Winter Happenings

Brrrrr! What’s up with global warming? It feels to me like we are heading into another Ice Age! Time to get those tip-ups ready. Actually, as my fly-fishing thoughts turned to the southeast I contacted a number of my guide friends in Georgia and Florida to check out the ‘warmer’ fishing scene but they have been experiencing a bit of an unusual winter freeze of their own. While they may not be as good as we are at driving in the snow, they are still catching fish. In Florida, despite 20-degree temperatures and snow flurries, redfish are being caught with a high degree of regularity. They are a hardy fish, within reasonable temperature limits, and the months of January and February can be especially good months for the traveling fly and light tackle angler to target reds. Stay tuned for future issues of The Fisherman where we will present some terrific winter destinations for redfish as well as other species.

There is a line from the classic Sinatra song, “My Way”, that is a most appropriate lament at his time of year for Long Island’s fishermen. It goes something like, “…and now the end is near and so I face the final curtain…”
While not nearly as dramatic an ending as implied in that song, the distressing reality is that the curtain has long fallen on the 2009-fishing season. But fear not for we have budding hopes of a new beginning that is just around the corner. Perhaps we can develop a method of fly-fishing for cod! Fortunately, spring is but a few months away and with each lengthening day comes the anticipation of even better fishing prospects.

Luckily there is also a “fishing season” of sorts that can occupy our time while waiting for the warmer weather to herald the return of the fish. It is the season of fishing shows. During the winter months a number of excellent outdoor shows can keep one’s thoughts on fishing and help hone angling skills. The local and tri-state area hosts a number of excellent venues.

Here are a few of the winter offerings that local fly and light anglers can take advantage of. All are informative, entertaining and will go a long way toward reducing the effects of cabin fever. Mark your calendar with one or all of the following and take along one of your fishing buddies. You’ll have a great time.

A perennial favorite show for area fly fishermen is the Somerset NJ Fly Fishing Show. The show has once again returned to the Garden State Exhibition Center. It draws fishermen from the tri-state area as well as Pennsylvania and many mid-Atlantic and northeast states. It is a well-attended and popular show for both the beginner and advanced fly fisherman, and fly tier. It is also can be of interest to light tackle and traveling anglers. The big draw of this event tends to be the presence of many well-known names of the sport, in addition to a wide array of retailers, tackle manufacturers and destination outfitters. There are numerous casting and fly tying demonstrations and well as a comprehensive agenda of guest lecturers. The show has a reputation for being a great place to book a trip for the coming season; outfitters are on site at the show from Long Island to Alaska. The show runs from January 22 through January 24.

One show that is close to home is the annual New York Sportsmen’s Outdoor Expo at the Nassau Coliseum. The exhibitors at this show typically represent an eclectic array of interesting products and services for the outdoor enthusiast. As well, there will be a wealth of local information to be had from a series of daily educational seminars presented by some of Long Island’s best fishermen. The show runs January 29-Jan 31.

An interesting addition to the show slate is the Long Island Recreational Fishing
Expo at Queens College in the Fitzgerald Gymnasium. The show runs form February 5 thru February 7. The planned schedule includes free lectures and clinics.

Another good event in February is the New York Sportfishing Federation Show that has a schedule loaded with seminars by local experts. That show runs
From February 12 through Feb 14.

An annual favorite of area sportsmen is the Eastern Fishing & Outdoor Exposition. This show is one of the area’s oldest and largest sportsmen’s shows. It is held each winter at the Rockland County Community College Field House in Suffern, New York…a relatively short drive from Long Island. This show is a veritable treasure trove of outdoor “stuff”. There is aisle upon aisle of new products, outfitters, tackle dealers and numerous other equipment manufacturers. Various demonstrations and lectures round out the offerings and can enhance any angler’s skills. The show runs from March 4 through7.

The Saltwater Fishing Exposition is a terrific show for saltwater fishing enthusiasts. With over 300 planned exhibitors, there should be something of interest for every fisherman who drops a line into the briny deep. The show is expected to cater to all forms of saltwater angling, including offshore, light tackle and big-game fishing. Retailers, captains and trip planning services will be available to show attendees. Boats, motors and kayaks will also be on display, as will all other types of gear associated with the sport of saltwater fishing. Rounding out the offerings will be a series of expert seminars that will run throughout the course of the show. The show runs from March 19 through 21 at the Garden State Exhibit Center in Somerset New Jersey.

For those anglers shopping around for a new boat, the Suffolk County Boat and Sportfishing show will run from February 26 to 28 at the Suffolk Community College Sports and Exhibition Complex. A number of Long Island’s boat dealers will on hand with some of the current market favorites. This is also the show that the Fisherman magazine and the Long Island Outdoor Communicators Network award the prizes for the 2009 Youth Essay Writing Contest on February 27. This should shape up as a very nice event.

Many of the local Long Island tackle shops also host an interesting agenda of informative sessions during the winter months. Two of the more popular locations on the Island for in-shop seminars and lectures are the Orvis store in Greenvale and Campsite Sports Shops in Huntington Station. You can check directly with these shops for the dates of their winter programs. Local area clubs also offer interesting winter programs. Check out Eastern Flyrodders of Long Island, Salty Flyrodders of New York and the Long island Flyrodders

For further details and directions, simply “Google” the shows or clubs you are interested in. Enjoy!