kayak fishing

The Nature Inn at Bald Eagle State Park

June 22, 2015 by Leigh Leave a Comment

This past weekend, 14 of us helped my in-laws celebrate significant birthdays. Relatives from Ohio, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and New Jersey made the trek to The Nature Inn at Bald Eagle State Park in Howard, PA, near State College. As you might expect, I also packed kayaks and a fly rod.

This was our first visit to the inn, and we had a great time. The property is well above the lake and offers stunning views. They have firepits and grills available for use, and provide a morning buffet to guests. The inn really caters to bird watchers, so bring your binoculars. Below is a view from the main patio area.

The units are clean, spacious and have mission-style furniture. These face the lake.

The rooms below face the courtyard. The property is well landscaped and includes a large butterfly garden and hiking trails.

Some of our party watched bald eagles soaring. Unfortunately I was unpacking the car, and the stained glass eagle over the dining room was the only one I saw.

The staff was friendly, knowledgeable and happily accommodated our needs while catering both a wedding and an anniversary party. They helped make the our stay a true pleasure.

And the fishing? The lake is man-made, and the water has great visibility. I didn’t check the depth charts, but where I fished had a narrow shoreline and a steep dropoff, perfect for bass to hang out chasing baitfish. I was on the water by 6:30 am. Although I chose a relatively shallow cove, there was plenty of company in bass boats. My guess is that this is a popular spot and for good reason.

Due to bad weather and family activities, I really only hit the water for a couple of hours one morning. So much for buying a 3-day license . . .

This is the largest I caught, a nice bass.

And this was the smallest.

If you have a chance I would recommend a trip to The Nature Inn and Bald Eagle State Park. There are plenty of activities for the whole family. Enjoy!

Near the Teepee

June 17, 2015 by Leigh Leave a Comment

Most of us look for some type of marker to identify a great fishing spot. In the age of Google Maps, cellphone cameras and GPS, little is left uncharted. Yet we still commonly refer to these places by landmarks. Sometimes it’s a boulder; other times a tree, bend in the river, or pull-off down a dirt road. We keep them to ourselves or share with friends at the end of the day.

Today I took the kayak to a local pond for some morning fishing. I paddled slowly along the shoreline, tossing poppers and picking up bream every few yards. I decided to take a break and stopped to make a photo of a crude teepee frame. I’m guessing this is the work of local teenagers and not the Potatuck Indians.

After checking my gear, I cast a few times and within minutes landed two nice bass.

Normally I would’ve been satisfied and moved on, but I spotted a small notch that looked really fishy. Casting one more time I picked up a nice black crappie, my first of the year. They’re always a welcome surprise.

Summer Solstice, aka the longest day of the year, is this weekend, giving you plenty of daylight to get out on the water. Hope you find some new landmarks. Enjoy!

What Brown Did for Me

June 6, 2015 by Leigh 1 Comment

Most of us remember the UPS ad campaign “What can brown do for you?”. This morning brown was the popper color of choice, as I caught quite a few bream and bass at the local pond.

It was a good day, with overcast skies and temps in the 60’s. This particular body of water has hardly any lilies, but plenty of grass and fallen trees along the shoreline.

The morning started with a few small bass, and then a string of bream and sunfish.

This was one of the largest and most colorful sunfish of the day.

Then my luck changed, and this healthy pickle began to pull the kayak into deeper water. For a few moments, it felt like a kayak sleigh ride.

All in all, it was a fun and productive couple of hours. The only downside was the condition of the popper at the end of the trip. The pic below shows a new one just above the one I used.

Fishing in the northeast has been fantastic these past few weeks. Hope you have a chance to catch some too. Enjoy!

Pre-breakfast Bass

May 31, 2015 by Leigh 1 Comment

With the local weather forecast looking less than certain, I decided to make an early morning run to a local pond for some kayak fishing. I was on the water by 6 am, and had the place to myself for 2 hours.

While many ponds in the area have already become choked with lilies, this one is mostly clear, with algae and grass forming only in the corners and small pockets.

Frequently I would hear the sound of large bass cruising the shoreline and making violent strikes against the panfish. It felt like a scene from the Discovery Channel.

I didn’t catch anything until I started using smaller poppers. Then I picked up a few bass that looked like this.

I also brought in a number of sunfish. This wasn’t the largest, but the colors were amazing.

As the showers started, I paddled to shore and loaded up my gear. Within a half hour, I was unpacked and back at home, deciding on what to have for breakfast.

When the weather or your schedule doesn’t allow time for a long trip, take advantage of local water. Some of these short jaunts have been the best this year. Enjoy!

Lake Kenoshia Revisited

August 25, 2014 by Leigh Leave a Comment

A few weeks ago we shot the second episode of On The Fly at Lake Kenoshia in Danbury CT. While we caught fish, it wasn’t exactly spectacular. On Sunday I had an opportunity to give it a second chance. It did not disappoint.

Almost from the first cast I was into fish.

The winds forced the kayak all over the lake, but that didn’t stop the bream from taking a frog popper.

I picked up quite a few that looked like this.

Hope you’re getting out for the last few days of August. Fall fishing will soon be here. Enjoy!