Never mind the dinkers, it’s steelhead time

Gary Dodson was catching steelhead last week. Will the streak continue?
Provided
Gary Dodson was catching steelhead last week. Will the streak continue?
Weather and work finally aligned and I spent three pleasant hours on Monday, April 14, wandering Macedonia State Park in Kent. I went everywhere except the big pool at the bottom of the waterfall. Just too obvious.
The stream was stocked for the first time April 10.
I caught four rainbows and tickled two or three others, using a Dragontail Mizuchi tenkara rod. It’s a zoom rod, meaning it can be deployed at 11 feet, nine and a half feet, and a bit under eight feet. I used the longest two settings and a nine-foot furled line with two or three feet of tippet.
That might seem on the long side for a mountain brook but until the streamside vegetation springs up there is plenty of room. You could easily use your industry standard nine foot five weight fly rod without spending precious time getting hung up in the bushes.
The trout would not come up for anything on the surface. I tried. Big and bushy, small and subtle, and points in between. Pure D bupkis.All the action was on weighted nymphs and a relatively tight line.
This time of year Macedonia is a good place to practice small stream techniques with willing test subjects. When the campground opens in early May all bets are off. I suspect a lot of those fish wind up in the campers’ frying pans. Which is fine.
In addition to catching rainbows my accomplishments were all negative, but in a good way. I didn’t fall down. I didn’t break a rod. My waders didn’t leak, and my shoulder feels okay.
I did stab myself in the thumb with a Chubby Chernobyl, but because I squashed the barb on the hook it didn’t stick and it didn’t bleed much. So that’s neutral.
I repeated the process the next afternoon on the Blackberry in East Canaan. It was a little on the high side so I stuck to the easy-in, easy-out spots in and around Beckley Furnace.
Whereas the water temperature at Macedonia was a brisk 46, the Blackberry clocked in at a much friendlier 52. Friendlier for trout, that is. For a person it was still plenty cold.
Results were similar, except I broke in a 10 foot five weight rod I picked up over the winter on a whim.
Again I caught nothing but rainbows, all in the 12-14 inch range, and all on nymphs fished deep on a tight line.
Then what had been a nice sunny day turned dark, chilly and snotty. I cheesed it and returned home to the couch and the ongoing study of martial arts movies from the 1970s and 1980s.
This activity was all filed under the heading “spring training.” The regular season starts the following week, when I am traveling to Pulaski, New York, for another whack at steelhead in the Salmon River.
My confederate Gary is there this week. He sent a photo of him cradling an immense fish. His accompanying text message made it sound ho-hum.
I guess we’ll see.
PINE PLAINS — The Pine Plains FFA Ag Fair brought a crowd to the high school on Church Street Saturday, Oct. 11.
Kicking off the day was the annual tractor pull, attracting a dedicated crowd that sat in bleachers and folding chairs for hours watching Allison-Chalmers, International Harvesters and John Deeres compete to pull the heaviest weights.
A large collection of food was on offer from the Pine Plains FFA and each one of the classes in the Pine Plains Central School District. The football team was selling pickles.
Stissing Mountain High School Principal Christopher Boyd enjoyed a dip in the dunk tank to raise money for the Pine Plains teachers’ union-sponsored scholarship.
Stissing Mountain High School Principal Christopher Boyd got dunked several times during his half-hour shift in the dunk tank. Proceeds from the throws benefitted the Photo by Nathan Miller
The Rev. AJ Stack, center right, blessing a chicken at the pet blessing event at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Amenia on Saturday, Oct. 4.
AMENIA — After serving more than five years as Priest-in-Charge of St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Amenia, the Rev. AJ Stack announced Tuesday, Oct. 7, that he will resign from the church and Food of Life/Comida de Vida pantry. His last day at his current post will be Sunday, Nov. 2, the conclusion of the Feast of All Saints.
The news was shared in two emails from Stack — one to Food of Life pantry subscribers and volunteers, and another to parish members.
