NNY Outdoors 2017

Outdoors NN Y

Spring / Summer 2017 Volume 4 No. 1

* PLUS ith

w Hunting ’. st friend ‘mans be ar re calend Adventu e! and mor

shoreline

TRADITIONS

$2.95

/nnyliving @NNYLivingMag

n sio i c Pre arine n e n o ari ion M ecisi M e s r ion reci ne P arin on s i P M si c ri Pre arine n Ma ision reci ne e i P c n o ari ion M ecisi Pre rine Mar sion M e Certified Service i n a s r ion reci ne P arin on M cisio Prec rine s i P M Sales c e e ri and n a for si Pre arine n Ma ision reci ne Pr arin on M cisio e M si n e ri io M re ec e P on recis e Pr arin n Ma ision Preci ine P Marin ion i s r s ci e P arin n M isio Prec ine Ma ision reci ne n o rec e r i i M r n a s Ma ision reci ne P arin on M cisio Prec rine P Mari ion P M si c e e ri is n a Pre arine n Ma ision reci ne Pr arin on M cisio Prec rine i P M si e r n a io M re ec e on recis e Pr arin n Ma ision Preci ine P Marin ion M cisio e r in P io s M re ec ne Mar sion recis e Pr arine n Ma ision Preci ine P arin on M i c r in P io si M c e on isi Pre rine Mar sion recis e Pr arine n Ma ision Preci ine e i c n n a rin on M cisio Prec ine P Mari ion M ecisio Pre rine Mar sion a r n a s M isi r e ci ne c e Pr arine n Ma ision Owner eci iOperated e P Mari ion M ecisio Pre rine r e n r P c n o a P ari n M isi r e is ne n ar “Cork” on re M isio rec ne P arin on M cisio Prec rine P Mari ion M ecisi P M si Martusewicz r c e e ri is n a Pre arine n Ma ision reci ne Pr arin on M cisio Prec rine P P Vincent, M e Rt. Cape NY 13618 o e ri a si M isi34477 ec 12E, ine n Ma ision reci ne Pr arin on M c e Pr aprecisionmarine.net r e r P arin n M isio rec ne P ari on M cisi M isio rec ne P ari on M cisi Pre rine P M si c e e ri a Pre arine n Ma ision reci ne Pr arin on M i P i M c o r s M isi e c e Pr arine n Ma ision Preci e r c n o P ari n M isi e re M isio rec ne P arin P M c ri Pre arine n Ma M isio c Pre

St. Lawrence County’s

LARGEST

Bait & Tackle

SHOP!

•Over 1,200 Rods & Reels •Over 40,000 Fishing Lures

~ DFI Two Stroke (40 HP & 115 HP) re Super Stoith ~ Four Stroke (2.5 HP - 250 HP) w Pricing tore Small S !

Service

• Now Your Local

Dealer

• Over 40 boats in stock ~

Mini Pontoons • NYS Fishing & Hunting Licenses Over 300 Turkey Calls and plenty of ammo

CHAPMAN’S SPORT SHOP & MARINA

On Black Lake • 3 Miles from Hammond www.chapmansblacklake.com 315-324-5265 ®

BassPro Shop

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK / ALL YEAR ROUND 2

NNY OUTDOORS

>>

SPRING / SUMMER 2017

SPRING / SUMMER 2017

>>

N N Y O UT D O O R S

3

4

NNY OUTDOORS

>>

SPRING / SUMMER 2017

Shoreline Traditions SPRING-SUMMER 2017

C OV E R

20  Shore Dinners Northern New York guides continue the tradition of cooking shore dinners after a successful trip out on the water.

F E AT U R E S

10  Hunt Preparation The strong bond between guide and hunting dog results in successful hunts both on land and in water.

14  Kids to Camp Fund Funding to send area youth to outdoor camps continues to thrive through past guides’ legacy funding and donations.

