5-29-13

This morning I guided Bob and Brad for stripers. We hit the water at first light and had 4 nice fish in the box after worming the first wall! We continued working the walls and landed another 4 nice fish before the worm bite died. We then switched to minnows and found another wad of fish to beat on. The first pass we had a triple hookup, landing 3 nice keepers that were quickly released. On our second and third pass we again had triples, loading the box with nice males for the table and calling it a day. We ended the morning catching roughly 20 keepers and never saw another boat!!! What a great day on the water.

Casey

5-23-13

Today I guided Bill and Gene for stripers. We started the morning drifting minnows and it didn't take long for the action to start. At the first stop we had a triple on our first drift. We landed all 3 of the fish and they were all nice keepers, so we headed back up to make another pass. On the next pass we had another double, followed by a few more passes of double and single hookups. The fish had finally quit biting so we headed upstream to try and find some more fish. On our first drift we scored another triple, followed by a couple more doubles and then a few singles. We now had a nice box full of fish and decided to call it a day! We ended up catching over a dozen keepers and several shakers. The weather was great and the fishing even better!

Casey

5-22-13

This morning I guided Brian and Greg for stripers. We hit the water early and started throwing the worm. We hit a couple rock walls and had a few missed bites. The wind was blowing 20+ MPH so we said the hell with it and switched over to minnows. We started off and it didn't take long for Brian to hookup and Greg was shortly after. We worked our way down river from spot to spot and caught fish all of the way down river. We had landed around a dozen keepers by 12:00 and decided we had seen enough of the wind so we headed in. Another great day on the water despite the howling North wind!!

Casey

5-21-13

Today I guided JP and Byrd for stripers. We hit the launch and headed upstream to see what we could find. On our first pass we had a few bites and finally hooked up. JP made short work of the fish and soon had a nice 10 pound male in the box. We continued working the banks with the rubber worm and scratched out a few more fish and missed a few other bites before switching over to minnows. On our first drift JP hooked up again we quickly landed a 12 pound female that was released after a photo. At the next stop it was Byrd's turn and he caught a nice male for the box. This continued on all morning and we caught a few fish at each and every stop. The boat pressure was very minimal and the fishing was great. We ended the day catching a total of 13 keepers and a handful of shakers.

Casey 

5-17-13

This morning I guided Steve Shab for pigs. We were up on the hill before day light and in position to start glassing. At legal shooting light we began driving from vantage point to vantage point, glassing for pigs. At the first few stops we did not see any activity but as we stopped at another place to glass the valley we spotted a herd of pigs in the distance. We quickly loaded up in the ranger to try and make the 5 mile loop to get in front of them. As we traveled the ridge line trying to get ahead of the group I spotted a lone pig out feeding in the flats. We decided that it looked like the perfect size eater pig so we switched gears and went after the lone pig. We had coasted down the hill so that we did not spook the pig and then headed out on foot to try and relocate the pig. As we made our way uphill towards the last place that we had seen the pig, we were on high alert but just couldn't find it again so we pressed on. As we topped the next rise I spotted the pig feeding a mere 50 yards from us, so I got the sticks set up and ready for Steve. As I was telling Steve to take his time and make a good shot, he touched the trigger and the pig dropped in it's tracks! Game over! Steve had made a great shot and as I looked at my watch it was only 6:15 AM. We had a quick photo shoot and then got the pig gutted,skinned, and loaded into the truck and headed down the road towards the butcher shop. It was a short but sweet hunt this morning!

Casey

5-15-13

This morning I guided Dan and Bob for stripers. We met at the boat ramp at 4:00 AM and headed down stream. At the first stop we were quickly hooked up and the fish continued to bite pass after pass. We finally wore out that wall so we headed to another and again it was fish on!! At each and every stop we made this morning we caught a few fish, but some were better than others. We kept 6 nice males for the box and let several others go. The bite was light this morning resulting in alot of missed strikes, but there was plenty of action to keep us entertained. The big fish of the day was a 18 pound hen that Dan caught and released after a quick picture. We were on the water at 4:00 AM and had the boat back on the trailer at 8:00 AM, it was short and sweet!

Casey  

5-10-13

This morning I guided Dave, DJ, Allen, and Denise for stripers. We launched out of Ward's Landing at 5:00 AM, and headed straight back to where I had left off last night. On the first pass I missed one and then DJ hooked up but lost the fish right at the boat. On the second pass I hooked a nice one and Allen got the task of reeling it in. He soon had a 15 pound hen to the boat and she was released to fight another day. On the next pass it was Denise's turn and she put a 6 pound male in the box. We continued to work the wall getting bit every pass but we only managed to boat a few more fish before the waves from all of the boats going by killed the bite. We headed up stream and wormed a few more places before switching over to minnows. As we floated past the Steelhead Lodge, DJ hooked another fish but it came off as well. As we rounded the corner I started seeing fish on the screen and before long we had a double, both nice males. We idled back up and again, another double. We worked this stretch back and fourth for several passes and landed a few more fish before moving on. We fished our way back towards Ward's and called it a day. We ended up boating and releasing 6 females today as well as 6 nice males for the box. It was a great day on the water with some really good folks. I dont know what I did but I somehow managed to erase the photo from today, sorry guys!

