Quiet in Ranger Cove. The rain quit. The slightest breeze barely stirred. I was all alone until I gathered my two rods to leave after 45 minutes or so. Guy drove up from Hamilton. Asked him if he fishes Stony Brook. Yes. This puts an interesting twist on a post from September this year. My brother Rick claims the smallmouth bass fishing is all over with at Stony. This guy says it's good. What concurs is that the water level is lower (due to lowered water table, increased impervious surfaces). He also mentioned pickerel. I'm convinced they come from the lower of what used to be Princeton Day School ponds. They managed to get in there late in 1977. Before the 80's, chain pickerel were unheard of in Stony. I know the stream that enters into Stony from the PDS ponds above.
I fished two days here at Round Valley prior this week. Like today, nothing. Someone I spoke to Monday caught a 15-inch and 16 1/2-inch rainbow. The weather conditions seemed good for fish feeding, raining when I arrived. That stopped, so who knows? Higher pleasure blip? It's raining now. It's ridiculous at bottom to try to explain the likes of this anyhow. But it's good to be aware of environmental changes because you can't fish without being there.