campfire – Green Lake Chronicles

Salmon River Madness

October 8, 2015October 9, 2015 michaeloutdoorLeave a comment

Chronicles crew with a nice keeper chinook — Some of the Chronicles crew with a nice keeper Chinook Salmon

It’s that time of the year again! This weekend, we Boston boys will be making our annual trip to Pulaski, NY to butt shoulders with other fisherman on the overcrowded Salmon and Oswego River. Sounds fantastic right? The stress of potentially not securing your spot and fighting with a massive local “Oswegonian” is well worth it when your line gets tight and the drag starts screaming! A few of us went to college at SUNY Oswego and started fishing for these freak fish over eight years ago. Now that we have “respectable” jobs and more responsibility, we look forward to this annual trip to escape and continue our pursuits of these monster salmon and cold Labatt Blue.

Early Steelie caught by Mr. Jones on blue egg sac — Early Steelie caught by Davey Jones on a blue egg sac

I am going to give you the most important piece of advice to help you land a salmon this fall. Do not get too drunk the night before you fish. GET TO THE WATER VERY EARLY to secure a spot and do not leave until you are exhausted. The river will start filling up with fishermen between 6:45-7:15AM. If you safely get into position a solid hour before the others, there shouldn’t be an issue with crowds until 7:30AM. The rivers can get packed with people, but it is well worth it. The past few years, we have been having more success with hooking up and landing steelhead and bows. Salmon hook ups are frequent, but they run so hard and often come off the line.

I am not an expert at catching these things, but have had some good success following the factors listed below:

Water depth and flow – The higher the water level the better, the faster the water, the more oxygen, get the drift? There is a sweet spot with flow/depth. I like fishing the Oswego River when it’s between 4,500-6,000cfs. This river can be dangerous as hell if it get’s higher, but I have always had success during this flow.

Preliminary salmon runs – Location is key! Salmon can randomly begin their cycle depending on environmental factors such as water depth, flow and temperature. Typically the best runs start Columbus day weekend and end early November, but you never know when a major push will happen. Stay updated on local blogs and fishing reports and plan to have flexibility in setting the date for your trip.

Weather – The salmon run can greatly be affected by the weather patterns, a drop in temperature can result in a preliminary or unexpected run, as listed above. Cold nights and cooler daytime temperatures will help move the fish up river. You can never really predict the weather, but try and fish when it is getting a little colder.

“Stay Sensitive”- If you plan on using a spinning outfit, make sure you have the right line to feel your sinker kiss the bottom of the river while your leader sways into a fishes mouth. This ticking is important, because your hook (which should be on a leader, three feet behind weight) will hopefully pass through lines of fish. Salmon will rarely eat or go after your hook, so “lining” them is the best way to get success. Having minimal stretch line with narrow diameter will help you feel the tick and have more hook sets.

If you see someone attempting to snag the fish, rat their ass out to the DEC. Snagging is horrible for the fish and not real fishing. Thanks for reading and if you have any questions, please contact me at greenlakechronicles@gmail.com. Be sure to check out our Facebook and Instagram pages.

Michael

Salmon River map

Early morning steelie on the Oswego river

Hunting recipes

Wildgame Cooking Recipes Bearman Style

September 29, 2015September 30, 2015 michaeloutdoorLeave a comment

Max — Bearman with a nice hook up in one of the glacier lakes

Max “Bearman” Fiedler is an outdoor celebrity within my social circle and one of my best friends. One of the things I respect most from this guy, is his complete reliance on subsistence living. Bearman is an avid hunter and fisherman, but he also appreciates a healthy garden and livestock. Living in Montana allows a breath of opportunities for protein and Max is proud to admit that he hasn’t purchased chicken, beef or any other meets at the grocery store, since he moved out there in 2012.

Bearman with his 2015 Montana Black Bear

I gave Bearman his nickname within the first few days of us meeting in college, about a decade ago. I was reluctant to befriend him at first, since I didn’t think there would be another kid out there as passionate and crazy about hunting as myself. However, when he told me the story of when he stalked and harvested a 300lb black bear on a mountain ridge in Sullivan Country, NY, I quickly grew respect for the guy. Bearman shot that Pope and Young bear at 15 yards with his old PSE compound, and he was 16 years old!

He is a humble hero with beautiful woodworking capabilities and Boone and Crockett quality in the deer woods. In college Bearman would host generous Sunday night dinners, with massive amounts of venison chili, smoked fish and tenderloin sandwiches. He loved these gatherings, because not only was the food good, but we all got to trade outdoor stories as well as introduce our passions to some city kids. I have included some of Bearmans favorites recipes and brine’s for wild game. Check out these savory wild game secrets below and enjoy!