15  River Livng Life along the St. Lawrence River continues through the generations as traditions are passed down.

24  Record Catch Watertown charter fishing captain reels in the catch of a lifetime, beats state record.

DE PA RT M E N T S

6  Contributors 6  Marketplace 8  Outside in brief 27  Outdoor Adventures 30  Outdoor Health

ON T H E C OV E R

Life Long Guide Fishing captain Jeff Garnsey continues tradition of cooking shore dinners along the banks of the St. Lawrence River. This long-standing tradition utilizes the daily catch with a few other delicious additions.

JUSTIN SORENSEN n NNY OUTDOOR Clayton guide, Jeff Garnsey, navigates on the St. Lawrence River in his antique wooden boat ‘Muskie’.

SPRING / SUMMER 2017

>>

N N Y O UT D O O R S

5

CONTRIBUTORS NICOLE CALDWELL is a writer and editor based out of Better Farm in Redwood, NY. Her work has appeared in Mother Earth News, Martha Stewart Living, Thrillist, Playgirl, and many other publications.

NORAH MACHIA is a freelance writer and veteran Watertown Daily Times reporter. This issue, she writes about the New York State Outdoor Guides Association ‘Kids-to-Camp’ fund which sends area youth to outdoor camps to encourage the next generation of outdoor enthusiasts.

Thousand Islands

l

Lake Ontario

l

Tug Hill

l

Adirondacks

Chairman of the Board John B. Johnson Jr.

Editor & Publisher John B. Johnson

Co-Publisher

Harold B. Johnson II BRIAN MOLONGOSKI is a Watertown Daily Times reporter. He loves anything to do with the outdoors and spends most of his summer weekends in the Adirondacks. This month he writes about the bonded partnership between hunting dog and guide.

GORDON BLOCK is a Watertown Daily Times reporter. This month Gordon writes about a catfish that’s raised some -reel- excitement and broken a state record.

Magazine Editor Brian Kelly

Associate Magazine Editor Holly Boname

Editorial Design Holly Boname

Photography

Justin Sorensen, Amanda Morrison and Chris Lenney SCOTT SMITH is a graphic artist for the Johnson Newspaper Corporation. He spends as much time as possible in, on and around the river with his wife, Janel, and two sons, Liam and Gavin. When not playing on the River, he works as a shade tree outboard motor mechanic.

Director of Advertising Michelle Bowers

Special Graphics Todd Soules

Ad Graphics, Design

Brian Mitchell, Heather O’Driscoll, Scott Smith, Todd Soules, Rick Gaskin

Circulation Director Mary Sawyer

MARKETPLACE Antique Boat Museum ............................2 Bach & Co..............................................28 Bill’s Feed Service..................................26 Blevin’s RV Center..................................23 Buck-N-Bears Gun Shop.......................26 Carthage Market...................................26 Chapman’s Sport Shop & Marina...........2 Clayton Chamber of Commerce............2 Clayton Harbor Municipal Marina........19 Clayton Marina.......................................19 Custom Cushions & Canvas...................19 D&D Power Sports...................................26 Empire Dock & Lift .................................19 Gray’s Gun Shop....................................30 Hilltop Hunting........................................31 LP Builders.................................................7 Mad River Club .....................................31 Moser’s Custom Trim..............................15 North Country Storage Barns .................32 6

NNY OUTDOORS

>>

SPRING / SUMMER 2017

Nortz & Virkler, Inc. ................................26 Oswego County Chamber of Commerce...........................................4 Precision Marine .....................................2 Pulaski Collision and Paint .....................26 Reiter’s Marina, Inc. ..............................29 Rusty Johnson Masonry .........................27 SharpShooters Gun Store ......................29 Spencer Boatworks ...............................31 St. Lawrence County Chamber .............3 Thousand Islands Museum .....................9 Triple A Building Center ..........................27 Tug Hill ......................................................7 Tow Boat U.S. .........................................19 Tuggers ..................................................13 Waite Motorsports .................................28 Waite Toyota...........................................28 Widrick Auto ..........................................26 Wratten RV................................................4

NNY Outdoors magazine is published annually by Northern New York Newspaper Corp., 260 Washington St., Watertown, NY 13601, a Johnson Newspaper Corp. company. © 2014-2017. All material submitted to NNY Outdoors becomes property of Northern New York Newspaper Corp., publishers of the Watertown Daily Times, and will not be returned.

