Third-Party Perspective: An Interview About Fishing

Recently, I had the pleasure of meeting with an individual who centers his life and livelihood around fishing. To avid fisherman and occasional weekend warriors alike, he and his seaworthy vessel are well known throughout Westchester County, NY and Fairfield County, CT. Please read below for a summary of our conversation:

Please (briefly) introduce yourself.

My name is Captain Kevin Reynolds, of the Snow Goose 2, out of Port Chester, NY. I was born and raised on the Greenwich, Connecticut side of the Byram River, which separates NY and CT.

When did you first discover an enjoyment for fishing? What influenced/caused it?

I've always loved fishing, from the time my dad would take me out on Long Island Sound for flounder—and along the Byram River for sunfish.

What was your motivation for acquiring the Snow Goose II?

I bounced around doing various jobs, from cooking to carpentry. I always did well, but never really loved what I was doing. The last job I had before my fishing career began was Island Caretaker for the Greenwich YMCA. It was there that I met my wife-to-be, and realized we couldn’t raise a family on our current income. At that point, I decided to give fishing a shot. It started out quite well and has grown annually for 20 years now. Initially, we started with a 24' Carolina Skiff and progressed to our current 50' Gilliken: the Snow Goose 2.

What do you want people to experience from a trip aboard your fishing vessel? 

Western Long Island Sound is not necessarily a fishing mecca, so personality and service are key to maintaining a quality fishing business. My goal, for each trip, is to provide everyone aboard a safe, fun day on the water. Educating and helping others about fishing is also quite rewarding.

What concerns, if any, do you have regarding the charter fishing industry?

The biggest concern I have for the business of recreational charter fishing is the increase in regulation. State and federal government mandate acceptable fish sizes, fluctuating bag limits, and required equipment inventory for my vessel. Many of these policies are created by bureaucrats, with little or no experience with fish, fishing, or seamanship. Unfortunately, those with acquired knowledge and actual hands-on-experience tend to go unheard. One new regulation set to take effect in 2016 will cost me $20,000, on top of all other standard season-starting costs. No real explanation for it, as they just say it's better.

Your closing thoughts...

Regardless of what may come in this ever-changing industry; for me, it's still better than commuting to work by train....

Speaking with Captain Reynolds was an enriching experience. His views were particularly interesting and extremely credible, coming from someone with decades of experience in providing quality fishing opportunities for thousands of people. He had no idea that I'd previously been aboard the Snow Goose 2 (anonymously), but I speak from completely unbiased experience when I give it two thumbs-up. Consider viewing his website and perhaps even spending an afternoon out on the water with him and his crew. I'm confident you'd enjoy it.

How To: An Emergency Land Navigation Tutorial

I've always appreciated the saying, "It's not about the destination; it's about the journey." Surely, stopping at a random stream, pond, or pier to open the car trunk, grab your collapsible-pole and throw a few casts is entertaining, but a strategically planned trip is a core element to a larger plan to simply "get away from it all." A big part of my joy of fishing is the extent to which it’s actually an expedition, rather than merely an activity. From the initial conceptualization of the intended trip—to dropping your bags and flopping on the couch back home, fishing trips are excursions.

That being said, what unfortunately happens far too often are people becoming lost outdoors. Sometimes they forget their modern devices; sometimes said devices fail. Having even basic knowledge of traditional land navigation techniques could mean the difference between life and death.

The most efficient ways to figure-out a situation are through the simplest channels available, and with the fewest required resources. The Shadow-Tip Method of determining direction is an excellent example. It can be conducted in most environments, and is extremely accurate. Please refer to the following step-by-step tutorial:

• Preparation of the platform (area): Find a flat, level clearing. Be sure to choose a spot that provides vivid shadow projection.
• Gathering of materials: You’ll need a rigid stick (about the circumference of your larger thumb and approximately as long as your dominant arm—from elbow to finger tip), and two marble-sized stones
• Construction/arrangement of materials: At the center of the chosen clearing, place the stick firmly into the ground, perpendicular to the surface. Place the first stone at the tip of the projected shadow. Wait (by assisted timer, or counting out-loud) 12-15 minutes (12 for assisted; 15 for counting).
• Device operation: After the determined period of time, place the second stone at the tip of the shadow’s new location. Remove the stick from the ground (or use a second straight stick of equal/greater length) and trace/draw a straight line between stone #1 and stone #2. Trace/draw another line perpendicular the existing.
• Deciphering of device: The first line you’ve drawn is the west-to-east line (stone #1 will always represent west).  From it, you can determine your north/south accordingly.
• Departure from point of navigation: After determining which direction to travel, pick an obvious fixed point in the visible distance (+/- a football field away) and tread directly toward it. Once there, look back to you point of origin, realign it with your location, and pick another fixed point in your direction of travel. Repeat until necessary for rescue or return.

The Shadow-Tip Method is a simple, yet potentially valuable skill to learn for anyone planning to spend a period of time in an isolated wilderness setting. With it—and literally NO man-made items required; you can determine direction accurately, which may be crucial. I recommend learning it, but I hope you’ll never need it.

Fly Fishing: A Popular Blog Topic

During the recent past, I visited a bunch of fishing blogs, as it's important to occasionally assess yourself amongst similar others, regardless of your craft. It was an interesting exercise, mainly because much of the intrigue of fishing is how open it is to interpretation. Along the way, this post about fly fishing caught me eye. It's from a really nice blog called AnglerWise, which is worth visiting for anyone interested in light-tackle fishing. 

The post, cleverly titled The Lure of Fly Fishing, provides a clear and simple, yet concise identification of fly fishing as a particular style of angling. Although some moderately technical terms are used, the post paints a picture anyone can understand. AnglerWise accurately explains how “Simply being in nature; waiting, listening, thinking, hoping are all parts of the magic of fishing.” Fly fishing is always a deserving topic of discussion and is well described within the post It's truly a poignant example of a culture within a culture. I've always appreciated the diversity in means and methods to catch fish, particularly between fly fishing and "conventional" angling. There is an artistic uniqueness to fly fishing, and an interesting history behind it.

According to AnglerWise, “there is one style which is the finest example of fishing: Fly fishing. Though complicated, it is an art that when learned, opens the door to the truest of fishing thrills.” I totally agree. Many times, I’ve seen how effective fly fishing can be in certain conditions and/or environments. Usually, when I'm stream-side with my 5’ ultralight rod and Penn Spinfisher SSG reel, throwing black rooster tails tied to four pound test, any fly fishermen nearby tend to draw more attention from the fish. Also, there's this old timer that frequents the beach near my dad's house, who trudges out to the sandbar in his chest waders during the outgoing tide, finesses his fly tackle—and ROUTINELY lands more stripers than any of his bait-casting neighbors on boats or adjacent piers.

You see, I AM a fisherman, and over the years—a handful of women have said I'm "fly", but I'm definitely not a fly fisherman. Still, I've learned much about its practice from older relatives, and am fortunate to have seen it in action. Although there are MANY approaches to angling, fly fishing is truly in a league of its own. It’s an entirely different approach than conventional fishing, and is rich in its own culture. As Anglerwise put it, "Watching a fly fisherman in a stream working the fly line back in forth over his target is like looking at a painting in a museum."

In life, a good way to appreciate something is to have respect for it. For me, fly fishing is a prime example. I don't practice it often, but it's always held my curiosity, and the post on AnglerWise rejuvenated my interest in it. Actually, while writing this post, I gradually began to realize that part of my retirement plan may indeed be unfolding before me.