Bearman’s Top Outdoor Brine’s & Recipes

Smoked Trout Brine

12 cups water
1 cup kosher salt
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/8 cup minced garlic
Glaze ( After Smoking )
Honey, Jack Daniels, Black Pepper
Let fillets (skin on) soak for 8-24 hours in refrigerator
Dry then place in smoker for 3-8 hours on low heat until meat starts to separate.
Cool fillets and apply glaze.

Corned Venison Brine
3 cups tenderquic cure (can be obtained at Agway or Wegmans)
6 qts water
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tbl spoon mixed pickling spices
2 teaspoons paprika
5 teaspoons bay leaves
2 cloves garlic (add after boiling)
Combine and boil except for garlic for 5 min. then let cool. Let sit for 21 days
Be sure all roasts are covered and stir daily
Cook in crock pot with onions and 1 can of beer for 4-6 hours,
slice thin and place on toasted bread with cheese and sauerkraut for the best sandwich you’ve ever ate!

Bearman’s Killer Venison Chili
1 1/2 – 2 pounds ground venison cooked first before placed into crock pot
2 – 24 oz cans crushed tomatoes
1 small can tomato paste
1 can black beans
2 cans kidney beans
1 can white/light kidney beans
1 can corn
2 green peppers cut into 1/4″ cubes
2 wite/yellow onions
2 tbs chili powder
2 tbs red hot hot sauce
1 tbs minced garlic
salt+pepper

Put in crock pot for 6- 8 hours and eat over rice/crackers.

Thank you for reading and good luck on your next outing adventure! If you have any questions regarding wild game recipes, please email me at greenlakechronicles@gmail.com. Be sure to also check out our Facebook and Instagram pages!

Michael

National Park/Road Trip

Soul cleanse

September 22, 2015 michaeloutdoorLeave a comment

One of the best decisions I have ever made, was quitting my consulting job in Upstate New York, packing up my apartment and taking a six-week road trip across the U.S. This was my first real job since graduating college almost three years earlier and I already felt like a drone; monotonously performing the same activities over and over. Don’t get me wrong, I was very grateful for this job opportunity, but after a few years I knew it was not going to be a career. One day, my buddy and I walked into our bosses office and handed in our resignation. We had already determined that a road trip across the country was going to “cleanse our souls” and give a foundation to start anew upon our return. A week after our resignation and move, we ventured out west wide eyed and enthusiastic for the unknown.

This trip would entail 13,000 total miles, 32 states, three time zones, four oil changes and one bad ass 255,678 mile Toyota-Camry. My goal with this post is to not tell you how to plan your sabbatical or urge you to quit your job, but to share some of my experiences and advice. Our purpose was to explore and appreciate other parts of our country, seek out answers to what the hell we wanted to do with our lives and most importantly, quench our adventure thirst.

SLEEP– you will barely get any if you plan on trekking across country with your buddies. This picture was taken as a “remake” from how we ended up in the middle of Arches National Park in Utah. We arrived around 2:30AM after a long drive from Las Vegas, plagued by headaches and sleep deprivation. We ended up sleeping on the side of a road in the park, one of us in the car and the two others on the ground on sleeping bags. The giggles from tourist a few hours later, woke us up and prompt us to get hiking. That was one of the most memorable nights of the trip. My advice, grab a hotel or comfy tent site after two full days in Las Vegas. You need rest.

CAMARADERIE- My buddy and I planned this trip together for months prior to giving our boss the gas face. It was easy, because we worked at the same company and were roommates. If you plan on taking your trip alone, no sweat, this part of the article does not apply to you. Traveling with my buddy was awesome. We got to share the amazing landscapes, culture and experiences together, while individually seeking out direction. I generally did not drive, which was perfect, because I got to sleep and be annoying to the gomer who did. I worked the map, took pictures and videos, watched our spending budget and shouted back seat commands. It got tense here and there, but with every new mountain or portrait that came into view, we dropped jaws and soaked it in. Also, taking selfies with someone is way cooler than holding the phone up alone and snapping one off.

Prepare to have your mind BLOWN- I grew up in Upstate NY, so I was used to seeing green everywhere, then bright fall colors followed by awful snow and muddy springs. I never went past Ohio.The second we hit the mid-west, my mind started to melt. The vast plains, massive windmills, mountain ranges, the colors of fall in Colorado and the black volcanic sand on the coast of Oregon. It was unreal. If you are ever at a point in your life where you do not necessarily know what is next, I would advise taking a personalized road trip. You will learn things about yourself and experience new adventures, then with a clear mind, figure out your next steps! Take a look at some cool shots below:

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