Editorial Submissions Send all editorial correspondence to Associate Magazine Editor Holly Boname hboname@wdt.net Advertising For advertising rates and information in Jefferson and Lewis counties, email mbowers@wdt.net, or call (315) 661-2456 In St. Lawrence County, e-mail blabrake@ogd.com, or call (315) 661-2507 Printed with pride in U.S.A. at Vanguard Printing LLC, Ithaca, N.Y. a Forest Stewardship Certified facility. vanguardprintingllc.com (607) 272-1212

Please recycle this magazine.

EDITORS VIEW

Time for some fun in our great outdoors

A

s spring starts to give way to summer, Mother Nature has thrown another Brian Kelly curveball at fishermen and recreational boaters along Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River.

Docks are swamped in some areas, boathouses are flooded and several access points to the water are inaccessible due to high water levels. It appears that is going to remain the case through at least the early weeks of June.

This is in contrast to some past years in which levels were too low on the river, leaving fishermen and boaters wary of shoals exposed in places where they are usually safely under water or complaining that they couldn’t get their boat into or out of the water due to the shallowness.

In other words, we deal with it. For all of Mother Nature’s vengeance, we’re still going to make it out onto the water, be it on an inland lake or eventually on Lake Ontario or the river.

There have even been reports that some fishermen are able to access spots they haven’t previously been able to reach and that the fishing in these spots is first-rate. So, there is some good news out there early on in the season.

Eric Scordo of Watertown can attest to the prospects for good fishing. As NNY Outdoor’s Gordon Block reports in this issue, Mr. Scordo pulled a whopper of a catfish out of Chaumont Bay in late April. At 35 pounds, 3 ounces, the catch shattered the state record for a catfish by nearly three pounds.

Also in the issue, freelance writer Nicole Caldwell takes us along for a shore dinner. The tradition of frying up one’s catch along the shore of the river extends back at least 150 years. Fishing captains all add their own ingredients and flair to the dinners, making each experience unique .

NNY Outdoor’s Scott Smith shares his memories of opening the boathouse each spring and describes how the simple act of pulling out his old aluminum boat and firing up the engine brings a sense of

comfort. It is a tradition that Scott is now passing down to his own children.

Mark Gowron of Clayton tells NNY Outdoor’s Brian Molongoski that his late father was his best friend, a man with whom he bonded closely with through hunting trips. Today, Mark and his wife own a business training dogs for the hunt and he tells Brian how he, a retired soldier, came to combine his love

of hunting and dogs into a successful venture.

There are a few other tips and pointers inside to help make this a good season for hunting, fishing or whatever outdoor activity you choose. The important thing is to make the time to get outside.

Be safe and enjoy,

• COMMERCIAL 1000 ISLANDS NY • RESIDENTIAL • ISLAND WORK • CUSTOM HOMES • ROOFING • SIDING & WINDOWS LPBUILDERS@GMAIL.COM • MASONRY

SPRING / SUMMER 2017

>>

N N Y O UT D O O R S

7

OUTSIDE IN BRIEF ENVIRONMENT AMANDA MORRISON n NNY OUTDOORS TILT Executive Director Jake R. Tibbles trolls in the water near a marshland area off of Picton Island on the St. Lawrence River.

July, and the grant will "simply help recuperate some of the costs."

"We are very excited to receive this grant to continue our conservation efforts in the Thousand Islands," Mr. Busler said.

The two parcels include about 100 acres of land and about 10,000 feet of shoreline, and Mr. Busler said having easements for both parcels will protect that land and allow mammals, waterfowl and migratory Neotropical birds to continue using it as a stepping stone between Grindstone and Murray islands. The trust acquired an easement for one parcel using a North American Wetland Conservation Act grant, while the other easement was donated by the Heinman Family.

SCOUT’S PROJECT TO HELP ENVIRONMENT

LAND TRUST GETS PROJECT GRANTS

The Thousand Islands Land Trust's efforts to implement new projects at its Zenda Farm preserve and conserve about half of Picton Island received grant funding from the state Department of Environmental Conservation.

