... Donegal Lake...
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...lake conditions - Fall 2016...
... saw some on-line photos of several large 'muskellunge' ("muskies"), 'bass' and 'rainbow trout' that were removed and subsequently relocated during the process of drawing down the lake water level in preparation for the reconstruction - there were some big fish...
... used to fish the lake every opening day of PA trout season back in the day... used to do pretty well following the opening day trout stocking... also always considered that day more or less to be the official last day of winter in these parts (mid-April) as each year the ridge (around El 1500ft) produced some last, usually mild, snowfall...
... other than a bit more sleet and wind than usual, this particular day was no different... was up there early along with then brother-in-law, Randy ...set up along the shoreline at a decent hole we fished every year and we're both loaded with plenty of nightcrawlers - we're "fishin' the bottom", about twenty feet apart... man - from his first cast on Randy is pullin' out one fish after another - mostly average size 'brooks' and a few 'rainbows' as recalled - I'm not even gettin' a tug on the line - after about a half hour he's caught maybe twelve fish... after about another half hour it's becoming clear that this guy's potentially havin' the greatest fishing day of his life - he's snagged maybe another eight - think I caught one, and we're in the same spot fishing side-by-side for the most part... what the f*k?!...
... a few catches later and he's now amped and somewhat boisterous (to put it mildly) and proudly displaying his now large stringer of fish with each catch (which wasn't going unnoticed by the many others fishing this end of the lake as well - particularly the guys out in boats)...
... he's crediting his success to his "country club worms" - Randy lived right next to the local country club golf course, and the night before (and after a day of some persistent rain) he went out to the nearest putting green and gathered up a mess of what were some huge and fat nightcrawlers - he attributed their size to the nutrients and such that the club used to condition the greens and fairways (well, don't know about that)...
... eventually we got maybe eight boats that trolled into and surrounded our spot, all anchored around thirty feet offshore and all casting directly our way - a bit irritating to say the least - but as time passed they're catching nil, and Randy's still "pullin' 'em in"..."ha-ha-haaaaaaa!!! - uproarious laughter along with a display of the ample stringer with each catch...
... around 11am we've pretty much had it for the morning... final tally Randy 44, me 2 - think we eventually saw less than ten catches amongst the boats - also a few tangled lines between boats which was entertaining in itself considering the intrusion... didn't even know if you were allowed to take that many fish or not (will probably have the Fish Commission bangin' on the door tomorrow morning lookin' for an easy buck) - they were all legal size at least and nobody said anything as we were packin' out... regardless, we went back to his place and that afternoon had a pretty good impromptu grilled fish fry for all...
... personally don't think so, but maybe there's something to those "country club worms"...
... ha!... other than the ending this clip always reminds me of that day...
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... not many years after initial construction, was travelin' alone on a short two day overnight out-and-back on the 'Laurel Highland Hiking Trail' (LHHT) - Rt 653 to the 'Grindle Ridge' shelter - a little over five miles out - with the intent to set up camp early and continue on about another two miles to reach a small lake (around El 2950ft) located along the trail at the 'Seven Springs' ski area - had swam in the lake on a previous thru-hike and had noticed several large schools of panfish swimming about - always wondered what the fishing was like - packed along a three-piece pack spinning rod and some lures...
... the dashed yellow indicates the 'LHHT' trail route with mileage...
... don't know what the fishing is like now'days, but wound up spending a pretty nice afternoon hooking a few bluegills and perch before returning late evening to camp... later was settin' with feet danglin' off a short split-log creek crossing eatin' a can of chicken noodle soup when I accidentally dropped a piece of chicken into the shallow water - a large crayfish immediately charged from hiding and started devouring the chicken - I tossed 'em a few more pieces and soon had a whole squad (or whatever ya' call a half-dozen crayfish) battling over the meat - they got pretty vicious with one another... had the entire campground to myself that night as planned - went mid-week when I knew it would be empty... a lone hoot-owl to lull ya' to sleep at 9pm followed later by an abrupt screeching bobcat (?) to scare ya' sh*tless awake at 3am...
... in all, a pretty nice short trip along the trail with no need to shuttle vehicles...
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