Well, I finally had a chance to start practicing with my bow last week. I like to start shooting by mid summer but like everybody else I was just too busy. By the end of my first week of practice however I ran into a major snafu- my bow string was beginning to fray making further shooting risky. It was definitely time to dig a couple of those Gander Mountain gift cards out of my wallet and head on down to have the necessary repairs made. When I walked in the door I ran into Chris Gross; you’ll usually find Chris in the fishing department or the archery department.

You can bet I wasn’t the only one in for repairs, adjustments and additional accessories-it’s that time of year. While Chris looked over my bow I asked him what a bow hunter should be looking for when checking out his equipment prior to the season. Chris suggested you check all screws and make sure they are tight and look for any dry rot in peep sights. He also recommended a careful check of the edges of all the bow cams; specifically you should be checking for burrs on the edges of the cams by carefully running your fingers over the edges. Burrs in those areas can cut or damage your bow string. Don’t neglect your arrows either; make sure the knocks are tight and properly aligned when the arrow is seated on the bow string and check to see that the tips are screwed in tightly. Chris also pointed out the need to look carefully for cracks or splits that often begin showing up near the point of the shaft. You should replace damaged shafts.

While I have all the bells and whistles I want or need already on my bow I did inquire as to what was new for the bow hunter this year. Something that is sure to catch the eye of a lot of serious bow-hunters is Leupolds "Vendetta" range finder; at $299 it will also catch your wallet and take it for a pretty good ride. The range finder mounts directly on your bow sight so your hands are always free. Whenever you grip your bow you press a trigger activated grip pad that automatically displays the distance to your target. It also automatically adjusts for arrow drop. Judging distance can sometimes be difficult and a slight miscalculation can lead to a miss so this new piece of equipment should come in real handy when trying to select the right pin.

Presently I carry a Bushnell range finder but it does require the use of my hands. To cut down on movement and handling of the range finder I usually check the ranges of several trees or stumps or some other stationary object right after I get settled down in my tree stand. Once I have those ranges I can then judge with some accuracy the distance to a deer standing near or between those known objects.

By the way when checking out equipment you don’t want to overlook a very important piece-your tree stand. Check all screws and bolts for tightness. Check for cracks or stress signs in any metal parts. Check all straps, connections and safety harnesses. Last year I failed to carefully check the stitching on my climbing strap. Instead of using a metal climbing rig I use a wide strap with a series of loops sewn in at different intervals to fit the trunks of a variety of tree sizes. As I began to descend from my stand (I was about 15 feet up) the stitching gave way on the strap and I began an immediate descent down the tree. Fortunately my safety vest harness took hold and stopped my fall however the sudden stop slammed my face against the tree providing me with an instant facial. Since I wasn’t all that pretty to begin with there was no lasting damage although the tree appeared to have suffered from some minor scaring. My fall would have likely been a lot worse had I not been wearing one of those new vest-type safety harnesses. Obviously it’s a good idea to wear a safety harness when climbing and when in a tree stand.

Another bow-hunter, John Micklo, knows all too well what can happen when you don’t wear a safety harness. John told me what happened 11 years ago when he climbed his tree stand early one morning and then dozed off. He was 22 feet up when he fell hitting a log with his back and coming to rest in a creek bottom. When he finally came to he realized what had happened but he was having trouble breathing and the pain was excruciating. He doesn’t remember the nearly 600 yard trek back to his parent’s house but somehow he got himself there. He was taken to Geisinger by ambulance bleeding internally and in severe pain. John eventually recovered but all his ribs were broken and he still has back and neck pain. The doctor told him had he not regained consciousness he could have bleed to death in the next couple of hours.

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Hammondsport, NY — The two-hour drive from Williamsport passed quickly. Steve Alberts and I reminisced; mostly about our childhood, and mostly about family fishing trips- Gananoque on the St. Lawrence River and Ontario’s Sharbot Lake were highlights. Reflections on angling local ponds and creeks also surfaced.

This trip was special. It had been years since we last fished together. It was also the final voyage of the U.S.S. WoolyBugger; Steve’s boat. The boat would be sold two days later.

Arriving at New York’s Keuka Lake around noon, anticipation had reached a crescendo. In part due to Steve’s detailing of the fishing, featuring past successes. Never having fished the southern end of the lake, my interest was piqued.

After checking in at The Hammondsport Motel, located on the south shore of Keuka Lake, we launched and docked the boat and headed to the bait shop. A favorite baitfish among regulars to this fishery is sawbellies (alewives), a deep-sided, silvery minnow. Steve’s favorite ploy is to drift fish with several rods out; the live minnows lowered to different depths in hopes of intersecting with hungry lake trout (lakers).

Keuka Lake was dubbed "Crooked Lake" by early settlers due to its Y shape, but later called "Lady of the Lakes" because of its beauty. Keuka (pronounced cue-kuh) is the third largest of the Finger Lakes with a length of about 20 miles and the deepest section measuring just under 200 feet. Fishermen are drawn here for various species. Along with lake trout, one might expect to catch brown or rainbow trout, landlocked salmon, large- and smallmouth bass, northern pike, panfish, or pickerel. We were targeting lakers.

Fishing was slow. A slight north wind pushed the boat along at an acceptable pace and was a welcome relief from the 90-degree weather left behind in Williamsport. We made several drifts with no action. The sonar unit constantly marked fish keeping our confidence elevated. Being a fly fisherman, this was a new experience. The waiting became too much; I broke out a fly rod. Even with a sinking line and weighted fly there were no takers. Eighty feet of water is just a little deep for effective fly fishing.

As we drifted over a depth change, one rod tip dipped downward and the line began peeling from the reel. Steve was quick to react, grabbing the rod and setting the hook. The hard-fighting quarry wanted no part of coming to the boat. Comments about a big laker were passed back and forth. After a spirited battle including several quick bursts, I netted an impressive landlocked salmon, a 5-pounder. Our spirits were lifted. Even one fish can be a mood enhancer.

We continued to fish with renewed hope. Several hours passed without a strike. Dusk was fast approaching; it was time for food, more childhood recollections, and sleep.

Dawn the second day snuck up on us quickly. We got on the water a little later than anticipated. Almost four hours of fishing produced only two smallmouth bass. Both fish took a sawbelly suspended down about 25’ over 40 feet of water. Although the fishing was not as good as anticipated, we enjoyed ourselves. After all, there is more to a good day of fishing than just catching fish.

Steve and I had been planning to get our Mothers (lifelong friends) together for dinner and fellowship. Now the meal was set; freshly-caught salmon. Thanks to Steve and the U.S.S. WoolyBugger’s final tour with Captain Alberts at the helm.