Happy April 1st

April first usually doesn't show up on the calendar as any special day. We have already turned the clocks ahead and the spring equinox has occurred. Most people won’t find this day circled on their home calendar and the school lunch menu never acknowledges its existence. For most people it's just another day. They head to work, shuffle the kids from point A to point B and make sure dinner is ready. But, to some, this day is quite special. It’s almost like New Year’s Day for sportsmen. It’s the beginning of the outdoorsman's calendar. The rifles have been tucked away, shotguns have been cleaned and stored. Tip ups and ice augers are no longer needed. For some, their ol’ hunting dog is getting a much needed rest from the hours of running through the snow and ice.

Most of us have taken a bit of a winter break and are ready to start it all over again. For me I’ve been planning for this special day for several months now. Every weekend I’ve spent an hour or two tying flies, watching videos, and occasionally I found myself with a cup of coffee in my hand staring at my fishing rod hanging on the wall daydreaming about this day.

What is this grand day you may ask? Well let me tell you. It’s the opening day of trout season. Yes I know, the New York State DEC has changed many of the rules to trout fishing over the last few years. We now have the opportunity to fish year round in many places but I really feel this doesn't change the importance of this day. It’s a fresh start, a new beginning to anyone who loves to hunt and fish. For many of us in the North Country it doesn’t start with a warm bright sunny day, it’s usually windy and damp but we don’t mind. This day marks the starting point of great adventures to come. From this date forward we know that we will have dry flies drifting across a stream as the sunset casts an array of pinks and oranges across the sky.

In a few more weeks we will be able to pull that shotgun out of the safe and watch a new day peacefully begin as turkeys gobble while coming down from the roost.

Soon walleye anglers will be pulling their boats out of storage and getting their tackle together for another season. Bass season will open and anglers will travel miles just to get the chance to catch a world renowned St. Lawrence River smallmouth. Carp anglers will have the chance to hook up with a big ol slimy monster before the spawning lull occurs. But it all begins with April First. Those of us that choose to call the North Country home are very blessed. Our landscape is covered with rivers, brooks, streams, and lakes to explore. Most of these places have an abundance of public access for us to use.

If you aren't sure where to go I highly recommend you download the DEC app on your phone called HuntFish NY. In the app there is a section called Open Tackle Box. This will open a map of the state. On the map there are lists of boat launches, fishing platforms, and land boundaries. If you zoom in on a body of water it will give you access locations and details regarding the type of fish that can be caught as well as the quality of the fishing in the location. This app can really point you in the right direction. I also highly encourage everyone to invite someone to join them on their fishing adventures this year. Take this season to introduce someone to the magic of fishing. Or maybe find a way to get that elderly family member out on the water again. What a wonderful opportunity to see the spark reappear in their eyes and watch their age disappear as they cast a line for the first time in a long time. Recently I made a promise to my fishing buddy. I told him that if he ever got to the point that he could no longer make it to the river bank on his own, I would carry him and his walker down to the water just so he could swing his fly rod, and I truly mean that. Fishing brings back a youthful energy that is really indescribable. It creates a very special love and passion for the outdoors.

A respect for our natural world ignites within and becomes an important part of our lives. A desire to see more and a willingness to protect it emerges. All of this excitement and adventure all starts on April 1st. So I want to wish you all a Happy and Safe April 1. May all of you hunters and anglers have a safe season and I look forward to sharing all of my adventures with you as we go from one great fishing and hunting season to the next.

Aaron Hardy

Northern NY Adventures

“Make Life an Adventure”