On April 26, the DEC announced that it awarded TILT a $30,000 capacity grant and a $20,000 transaction grant through the Conservation Partnership Program, according to the department's website. The department allocated $219,950 to be split among 12 awards for seven north country land trusts including TILT, the Adirondack Land Trust, Champlain Area Trails, the Indian River Lakes Conservancy, the St. Lawrence Land Trust, the Lake Placid Land Conservancy and the Tug Hill Tomorrow Land Trust.

Rebecca F. Dahl, coordinator for the Zenda Farms preserve, said TILT will use the $30,000 grant to renovate the about 1,200-square-foot creamery and retrofit its cooler, building off of the Clarkson University's honors program sophomore class's plan to add a learning kitchen, classrooms and retail space. Grant funds will also be used to create an informational video about the farm's history.

The cooler, once operational, will be used as a cheese aging room and allow the trust to collabo8

NNY OUTDOORS

>>

SPRING / SUMMER 2017

rate with Homestead Heritage Cheese, an arm of Homestead Fields Organic Farms in LaFargeville owned by W. Edward Walldroff, to create Zenda Farm-brand organic cheese, Ms. Dahl said. The trust plants to increase collaborative efforts with local businesses.

DEC last year awarded TILT a $38,000 grant to use toward creating a strategic plan for increasing its services at the 405-acre preserve.

That grant allowed the trust to hire a consultant and begin working with Clarkson to develop the plan, which included creamery renovations, a community-supported agriculture program, an apple orchard and expanding the Lois Jean and John MacFarlane Trail, Ms. Dahl said. TILT will work on implementing those ideas using this year's grant, Ms. Dahl said. "(It's) the marriage between natural resources and agriculture," she said.

The trust will use the $20,000 grant toward recovering its expenses for securing conservational easements in July for most of the eastern half of Picton Island.

Spencer T. Busler, director of land conservation, said the trust accrued fees for legal services, easement appraisals, a professional land survey and title insurance from purchasing easements for two parcels owned by Picton Island LLC, owned by members of the Heineman Family, in

Fifteen-year-old Nate Matteson, who is a Boy Scout with Adams Boy Scouts Troop 586, is working toward achieving the rank of Eagle Scout with a pollination project at Westcott Beach State Park this summer.

“I will be working with [the state Department of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation] to create a pollinator garden which will be part of the nature trail,” he said. “People will be able to hike the trail and the garden will provide food and a habitat for butterflies, birds and bees.”

This project has taken a lot of time and research to plan - but planning and preparation are things this Scout has learned through his years in the program.

“This project is important to the environment and we need to ensure that what we are doing will help to maintain the environment,” he said.

“There will be flowers, benches, archways and fencing ... The planning process will help me with future projects.”

Growing up in the Scouting program, Nate has always had a love for outdoor activities and adventure.

“I started as a Lion Cub Scout in kindergarten and have continued with the program since then,” said Nate. “I have always loved to be outside and enjoying nature with camping, fishing and hiking ... The outdoor events really helped me stick with the program.”

Nate’s parents, Jay and Kristin Matteson of Lorraine, have been supportive of the project as well as all of Nate’s hobbies and sports throughout the years.

“The knowledge and leadership skills that I have learned in Scouting, help me with sports, and will help me in the future,” he said.

Most of the funding comes from the state, but some donations may be requested along the way.

The project is expected to begin in August and

OUTSIDE IN BRIEF wrap up in September.

Those who are interested in volunteering with or donating to this project may reach Nate via email at natematteson01@gmail.com or by phone, 315-783-2251.

B OAT I N G

ANTIQUE BOAT MUSEUM CELEBRATES 50TH YEAR

A birthday bash filled with memories, familiar faces and festivities and new exhibits showcasing Thousand Islands culture will usher in the Antique Boat Museum's 50th Anniversary year.

Staff will hold the museum's birthday party July 22, when they will honor the museum's founders, reminisce with former and current staff and create a time capsule customers can fill with photos, said Margaret E. Hummel, director of events and marketing.

The event will open with historic skiffs customers can row to Bartlett Point for doughnuts and snacks at the Clayton Yacht Club and end with music and food trucks.

