Summer's Winding Down

As summer winds down I find myself in a fishing frenzy. Going out 3 or 4 times a week to enjoy the water before the "fall spell" hits me and I start to haunt the grouse and woodcock coverts with Emma and Thicket looking for birds to pursue this fall.

 

I love to be along the riverbank before sunrise.

 

A nice rock formation  at Warrior's Path State Park.

 

I saw the 3 Otters again one morning but didn't get a picture of them hunting in the riffles. I was able to get a poor picture of an Osprey.

 

I caught my personal best fish this summer a few days ago. An honest 18 inch smallie that I slipped back into the river to grow bigger for next years fishing.

 

Some more rock formations. These are along Licking Creek.

 

The wild flowers that grow along the waters edge always catch my attention.

 

 

Sadly my turtle sightings have been scarce this summer. I was lucky enough to walk across this lovely box turtle on my was back to the truck yesterday. Possibly the biggest box turtle I've ever seen.

 

 

I still have a half a dozen or so spots that I've not fishing this year. Hopefully I'll be able to get out and enjoy the fishing and scenery for a few more weeks before summer ends.

A Morning on the River

Fished the Raystown Branch this morning and the first thing I saw as I entered the water were 3 otters on  the opposite bank. This was the best pic that my little point and shoot camera could get.

 

I walked down stream for about 10 minutes before I began to fish to get away from the pressured area near the parking lot, but still the fishing started out slow.

 

I finally started to catch some fish both Smallmouth and Rock bass.

 

Rock bass are also known as Redeye's or Google eyes for a good reason.

 

This was the "catch of the day".  I snapped a couple of quick pics and slipped her back into the water. As I watched her swim away I realized that I had forgotten to measure her. I'm guessing she approached 15 inches , a fairly nice fish for this water.

 

As the morning progressed I saw a very large mink and an immature Bald Eagle neither of which gave me a chance for  pics.  I did get some pics of this curious little bird which was feeding on an exposed gravel bar in the river.  After looking through my Peterson Birds of Eastern North America I found the Spotted Sandpiper to be the only bird to come close to matching this bird.

 

As the sun appeared over the eastern ridge the temperature started to climb and I turned upstream and made my way back to the truck, satisfied with the morning's fishing and nature sightings.