Syracuse.com - Figura writing about brown drake hatch on Skaneateles Lake and strange things bird use for nests

[HuntingNY-News]

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Got out last night on Skaneateles Lake with my fly rod and kayak and indulged myself during the annual brown drake insect hatch.

Every year, this epic insect hatch draws anglers from across the region as this species of mayfly fills the air and litters the water, providing a nutritious and filling treat for fish of all species in the lake.

(I caught five perch, 10-13 inches long, and saw a bruiser trout (20-inches plus) come within 10 yards of my kayak.)

Dave Wheeler, of Camillus, holds up a nice, fat perch he caught on his fly rod this week during the brown drake hatch.David Figura | [email protected] 

In addition to the brown drake hatch, I've also been working on the following this week:

- The recent announcement from Gov. Cuomo of funding for some $17 million grants for work at ;outdoors recreational sites across the state. Locally, the DEC's Region 7 is getting more than $300,000... $100,000 of which is going to build staircases up both sides of Tinker Falls (and a connecting path at the top).

- The DEC's boot camp for new environmental conservation and forest rangers.. the first such class of new officers since 2008. It's going on right now up the DEC's training facility in Altmar.

- The strange things birds use to build nests (a personal story about I found weaved into a nest in a shrub in front of my house.)

- The CNY triathlon culture. I was blown away Sunday covering the Ironman 70.3 Syracuse competition. Triathlons, and the people who do them, are a big thing and more and more people are getting into them.

- An update on the Cornell Ornithology lab and its most recent compilation of recordings of more than 4,000 bird calls from across the world.

- Which fishing rod do you use for bass fishing. The choices today are numerous and ever-growing.

- Shoreline hot spots. Continuation of a series I started last summer about great places to fish from shore if you don't have a boat.

- The Cornell Vet School emergency room, and all the strange cases of domestic and wild animals that it deals with on a daily basis.

- The marked increase of memberships at local rod and gun clubs in the wake of the SAFE Act.

THE FIGURA CHALLENGE

I laid out the "The Figura Challenge" over the Memorial Day weekend -- challenging readers to to check out 15 Central New York outdoors destinations during the summer. Several readers have already taken me up on it and I'm getting comments and pictures. It's not too late to get started!

Each Thursday on this blog through the summer, I'll give an update on reactions, stories and photos submitted by readers about their travels to these destinations.

Send your impressions and photos of the places you visit on the list to [email protected],

Two new occasional features:

1). "Keeping Watch" a weekly or bi-weekly report from the Region 7 DEC office noting the fional dispositions of recent tickets issued by local conservation officers. Only ones where the defendant has pleaded guilty or is found guilty will be listed.

2). "Ask the Outdoors Guy" a weekly posting noting a question or questions from readers about the outdoors. If I can't provide an answer, I'll find someone who will. Send your questions to d[email protected].

ANYTHING ELSE READERS OF THIS REPORT WOULD LIKE TO SEE ME WRITE ABOUT?

The effectiveness of this report is two-fold. First, it lets readers know what's coming up story-wise. It also allows readers a chance to affect coverage and provide sources for upcoming stories. Bottom line: Keep in touch and give input. You could make a difference as to what appears week to week on the outdoors page! Email me at [email protected] or call 470-6066.

If you want to join The Post-Standard's Outdoors Group and get this emailed directly to you, subscribe here..

FIGURA ON FACEBOOK:

For those who are on Facebook, I also have a PS Outdoors page, which I check several times daily for feedback and story ideas. I also post personal fishing and hunting and other outdoors-related photos from time to time and I ask members to do the same. When you join, please be sure and hit the "like" button.

View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog