Outdoor Interests

Camping

I have been camping since before I was born. The first place I can remember my family going to was a place in New Jersey called Wilson's Lake. My grandparents
had a mobile home there. The place, though, had no electricity. We had to get water from a well with a hand pump. And we had to walk several yards into the
woods to get to the outhouse. We had a lot of fun, there, though. I spent a lot of time fishing, catching mostly sunnies and shiners.

My parents finally got their own trailer, a 17 foot long Shasta, in about 1973, I believe. We spent a summer or two at Wilson's Lake, and also spent a few weeks
of each summer on my other grandparents' land in the Pocono Mountains, near Dingman's Ferry. I spent most of my time there plinking things with a BB gun,
when my dad let me.

We travelled to different campgrounds for a weekend at a time when school started again. We went to one place called Honeybrook where they had a rather
large and loud PA system, and about every five or so minutes there would be an annoucement. "Your attention, please. Your attention, please." It got to be
rather annoying and we never went back.

But the one we liked best was Hockey Puck Campground. We went there several times, and eventually became seasonal campers, taking a site for the whole
summer. My mother started working for the owners in the lodge. The owners we knew first then just took off. Disappeared. Turns out they had some debts.
The managers ran it for about a year before it was sold to the current owners. Now it is called Colonial Woods Camping Resort. My mother still works there,
and we have had a 35 foot trailer for several years now. When I can dig them out, I'll scan in some pictures so you can see it.

Fishing

I have been fishing for most of my life. My parents have black and white photos of me when I was about four holding a fishing rod sitting next to a pond. I
believe we were fishing for sunnies at the time. I have been fishing for trout since I was twelve. I'm still trying to catch my first trout with a fly -- to date, I've
only caught them on salmon eggs. I have been to upstate Pennsylvania (Potter and Tioga counties) on a fishing/camping trip for a long weekend. I have
also been on a couple trips to the Lake Wallenpaupack area for Bass, Pike, and Pickerel. I still have never caught a Pike, however. Lots of Bass and
Pickerel. My father and I have taken a few trips to the Black River near Watertown, NY for Salmon, but we've never caught one of those monsters
either. The side trips into Canada were fun, though.

I used to tie flies when I was about thirteen, and it's something I'd like to get into again. I should start looking into buying a basic set and adding onto it.

I haven't done any salt-water fishing to speak of. Just a little off a pier with squid as bait.

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