"We have a busy calendar and that was a weekend that was available and we thought it would be a good time for our seasonal residents and our local community," Ms. Hummel said.

The museum also will showcase two new exhibits this season that highlight historic and modern industry and recreation in the Thousand Islands.

This year, the museum will feature "The Art of the Sale: Pleasing Boat Logos of Past and Present," which examines common themes in boat manufacturer logos from the mid-19th century to modern day. Ms. Hummel said some of the logos are from the 1860s.

"All of the artwork comes out of our own museum archives," she said.

It will also feature "A River Winter," which shows historic and contemporary winter recreation and industrial activity enjoyed in the Thousand Islands including ice harvesting, skate sailing, ice fishing and other activities. Ms. Hummel said they want to show visitors from outside the area the activities residents have participated in and continue to participate in during the winter.

"They can't imagine what we do all during the winter," she said.

Events and classes returning this year include the Antique Boat Show and Auction, which enters its 53rd year this year, the POSH Picnic, the steamboat visit, family boat building, the U.S. Coast Guard Captain Licensing Course, and sailing and boater safety classes.

The museum will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day until Columbus Day. "Here we are; 50 years later and still going

strong," Ms. Hummel said. "We are looking forward to the next 50 years."

TRAILS & HIKING

ADK OFFERS BEAR MOUNTAIN HIKE

The Laurentian Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club (ADK) welcomes the public to take part in these events. If you’ve questions about or want to go on a particular event, contact the leader/organizer for that event. If you’ve questions about the overall program or about the ADK, contact Marianne Hebert at 315-265-0756 or hebertm@ potsdam.edu.

May 13: Bear Mountain Wildflower Hike. Loop hike beginning in the Cranberry Lake campground. Approximately 5.5 miles RT. Elevation gain 677 feet. Moderate.

Contact Marianne Hebert at 315-265-0756 or hebertm@ potsdam.edu.

June 10: Dog and Family Hike at Wellesley Island

State Park. We will explore the trails and visit the Nature Center. Bring lunch and binoculars. 3-6 miles RT. Easy to moderate. Leashes required (for dogs). Contact Marianne Hebert at hebertm@ potsdam.edu or 315-265-0756.

June 25: Bicycle the Madrid-Waddington loop.

This is a 25 miles scenic road loop going down to the St. Lawrence through Chipman Corners, stops at several parks on the river, and then back to Madrid along the Grasse. Moderate. Contact Tom Ortmeyer, 315-244-3707 or tortmeye@gmail.com

DECOY & WILDLIFE ART SHOW CLAYTON, NY

SPORTING COLLECTIBLES CEROW ARENA FRIDAY 9AM-6PM & SATURDAY 9AM-4PM SHORE DINNER: FRIDAY 4-8 COYOTE MOON VINEYARDS DECOY CONTEST: FRIDAY & SATURDAY DECOY AUCTION UPPER LEVEL: FRIDAY 1PM Silent Auction Closes Sat. @ 3PM

SPONSORS: CEROW AGENCY, COMMUNITY BANK, COYOTE MOON VINEYARDS, RUSTY JOHNSON MASONRY, WELLESLEY ISLAND BUILDING SUPPLY, GARLOCK ACE HARDWARE SHOW BROUGHT TO YOU BU THOUSAND ISLANDS MUSEUM 312 JAMES STREET 315-686-5794 • TIMUSEUM.ORG SPRING / SUMMER 2017

>>

N N Y O UT D O O R S

9

NNY GUIDE FEATURE

Mark Gawron trains German Shorthair Pointers Sgt. Maj., left, and Rasin’ Cain, right, in a duck blind retrieving drill.

Training for the Hunt

STORY BY BRIAN MOLONGOSKI | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JUSTIN SORENSEN

10

NNY OUTDOORS

>>

SPRING / SUMMER 2017

NNY GUIDE FEATURE

Standing in his wooden hunting blind, Mark Gawron gazed upon an open field of green grass, holding a small, black remote in his left hand. On either side of him were two dogs — German short-haired pointers — with their heads and front legs sticking out of openings at the base of the structure.

