Forestport, NY
Pumpkinseed Sunfish
Summertime fishing arrived today as my nephew Jonathan and I loaded up our little 12ft rowboat and headed up to our favorite local fishing spot. As usual, the deal was if he would help me with chores around the house then we could squeeze in sometime to head up to the reservoir in Forestport. So we quickly worked together to put a fresh coat of paint on some fencing along our driveway; It Enabled us to spread our wings and have some fun.
These trips to the reservoir are centered around Jonathan. The excitement and joy that he experiences is immense, and also very contagious. Through his eyes, I am able to recapture the joy that hooked me on fishing many years ago. We are deep into the cycle of life. Not having any kids of my own, Jon is as close at it gets. Teaching him how to fish has been a great experience for both of us.
Jon has come a long way from his toddler days a few years back. He has conquered the fear of holding fish, began baiting his own hook, and takes the hook out from his catches. Watching, and helping him turn into a little man is a very enlightening experience. I am very proud of him. He has even gotten to the point were he pushes the envelope on his own, and finds ways to catch fish that I wouldn’t have suggested trying. The little bugger is getting good!
This year we have a very cool deal going on. I acquired a piece of driftwood that will hold a pair of large sunfish very nicely. We are keeping our largest fish throughout the summer and when the leaves begin to change we will head to the taxidermist to have a fine mount made with the two biggest fish. The name plate will read Jonathan Hawkins / Uncle Issiah / Forestport Reservoir. It’ll be a keepsake that I’m sure will bring back fine memories in the years to come.
We catch quite a variety of fish in the reservoir. The main species we have encountered have been smallmouth bass, chain pickerel, rock bass, yellow perch and our favorite the pumpkinseed sunfish. Not only is the sunfish’s colors a beautiful spectacle of nature, but the ones in this reservoir grow to rather large proportions. We often catch a fish or two in the 9 - 10 inch range. The real icing on the cake is the way the feisty sunfish puts up a scrap on light tackle.
We stick to simple bobber and worm fishing for the most part. It gets so intense at times watching the float / indicator on top of the water. Often after a bit of effort, the bobber will emit vibrations that indicate a fish has taken a nip at the bait. The nip vibration slowly turn into the bobber being dragged slowly across the surface of the water. The epic moment of truth comes when the bobber is completely pulled under the surface. We simultaneously excitedly exclaim things like “Get em’!”, “There it is!”, “He’s Got it!!” The excitement is followed by a good ole’ yank, and most often a throbbing rod tip. Battling the fish and pulling them into the boat is the best of the best. We cheer, laugh, and shout often experiencing borderline moments of blissful ecstasy.
Today we caught a nice variety of fish. We’ve had hotter days of fishing but the action was plenty steady and provided plenty of fun. Jon started things off with a nice chunky yellow perch that got us riled up a bit. He also managed a good sized rock bass and a few of our cherished pumpkinseeds. Watching him catch fish was just too much for me, so I had to join in on the action also. Adding to our days tally, I managed a couple of chain pickerel and a few more pumpkinseeds. One of the sunfish stretched the tape measure to the 9.5 - 9.75” mark. That fish is a great start toward our driftwood mounts.
On our way home (we were a little late getting back) Jon explained to me that he plans on fishing with me routinely this summer. He went as far as to take his fishing hat off and place it next to mine on the dashboard of my truck. The two hats sit there idle throughout the week just waiting for the time to come when we can spread our wings again. It’s one of those things that you look at and it keeps you smiling even when life’s demands aren’t very enjoyable. Knowing days like today lie ahead make it easier to keep on truckin’.
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