabra is eight inches long and Gary Dodson says “it’s like casting a wet towel.”Patrick L. Sullivan
We started at 9 a.m., which was good from the standpoint of not being half-asleep but not so great from the water temperature side of things.
The water temperature was 64. We guessed it would hit 68 by noon, so we got started.
Noticing stonefly shucks on the rocks, I chucked Stimulators, a big bushy dry fly that imitates the adult stonefly. I stuck them into every bit of soft water I could find and was rewarded by several smallish but feisty brown trout coming to the net.
Gary worked a Griffith’s Gnat, size 18, on a long, slack downstream cast and got a couple of rainbows that, while not big, at least made it interesting.
Our prediction was solid. The thermometer read 69 degrees at noon, so we cheesed it.
We should have started at 5 a.m. and fished until 9 a.m., but neither one of us was eager to leap out of bed pre-dawn.
Tangled Lines World Headquarters now shifts to warm water lake fishing for August. I recently splurged on some really big flies, meant for pike or muskie but certainly applicable to largemouth bass etc.
This includes the Chupacabra, which is eight inches long from head to tail. Gary says “it’s like casting a wet towel.”
The program for August is simple. Get up at dawn and float around the lake in a pontoon boat catching largemouth, the occasional smallie, plus perch, crappie, the odd pickerel and assorted panfish. Get out once the sun is up and running, go to work, blah blah blah. Afternoon nap. Head out again in the evening.
I particularly like floating around at 8 p.m. or so, hauling up bucketmouths while listening to the Mets game on the radio.
I have yet to drop the radio in the lake.
Aradev LLC’s plans to redevelop Wake Robin Inn include four 2,000-square-foot cabins, an event space, a sit-down restaurant and fast-casual counter, a spa, library, lounge, gym and seasonal pool. If approved, guest room numbers would increase from 38 to 57.
LAKEVILLE — The public hearing for the redevelopment of Wake Robin Inn is over. Salisbury Planning and Zoning Commission now has two months to make a decision.
The hearing closed on Tuesday, Sept. 9, after its seventh session.
Michael Klemens, chair of P&Z, had warned at the opening of the proceedings that “this might be a long night” due to a last-minute influx of material from experts hired by Wells Hill Road residents William and Angela Cruger to oppose the project, but this turned out not to be the case.
These 11th hour submissions set a sour tone to the start of the meeting, with commissioner Robert Riva stating that it was “not very professional to pull this stunt on this Commission.” Riva said he had diligently reviewed the already substantial documentation provided by both the applicant and the opposing experts, and was surprised to find a “dump” of additional information submitted just hours before the meeting’s start time at 6 p.m.
Tensions were quickly eased, however, when William Cruger offered his concise summation of his platform’s opposition to the expansion, which is the second iteration of the project after an earlier version was withdrawn late last year.
“It’s important for you all to hear from me that there was never any disrespect intended to the Commission, the commissioners, and to the process,” Cruger said. He defended the last-minute submissions as an effort on the part of the experts to be thorough in their analysis: “Our intention… has been and remains to do our best to get whatever we think will be helpful in your deliberations into the record.”
The Crugers formally entered the hearing process as intervenors for the first application from Aradev LLC, the applicant, in the fall of 2024, meaning they and their hired consultants had full party status in the hearing proceedings. During this cycle, however, they chose not to petition for intervenor status, yet during this round of hearings their role has been similar. Klemens described them as having “almost intervenor status — not quite.”
William Cruger summarized the consultant’s findings for Aradev’s revised application, noting they found it to be “virtually identical in scale to the previous proposal.”
“Our position is that the proposed expansion would absolutely negatively impact the usefulness, enjoyment and value of the surrounding properties,” he said.
Aradev’s attorney Joshua Mackey countered by saying that the special permit conditions would elevate the currently non-conforming hotel in the zone, describing it as a “community asset that is improved, regulated, and safeguarded for generations to come.” He characterized Aradev as “the next steward of this storied property.”
After Mackey and Aradev co-founder Steven Cohen concluded their remarks, Klemens closed the hearing with no public comment, which he had stated would be the case at last week’s hearing session on Thursday, Sept. 4. Klemens said that P&Z will begin deliberating the proposal in early October after the commissioners have had the chance to review the information in the record.
A total of 45 letters, including the Crugers’ experts’ testimony, were submitted since the Sept. 4 meeting alone, alongside hundreds of pages of application materials and additional testimony.
