As the Seasons Change

As I sit here at my computer I can feel the cool 43 degree air softly brush past me.  Why I have the window cracked open I really don’t know.  Maybe it's because I love to hear the geese honk in tandem while they fly over my home or maybe it’s because I just love to feel the crisp soothing nature of my favorite season embrace me.  Either way it makes me think.  It makes me think of the pleasant aroma of fresh gunpowder as I remove discharged shotgun shells out of my double barrel. 

It makes me think of walking upon the damp forest floor while Max’s bell echoes through the woodlands in search of our day's quarry.  It also makes me think of the upcoming first frost and the hours I will spend alone in the woods watching the natural world continuously change around me.  It makes me think of the fresh deer tracks, rubs, and scrapes that will get the fire burning in my belly on a cold November morning. 

That breeze certainly gets me excited for a new season of adventure.  Yet, as that cool breeze gently blows over my fresh cup of coffee, I watch the warm steam lift off of its hot surface and swirl into the air and vanish as quickly as the clock has ticked away the time of my warm weather adventures.  I take a moment to look out the window and see my canoe sitting there ready to hit the water, then with a slight turn of my head I can see that double barrel sitting in the cabinet quietly waiting for its weekend walk in the woods. As I sit here in my den surrounded by the chaos of my fishing season and notice the fly rods, waders, piles of fly fishing magazines, feathers, hooks and of course new flies that have yet to see the water, I decide that this morning I will take some time to reflect on the amazing season that has slipped away before I was ready for it to end.  

My fishing season started earlier than usual this year with a trip to Holland Patent to attend the CNY Fly Tying Symposium. 

This gave me the opportunity to meet some of the most influential fly anglers of  New York state and the North East.  I had the chance to meet writers like Rob Streeter and Mark Usyk. 

This also gave me the opportunity to be a guest speaker and talk about the native fish conservation work that the NY Native Fish Coalition has been working so hard on.  I can still hear the laughter and excitement of being surrounded by so many like minded anglers.  It was the perfect event to kick off an unforgettable season.   Next was my adventure of a lifetime.  My fly fishing trip to Maine. 

I had spent months planning and researching every detail I could think of to make this trip a success.  With the help of my good friend and my cousin, the trip had gone from a dream to a reality.  I can still feel the rushing water of the Dead River flowing past my legs as brook trout attacked my streamer at the end of my tippet. 

I could spend hours reflecting on this trip.  Rewatching the videos and looking at the photos keeps that trip alive in my heart and my mind.  This was also the season I decided to learn a new way of fishing and try out a belly boat. 

Such a simple vessel yet it was life changing.  With the amount of rain we received, many of my favorite fishing destinations were washed out again and again.  This little boat allowed me to explore fishing spots I had never seen before.  I was able to spend days fishing in ponds all over the North Country.  From roadside launches to hiking miles back into the Adirondack Park, I explored waters that many people will never see. 

I need to give a big thank you to my fishing buddy Carl who was willing to tag along with me and explore many of these new waters.  He was also able to get us access to several hard to get to waters.  With a few phone calls he had permission for us to get on some private property that gave us dock side access. Then came the canoe. 

An unexpected purchase that has allowed me to share some of the experiences I have had.  I have a dream of being able to share my passion with others.  This canoe was a big step in being able to share that  passion.  I need to thank Roy and Mera for selling it to me at such a good price.  I promise you that it will bring joy to many in the coming years. 

I also had a season full of what I like to call “Thursday nights are for fly fishing”.  Almost every Thursday night my fishing buddy Carl and I hit an easy access location and spend a few hours fishing.  These are usually stocked fishing spots that require little pre planning or special techniques.  These nights are so much more than just catching fish.  These evenings have become a very special part of my life.  They give me an opportunity to mindlessly unwind from a stressful week of work and roll into my Friday with my battery recharged.  It's funny how easy it is to roll out of bed at 4:30am with only a few hours sleep after spending an evening swinging flies on a peaceful stretch of water.  This season I fished my last Thursday night in a very special way. 

I decided to use an old bamboo rod that had been given to me.  It gave me a chance to connect with the fly anglers of an era gone by.  I can’t wait to use it again.  Yes, as I reflect on my fishing season visions of new species on the fly and new destinations keep popping up. 

However, this season is wrapping up.  The chapter is quickly coming to an end.  The next chapter of adventure is quickly approaching.  I already have plans for several amazing hunts on the horizon and I can’t wait to share those stories with you.  But before I turn that page I need to give a special THANK YOU to my wife.  Her never ending support, patience and willingness to say go for it, needs to be recognized.  Thank you Josie for always pushing me to get out there and explore and to be better than I was the day before.  To all my followers and readers thank you for your support and feedback.  There is nothing better than hearing someone say that something I wrote inspired them to find their own adventure.  Now it’s time to finish this chapter and turn the page.  I have a hunt with some veterans coming up soon that I can’t  wait to tell you about.

Aaron Hardy

Northern NY Adventures

“Make Life an Adventure”