Took a great trip last week up to Pulaski, NY to try and catch some salmon. I say great, because it was really against all odds considering the events leading up to the trip. I want to premise this story by stating that spontaneity plays a huge role in my overall trip enjoyment. I like to plan as little as possible and figure things out on the fly (no pun intended). Now let me tell you, it?s a delicate balance. I wanted to do just enough research to catch some fish and have a good time, but leave enough things open ended so I didn?t feel like I was following a schedule. The whole trip was set to take place in 36 hours. Leave work Monday afternoon, return to work Wednesday.

We went to visit the parents over the weekend, and I was planning to get some salmon flies from a shop in my old hometown. On the way down my car starts making some crazy noises. I realize that I can?t drive it 6 hours in this condition. I freak out for about ten minutes until my girlfriend offers her car, and the trips back on. I couldn?t get to the shop Saturday so I drove out Sunday to find that it was closed. No problem, try the other shop. Closed. Ok slight problem. New shop, new state. Closed. Ok here it is Sunday and I have no flies for the trip and I?m leaving mid day Monday. At this point I decide to bag the half day at work which actually wasn?t a very tough decision, and finish getting ready in Frederick Monday morning (Columbus Day). I spent the rest of Sunday finishing one of my Boo?s to play with on the trip. I get up bright and early Monday, head over to the fly shop?you guessed it?closed. I?m 0/4 at this point, so I decide to call a shop up in Carlisle and finally find a place that?s open. I drive up to Carlisle get to the shop only to find that they have a very limited selection of salmon flies?which makes sense since there aren?t any Salmon anywhere near Carlisle PA. Luckily, I had never heard of some of the flies suggested so I looked them up on the internet and the only place I could find pictures were on sites that had instructions on how to tie them. Now I?m not ?fly tier?. I do own (and luckily decided to bring) what little fly tying equipment/materials I own. Naturally I bought what I needed and got on my way.

Another thing I had to do was buy a NY license. I planned on stopping somewhere on the way up. Eventually I realized that it was getting late and I needed to get one before everything closed so I started looking for an exit. I cant tell you how many exits I passed that looked barren, but then after the exit ramp had a Walmart, or Gander Mt. or somewhere that would sell me a license. Of course all the times that happened, there wouldn?t be another exit to turn around for about ten miles. It was so damn ironic that I was actually laughing at myself. I finally get off the Pulaski ext, and realize I have a decision to make. Go check in at the campground, or take a run into town. Coming up the ramp I saw a citgo, so I looked left down the road, right down the road?nothing. Darn! I thought to myself. The I actually looked at the Citgo, because it really wasn?t a Citgo at all?it had a tackle shop as its convenience store! It was heaven. Warm, crowded, fully licensed. It felt like the best thing that ever happened to me.

At the campground I got my first taste of the crowds. It was pretty crazy there. I get all set up, pour myself a nice little glass of scotch, and set to work at my tying bench (which is actually a little box) with my headlamp on the hood of my car. I get everything laid out only to realize that I have no bobbin (that?s the problem with the box, I just assume that everything?s in there). So I tried it without one, which lasted about two minutes, and decided to check if the shop was still open. It was so I bought a new and better bobbin. Problem solved. Tied the flies. I?m not going to lie, sitting there in the dark with a headlamp tying flies made me feel pretty cool. I must have really looked like I knew what I was doing.

I was out very early on the river. Set up my gear and walked a while till I decided to get in the water. After about five minutes of standing there I turned around just as a huge king launched itself (almost at me) out of the water and landed about two feet to my right. It was awesome. About an hour later, a fisherman near me landed one and I got my first real good look when he asked me to take his picture. The thing was huge. It was about this time that I realized I would have a very tough time landing one of those all by myself. Damned if I wasn?t going to try.

Long story short, I never did. I hooked up with two. Lost one immediately, and the second after not too long. Eventually the crowds settled in and I spend a lot of time fishing, walking, and exploring different parts of the river. Eventually I took my boo out, only to realize that the last thing I did (glue on the reel seat) I did wrong and the rod was, at that point, un-fishable. I wasn?t mad though, I thought it was hilarious?I mean what else could possibly go wrong.

I didn?t catch my first salmon, but I had a BLAST. It?s really beautiful up there. I am definitely going up again for some steelhead?and of course next year for the salmon. In hindsight, I could have done a lot different. I really think I would have been more successful with another day on the water?starting at a different place, using my sinking tip more, varying my split shot weight, etc. You know hindsight is 20/20 and all. Either way, it was a great trip. I wanted to throw out a big THANKS to the folks on this board that lead me in the right direction. You all are lucky to be so close to some seriously fantastic fishing. Keep us updated on those steelheads. I?m going back to the Salmon River soon, and I?m not leaving without catching this time!

Here's a little picture of my first look at the river.