As the Commission deliberates and reviews, all of this information is available for public viewing on the “Meeting Documents” subpage under P&Z’s section on the town website, www.salisburyct.us.
The Commission must issue a decision on the application by Nov. 13, the end of the statutorily defined deliberation window.
The Weavery is Stanton Home’s oldest activity space, featuring a collection of vintage and modern floor looms. It offers opportunities for building dexterity, creative expression, and social connection through fiber arts.
Stanton Home is holding its annual Harvest Roast fundraiser on Saturday, Sept. 13 in Great Barrington, an evening of farm-to-table dining, live swing music, and community connection.
For nearly 40 years, Stanton Home has supported adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities through residential programs, therapeutic services and skill-building activities.
“Here in the Berkshires, adults with diverse abilities often face barriers like limited housing, tricky transportation, and fewer opportunities for meaningful work,” said Executive Director Peter Stanton. “Stanton Home flips that script. Our mission is to partner with adults to pursue healthy, self-determined lives.”
The Harvest Roast features locally grilled meats, roasted vegetables from Stanton’s own gardens, warm apple crisp with SoCo Creamery ice cream, and beverages —all set to the swing and gypsy jazz rhythms of the Lucky 5 Band.
“The Harvest Roast is a celebration of what makes our community strong, inclusive, and vibrant,” Stanton said. “Every ticket and sponsored table supports programs that make a lasting difference.”
Guests will begin in the gardens with a signature cocktail before gathering at long farm tables for a shared meal and celebration.
“Though this night matters, the work is year-round,” Stanton added. “People can help by shopping locally at the farm store or buying handmade weavery goods, pitching in with time or skills, gardening, lending a hand at events or by partnering with Stanton’s programs like composting or sourcing local goods. Folks can also speak up for inclusion in their workplace or community circle. Even the smallest action helps keep the mission alive.”
Tickets are $125 per person. Proceeds support Stanton Home’s inclusive programs. Reserve at donorbox.org/events/771775/steps/choose_tickets or call 413-441-0761.
Following the memorable benefit reading last season of Charles Busch’s Tony-nominated Broadway hit, “The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife,” the Sharon Playhouse will present a one-night-only staged reading of his riotous comic melodrama “Die Mommie Die!” on Friday, Sept. 12 at 7 p.m.
The production —a deliciously over-the-top homage to classic Hollywood mid-century thrillers — continues the Playhouse’s artistic partnership with Busch, who reprises his iconic role of the glamorous yet troubled songstress Angela Arden.
The playwright and performer is no stranger to the Playhouse and, luckily, he’s supported by a truly stellar powerhouse cast of top-notch comic actors — some returning to the Playhouse stage, and some making their debut. The cast includes Richard Kind; two-time Tony Award nominee Kristine Nielsen, who was part of the original New York cast; Tony Award winner Celia Keenan-Bolger; Andrew Keenan-Bolger; and Claybourne Elder.
The production also marks a fortuitous alignment of talent and history. It is directed by Sharon Playhouse Artistic Director Carl Andress, who performed in the play’s Los Angeles premiere in 1999.
“I have a long and happy history with this particular show,” Andress said. “At the Sharon Playhouse, we’re thrilled to offer unforgettable, one-of-a-kind live experiences. With Charles Busch and this phenomenal cast, ‘Die Mommie Die!’ will surely light up the Olsen Stage with laughter, wit and glamour.”
The original music is by Lewis Flinn, whose score for the 2007 Off-Broadway production is being adapted specially for this event.
The play is a classic Charles Busch concoction that, like all his work, lovingly and intelligently spoofs some of the greatest talents and tropes of stage and screen. The original production was praised by critics as his “funniest, most accomplished and, without question, raunchiest work.”
In 2003, Busch won the Best Performance award at the Sundance Film Festival for the film version of “Die Mommie Die!” His indelible contributions to American theater have been recognized with countless awards and he was recently inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame.
The event promises to be an unforgettable night of laughter, glamour and theatrical fun, with all proceeds going to benefit Sharon Playhouse’s productions and educational programs. The funds will help ensure that the Playhouse continues to thrive as a cultural destination for audiences and artists alike.
For tickets, visit: sharonplayhouse.org. Running time: 90 minutes.
Richard Feiner and Annette Stover have worked and taught in the arts, communications, and philanthropy in West Berlin, Paris, Tokyo, and New York. Passionate supporters of the arts, they live in Salisbury and Greenwich Village.