About 60 yards ahead of them, a metal contraption called a “thunderbox” was pointed at the sky. The machine uses compressed air to launch bowling pin-like objects called bumpers out into the field, and the dogs have to retrieve it.

Mr. Gawron controls the machine with his remote. He pressed the button, and one of the objects flew into the air, crossed the blue sky in an arc and landed in the grass far away.

The dogs followed its trajectory closely, locking their eyes on the landing spot. But they remained still, waiting for Mr. Gawron to say the word. That’s part of the exercise, of course.

After a few moments of silence, he finally uttered the name, “Cain.”

Cain, a 9-year-old female pointer on Mr. Gawron’s left, shot out of the blind with a whimper of excitement. She thundered across the field effortlessly — she’s done this drill a thousand times before. But the bumper wasn’t where she thought it was. She kept her nose to the grass, scouring the ground.

SPRING / SUMMER 2017

>>

N N Y O UT D O O R S

11

Mark Gawron trains German Shorthair Pointer Raisin’ Cain in a lining drill.

“C’mon, Cain!” Mr. Gawron shouted from the blind. “You can find it.”

Soon enough, she did. She grabbed the bumper with her jaw and trotted back to Mr. Gawron, proudly presenting him the prize.

Mr. Gawron repeats the drill with the second dog, Sergeant Major, who is also Cain’s brother. Both dogs have been dubbed “Versatile Champions” in a number of national bird hunting competitions.

“These dogs love this drill,” Mr. Gawron said. And, by the smile on his face, it was clear he did too.

A long-time sportsman and hunting dog trainer, Mr. Gawron’s home is just as much his natural habitat as it is to the dogs. They’re practically a singular unit, and they share the glory of this dog training paradise known as Webfoot Outdoors.

Mr. Gawron started the business in 2010. Webfoot is on a 270-acre plot of land in Clayton, most of it vast fields that are used to train dogs in tracking and catching a variety of fowl, including quail, pheasants, geese and ducks.

Mr. Gawron runs the business with his wife, Martha Imperta.

12

NNY OUTDOORS

>>

SPRING / SUMMER 2017

Along with guide dog training, the pair also provides general and advanced obedience training for most dog types, as well as a kennel for short- and long-term boarding. “(Dogs) get a lot of exposure to a lot of different things here,” he said.

Mr. Gawron, 54, only recently ended his 34-year career in the Army. He was deployed 11 times in that period, seeing combat as an infantryman. Understandably, he’s reluctant to share details about what he saw in combat.

“I got my share of that,” he said.

Asked where in particular he had been deployed, he simply replied, “Started in Beirut and just kept going.”

Still, those experiences don’t seem to have dampened his spirit. Within moments of meeting him, you can’t help but feel at ease as he shakes your hand and eagerly shows you around his home, the neighboring red barn that houses the kennel and the fields and ponds dotted with dog training contraptions.

This is the quality of a man who is in love with what he does for a living, and even that is an understatement.

Mark Gawron trains German Short Hair Pointer Stiletto on a whoa table balance beam.

“It’s the only thing I’ve ever wanted to do,” he said. “I feel very, very fortunate that I was able to retire and then be able to run this business.”

Running a business is just what you do if you’re a Gawron. Mr. Gawron’s father, Daniel, owned a hardware store in Hamburg, N.Y., where the family was raised.

And his mother, Catherine, owned a bakery and a hotdog stand. His brother, Glen, owned an ice cream stand for a time, and his sister, Norma, has owned a frame shop, a marina and an oil change company.

“We were always in business, and I just wanted to run my own business and be successful at it,” Mr. Gawron said. “Well, here we are. I do what I wanna do, when I wanna do it, with whom I wanna do it with. It’s a pretty nice feeling to have that.”

But business wasn’t the only staple of the Gawron family. Daniel Gawron loved duck hunting, and he passed his skills onto Mark. The two bonded closely over the sport, traveling up to Abitibi, Ontario, to hunt ducks and geese in remote forests.

“We did everything together,” he said.

“My father was my best friend.”

Daniel Gawron died in 2005 at 82 years’ old, just a few months after his final hunt.

It was with his father that Mr. Gawron fell in love with hunting, but it was through a dog named Jake that he learned to hunt with a canine companion.

