Subtle, but sure, signs of Fall hunting -- What are yours?

[Ron Scott]

Originally Posted by Daniel Carter

A contemporary of Woolners, Paul Kurconnen(sp.) was a film maker in central Mass. He made a number of surf fishing films and hunting films, woodcock mainly, and he came up with the idea of the sawed off fiber glass gun and it spread in the local area. He tried with the available tools of the day but could not get any good grouse footage because of the light conditions. The Woolner brothers also knew Hal Lyman the owner of the 3rd Invincible. They all fished the outer cape and hunted grouse and woodcock.

Paul Kukonen had a little fly shop on Green Street in Worcester. The guy knew everything about fishing, building rods and fly tying. I think he (and his English setter) would sometimes sleep in the back room. The guy lived to fish and hunt. After he closed shop Jim Bender opened a fly shop on Madison St and carried on the tradition. Sadly they are both are closed now.

We always blamed Kukonen for ruining the West Branch of the Ponobscot River by informing everyone through his 8 mm films how great the fishing was there.

[Dean Romig]

I found this in my "stuff"...


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[Woodcock survey]

Frank Woolners brother Jack worked for Mass. fish and wildlife for many years and was credited with the creation of hunter orange. I met Jack when I was a kid and he was a fascinating man to listen to. This is reminding me of how many years have passed since then.At it's inception hunter orange was cursed and hated and a lot of animosity was directed toward Jack for his promotion of it. I have hunted with men who would take it off out of sight of the road while deer hunting and just wear brown canvas. How times have changed.

[Dean Romig]

I love that river Ron, and fish it at least once, maybe twice or more, each year.
Trust me, the fishery is not ruined - there are just a lot more people coming each year, what with ww rafting and kayaking. But the fish are still there. But when “Culvert Pool” is lined with 6 fly-fishers and another one steps in, I step out. There are plenty of pools to fish.





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[Ron Scott]

Originally Posted by Dean Romig

I love that river Ron, and fish it at least once, maybe twice or more, each year.
Trust me, the fishery is not ruined - there are just a lot more people coming each year, what with ww rafting and kayaking. But the fish are still there. But when “Culvert Pool” is lined with 6 fly-fishers and another one steps in, I step out. There are plenty of pools to fish..

I used "ruined" as a figure of speech. My little group of fishermen (mostly family and close friends going back three generations) have fished the West Branch for many years. My father and his buddies were going up there when they still used the river to drive logs. The logs would at times fill the river from shore to shore making it impossible to fish. The river wasn't fished by very many people back then. I'm thinking that would have been in the early 50's. They had the place to themselves.

I first fished the river in the 70's. You had to check in at the Ranger Station before going up the gravel road. Pray's Camps were still around and the Big Eddy was empty except for a few guys tenting. But even then it was getting extremely busy with rafters and screaming college kids. I remember my buddy and I strategically placing ourselves about 20 yards apart in a pool thinking no one else would dare encroach. But as the bewitching hour approached we heard car doors slamming and down came the stampede. We ended up with two guys between us and several more on either side. That "ruined" an otherwise perfect evening on the river.

I'm sure you are right and you can still go up and find pools that you can fish by yourself -- if you don't go at the prime time and don't mind walking. But it's definitely not like it was in the "good ol' days."

We blamed Kukonan for popularizing the spot but obviously no one could ever keep a place that beautiful and with that quality of fishing a secret.

[Dean Romig]

Speaking of Kukonen et al, I hope all you fly-fishers bought a copy of Austin Hogan’s book.





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[Reggie B]

Fall is finally approaching us here in the South. Last evening the Cicadas seemed to be crying loudly for Summer to hold on a little longer. The sky was a deep azure blue that can only be seen here when the humidity is taken aback by the approaching Autumn. The temperature this morning was hovering between 59 and 60 and a mist was coming off the waters. But the predicted highs for the next several days are in still in the 90s, but there is evidence of a coming freshness!

[Dean Romig]

There is certainly a “mist coming off the water” here in Maine this morning. Only just now able to see “Blueberry Island” through it.

Oops... spoke too soon.


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[Dean Romig]

Hmmm... I feel like I’m in the Stephen King horror story... “The Mist”

It’s baaaack ...


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[Hixie]

Here's some Adirondack photos showing misty onset of Fall. These are from a couple of years ago late-September timeframe. The top photo has a pair of loons in it, but it's tough to see them. The middle photo has a single juvenile loon in it.