Casey  

5-9-13

I decided to head out to the river this evening to see how the stripers were biting. My kids had been wanting to go so we went on a scouting mission. We launched at Ward's Landing and headed up stream, armed with rubber worms and searching for a big one. On our first pass down the rock wall it was fish on! I handed the rod to my daughter Quinn and she battled the 10 pound hen to the boat. After a quick picture, we watched her swim away to go make some babies. On the next pass Bigshot hooked up and handed the rod to my son Cade. He made short work of it and another 8 pound hen came into the boat and back into the river. We continued to work the wall and were getting a fish or 2 per pass. On the fourth or fifth pass I hooked a big one, that about ripped the rod out of my hand. As I set the hook the fish swam at the boat, then back to the bank, and then stripped line off of the reel as it headed to the middle of the river and up stream. I handed the rod to Cade and watched as the battle ensued. Cade fought the fish for about 10 minutes and had it right next to the boat several times but on the last try the hook pulled out. I caught a glimpse of the fish on two different occasions and it appeared to be in the 30 pound class, but I guess we will never know. We fished into the darkness and landed a few more big hens in the 15-20 pound class and lost a few others before calling it a night. We had a lot of fun and the kids loved it!! Just look at the smile on their faces.

Casey

5-9-13

Today it was up to the hills in search of pigs. I met Mitch at the casino at 4:00 and we headed up to the ranch. Upon completing all of the paper work we jumped in the ranger and headed up on a high ridge to start glassing. We continued down the long ridge stopping from time to time to glass, and it did not take long to find what we were looking for. I spotted a group of 20+ pigs down in the valley and off we went. We had to back track to get down to the valley that the pigs were feeding in, and then drove up the valley to within a mile of the pigs before taking off on foot. We worked our way up the valley towards where we had last seen the pigs and Mitch chambered a round and got ready for the shot. As we worked towards there last known location I caught movement in the brush and out stepped a 250 pound boar a mere 30 yards from us. As the pig came out of the brush he looked up and I could tell that he had spotted us so we froze and he eventually went back to feeding along the brush line. He had moved closer towards us but put a tree in between us and him, so Mitch did not have a shot. As we moved to the side for a better visual the pig disappeared into the brush. I figured that the rest of the herd was up hill where the boar had come from so we pressed on. We had not gone 20 yards when I could see ears coming up over the rise. I quickly got the shooting sticks set and as the pigs crested the small rise Mitch was ready for the shot. The pigs froze and Mitch centered the cross hairs on the lead pigs forehead and touched the trigger, pig down!! Mitch had another tag so we scrambled around the brush patch trying to find the rest of the group but they eluded us. We made the trek back to the ranger and drove back and loaded up the pig and then headed up the valley towards the truck. As we crested a ridge I looked up and spotted a lone boar feeding under some oaks. Mitch grabbed his gun and jumped out of the ranger and crept up the hill towards where we had last seen the pig. As he got closer the brush started breaking and the pig gave us the slip! We decided to call it a morning and headed to the skinning shack to get the pig skinned out and cooled off. The hunt was short and sweet, as we had the pig taken care of and delivered to the butcher by 10:00 AM.

Casey     

5-8-13

This morning I guided Jack and Herb for stripers. We launched out of Teesdale at 5:00 AM and it did not take more than a minute for Jack to hook a fish. He fought the fish to the boat and we quickly slipped a nice 8 pounder in the box. On the next pass it was Herb's turn and another nice male went into the box. We made a few more passes and caught a few more fish before moving on. At the next rock wall we made a long pass and boated another nice male. At each stop we were getting bit and it continued that way as we worked up river. We hit several rock walls today and each one of them was holding fish, not big groups but a fish here and a fish there. The largest fish to the boat today was a 15 pound hen that was quickly released to go make babies. It was a great day on the water with very minimal boat pressure.

Casey

5-1-13

Today it was back to the hills, but this time we were after pigs. My hunter for today was Patrick Michael and his father Dale was along to watch the show. First thing this morning we headed up to a high vantage point and it did not take long for us to spot a group of 12-15 pigs that were feeding down in a wind sheltered bowl. The only problem was that the pigs were a few miles away and I knew if we did not hurry and get there they would retreat to the thick brush. After a quick ranger ride we got to another vantage point and located the pigs and the stalk was on. The wind was blowing out of the North but it was swirling in the canyon so we were going to have to be careful and watch the wind. As we made our way towards the pigs I continued to check the wind every couple of minutes and it looked like we were going to be ok. As we neared the top of the ridge Patrick got ready as the pigs could be any where. We hadn't gone 50 yards when I spotted a nice boar feeding on the other side of a small knoll, not 10 feet from us. I set up the shooting sticks but all we could see was the top 5-6 inches of the pigs shoulder. As we tried to get a better view I felt the wind hit the back of my neck and then the pig bolted down the hill, Busted! The pig had went down hill and the others had not heard or seen him so we were still in the game. We continued to move towards the big group of pigs but as we closed in there was a pair of 125 pounders feeding between us and the big group. There was no way to get by these two pigs in order to get to the others so Patrick decided to take one of them. He got set up on the sticks and when the pig presented the shot Patrick nailed him. The pig was knocked off of his feet but before he could cycle in another round he was up and moving again. As the pig headed away from us we took off on a dead sprint to try and get a finishing shot. The pig beat us to the brush but as we were looking for sign Patrick spotted the pig laying in the middle of a small brush patch. After a quick shot to the temple it was over and Patrick claimed his prize. The pig ended up being around 100 pounds but will be great on the table. It was a great hunt and it's always alot of fun to stalk in on the pigs when you can get that close. Just seems to add a little excitement to the day.

Casey