“I write tonight with difficult news, and I wanted you to hear it from me as soon as the Vestry and I had a chance to meet,” he wrote. “After much prayer and careful discernment, I have submitted my resignation to the Vestry as Priest-in-Charge of St. Thomas, and therefore as Executive Director of Food of Life/Comida de Vida.”
Stack provided few details about his departure. At time of publication, he had not announced his next steps but said the decision was “not sudden,” and followed careful consideration over a period of months. He will not be leaving the area or the diocese.
An announcement about his path forward and the transition process is expected soon. In the meantime, Stack said he remains “fully present” at the church, and the food pantry services will continue without interruption.
Stack expressed gratitude for the community and the growth of St. Thomas’ mission during his tenure. “Together we have welcomed new neighbors and strengthened our outreach in meaningful ways,” he said. “I trust that good work will continue.”
He joined St. Thomas in March 2020 and guided the church and community through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. In a recent interview with The News about the food pantry, Stack estimated that it serves 653 individuals from 156 households each week, highlighting a significant contribution to the community.
The announcement was met with messages of reassurance from pantry volunteers. Jolly Stewart, a Vestry member and volunteer, wrote to the community with words of reassurance following the announcement. “I have complete faith in the strength of the parish of St. Thomas,” she wrote. “Our history shows how we have done this time and again, each time becoming more than what we were before. We can, without a doubt, do this now.”
MILLERTON — Ten candidates for office in the Nov. 4 election will answer questions from Dutchess County voters at a candidate forum on Friday, Oct. 24, at the Annex at the NorthEast-Millerton Library located at 28 Century Blvd.
The forum, which is sponsored by the library, will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Candidates for local and county offices will answer questions from residents in attendance or from residents who have submitted questions in advance.
“We’re excited to keep the tradition of the candidate forum going,” said Rhiannon Leo-Jameson, director of the library. “Some years we can’t always get candidates together.”
This year’s forum will include:
Rachele Grieco Cole, a Democrat, and Chris Mayville, a Republican, who both are running uncontested for the North East Town Council;
Casey McCabe, a Democrat, also running uncontested for North East Justice.
Among Dutchess County races:
Tracy MacKenzie, who is endorsed by Republicans and Democrats, is running uncontested for Dutchess County Family Court Judge;
Kara Gerry, a Democrat, and Ned McLoughlin, a Republican, are in a contest for a Dutchess County Court judgeship currently held by McLoughlin.
Chris Drago, D-19, and Tonya Pulver, a Republican, are competing to represent Dutchess County’s19th District seat currently held by Drago.
Democratic incumbent Dan Aymar-Blair and Will Truitt, the Republican chair of the county legislature, are competing for the Dutchess County Comptroller position currently held by Aymar-Blair.
Leo-Jameson is encouraging questions for the candidates to be submitted in advance, which will not be revealed to candidates beforehand. Dutchess County residents may pose questions during the forum. To submit a question on the library’s website, go to the calendar at nemillertonlibrary.org and find the link in the Oct. 24calendar entries.
The format calls for opening statements from the candidates, followed by questions from residents, and candidates will be able to stay after the forum to answer questions personally.
The residence at 35 Amenia Union Road in Sharon was damaged after being struck by the Jeep Grand Cherokee around 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 11.
SHARON, Conn. — Emergency crews were called Saturday, Oct. 11, to Amenia Union Road in Sharon for a report of a vehicle into a building with entrapment.
Connecticut State Police reported Charles Teti, 62, was driving his Jeep Grand Cherokee northbound on Amenia Union Road when, for an unknown reason, the vehicle veered across the southbound land and exited the roadway where it struck a tree and home. Airbags deployed.
Teti and front seat passenger Aidan Cassidy, 63, sustained serious injuries. Teti was airlifted to Hartford Hospital and Cassidy was transported by ambulance to Sharon Hospital for treatment.
Back seat passenger Shea Cassidy-Teti, 17, sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead on scene. Cassidy-Teti was a senior at Kent School. He played on the football and tennis teams.
The residence that was struck is located at 35 Amenia Union Road.
The case remains under open investigation. Witnesses are asked to contact Trooper Lukas Gryniuk at Troop B 860-626-1821.