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June 2017
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boatingonthehudson.com
Mike Adams and
son, Jake
Tom Colandra on
left John H. Vargo in
center with surprise
gift, and Pat
Harbolic on right,
Sunday evening,
April 29, 2017
James (Butchey) Gilmore, cooking fresh striped bass.
That is the last part of the equation in this
successful big fish contest. It just so happens that
these men are the sons & grandsons of commercial
fisherman who fished in Verplanck during their
lifetimes. With the knowledge and skills handed
down by their fathers, and a bait license from
the NYS DEC, you can place a 75-foot bait net in
Haverstraw Bay. The minor problem is that there
is a “lift period” that requires even bait nets to be
taken off on Friday morning and then allowed to be
put back on Saturday evening at 6 PM.
The lift period was created during the early forties
when the river was lined from shore to shore with
Cole Pritchard, left,
Jay Bourekas, John
Vargo, kneeling, Rob
Dollbaum holding
striper, Jaremy
Hobolic, Matt Reilly
stake nets as well as drift nets in the main shipping channel. That
effectively blocked any fish from migrating upstream to spawn.
So a lift period was established to allow some fish to pass. The lift
period has no beneficial use to anyone any more as there are no
commercial nets for shad or striped bass in the Hudson River. The
few licensed bait nets are a spit in the wind in regard to blocking
shad or bunker from spawning in the Hudson River.
So that is why so many children and adults are so effective in
catching stripers in the Haverstraw Bay Classic. This event will
continue to grow year after year.
There were many volunteers that should also be recognized
especially Lisa and Jessica Goetchus, and Mike Bubolo, who
assisted in the photography of the event, Mike Feminilla and other
members of the Cortlandt Yacht Club.
For the first time, The Cortlandt Yacht Club invited Pat and Toms
contest to use the Cortlandt Yacht Club house and grounds as
well as their docks for the event.
It turned out better than anyone could have ever imagined. The
result is in the collection of photos from this year’s event.