Week of September 1st: Cheers for Labor!

This weekend is dedicated to celebrating the work born of laborious effort, bloody hands and sweat, and to tasks done by the hands of people. Historically, Labor Day in this nation began in the late 19th century with events recognizing working class folks' efforts and specifically those of trades people. Eventually, labor leaders selected the first Monday in September, the mid-way point between July 4th and Thanksgiving, as the day to mark the occasion with a national holiday.  Parades were held to demonstrate strength and solidarity in unions and among trade workers and tickets to picnics could be sold as a fundraiser where speeches would be given on topics important to the working and middle classes in America (“Labor Day,” Wikipedia.com).  Here’s cheers to our strong history of protecting the public good and union members who built this country!  From the angler standpoint, public fishing access and rights were created to ensure the landowning gentry would allow (read: be forced to) keep easements open to the public.  In other words, rich folks could not fence out the poor or shoot them for trespassing.  The people who built our nation remembered the foothold taps or mantraps used to keep poachers out of European estates; “thigh crackers” and “body squeezers” were legal in Europe until the middle of the 1800s. Brutal practices by the British and French aristocracy, such as these, may have laid the groundwork for democratic and human rights movements, paving the way for the birth of the United States and the rights and privileges we enjoy. 

Labor Day has become the last weekend of summer despite the season continuing through to September 22nd.  Still, when I start to think about “Fall Fishing,” I start to get antsy right about now.  I know I am not alone as folks coming into the shop are tired of waiting patiently for temps to return to safe levels and then for the fall stocking in October. While we may have to wait for the stocking, we may not have to wait much longer to fish with a clear conscience. 

Right now, the flows are low and the water temperature may only be OK in the early morning hours. Even with overnight temperatures dipping below 50 Monday night, the sun’s rays permeate the shallow water and fish will continue to seek the deepest pools and avoid skinny water for comfort and safety.  We can find and fish the deeper runs and plunge pools for a few more weeks when levels hopefully come up and fish can move freely again.  

Caddis are showing up around garage lights and will soon appear in great numbers for their fall cycle.  Caddis larva (worms) eat leaves decomposing in the rivers, so the fall caddis start to show up when the first deciduous leaves start falling.  In addition to caddis, look for BWOs and lingering terrestrials, ants, beetles, and hoppers, as opportunistic trout leave their summer refuge as oxygen levels rise. 

I have gone out and poked around over the last two weeks; fish are there, but not easy to spot.  I have gone fishing a few early mornings, too, and fish are scant - mostly chubb and panfish. I have confidence this weekend begins the upswing in flows and the availability of food for fish.

Raise a cup or glass on Labor Day for the backbone of our country!  Grab your gear and give it a careful once over. Then, come by the shop for line cleaner, reel lube, new leaders, tippet, and flies.  Maybe it is time for your new Winston or Douglas or that Euro Nymphing outfit you’ve been waiting to get.  Finally, we have the new Lamson Liquid and brand new Readington reel, the Ace, in stock. Both look pretty sharp.  Whether you are new to the sport or knew Roy Steenrod personally, get excited for a great fall season.

See you out there. 

Roy B