Mr. Gawron had Jake, a black lab, from his birth in 2001 to his death in 2010.

Mr. Gawron considers Jake the genesis of his interest in hunting with guide dogs. Jake lived to be only eight years’ old because of a bout with cancer, but Mr. Gawron said he was a picture-perfect hunting dog, nabbing thousands of waterfowl throughout his life and claiming

the title of Master Hunter from the North American Hunting Retrievers Association.

“He was a hell of a dog,” Mr. Gawron said.

By the time of Jake’s death in 2010, Mr. Gawron had just started Webfoot, taking his love for business, dogs and hunting and rolling them into one entity.

Meeting his wife in 2007 had helped facilitate that dream. Mr. Gawron was at a sportsman’s show in Springfield, Mass., when he met Ms. Imperta and one of her short-haired pointers. Mr. Gawron was interested in getting a pointer for himself, so he asked Ms. Imperta to stay in touch if she bred her dog. Soon after, Mr. Gawron acquired Sergeant Major as a pup, and Ms. Imperta kept his sister, Cain. Mr. Gawron and Ms. Imperta eventually got married in December 2014.

Along with operating Webfoot Outdoors with Mr. Gawron, Ms. Imperta is a veterinary technician who worked at

North Country Animal Health Center.

If owners choose to board their dogs at Webfoot instead of a veterinary clinic, Mr. Gawron said they are in good hands at all times.

“At the vet’s, there’s no one there after eight o’clock,” Mr. Gawron said. “But we live here. If there’s a problem, we can take care of it right away.”

Nowadays, business is steady for Mr. Gawron and Ms. Imperto, training between 40 and 50 dogs and hosting monthly events. Mr. Gawron also credits the Watertown Small Business Development Center for helping the two get this far, and the center has often featured Webfoot as one of its success stories.

But Mr. Gawron said he and his wife don’t have plans to expand their services or facilities anytime soon. Everything they have now, he said, is “just right.”

“We don’t have to kill ourselves, and yet we can make a good living and have some fun at it at the same time,” he said.

A Beautiful Rustic Setting For...

• Rehearsal Dinners • Anniversaries • Showers • Private Parties

• Monday Night Wing Night • Friday Night Fish Fry • Saturday Night Prime Rib CLOSED ON TUESDAYS 544 STATE RTE 177 | BARNES CORNERS, NY 13626 | 315.688.2627 www.tuggersny.com

SPRING / SUMMER 2017

>>

N N Y O UT D O O R S

13

NNY OUTDOORS

A New Generation of Outdoor Enthusiasts

NYSOGA Kids to Camp Fund focuses on enrichment

A

NYSOGA “feels it is extremely important to promote and presponsorship program that gives youth throughout New serve the many great outdoor recreational opportunities that we York state an opportunity to experience and appreciate all share in New York state,” said Craig Tryon, a New York state the outdoors has expanded in recent years, in part with outdoor guide and chairman of the “Kids to Camp” committee. support from a fund established in memory of a well“The next generation of outdoors men and women, and profesknown Cape Vincent guide. sional guides, needs to begin gaining the knowledge and appreciaThe New York State Outdoor Guides Association started its tion for the wilderness at an early age,” he said.

“Kids to Camp” program in 2000 to provide financial support for The “Kids to youth attending Camp” program summer camps sponsors youth operated by the to attend one of state Department four DEC sumof Environmental mer environConservation. mental educaThe camps are tion camps: located in several Camp Colby, places, including Franklin County; the Adirondacks Camp Deand the Catskills, Bruce, southern and are open to Catskills; Camp any youth ages Rushford in Al11 to 17 residing legany County; within the state. and Camp Pack Some of Forest in the those youth have southern Adbeen supported irondacks. through a fund The sponsorestablished in ships provided memory of the through NYSOlate Captain GA have already Walter Bruce been awarded Boname, who for this summer, had worked for but applications more than 25 for summer 2018 years as a New are being acYork Statecepted and will licensed outdoor be reviewed in hunting and PHOTO PROVIDED BY HOLLY C. BONAME December, Mr. fishing guide.

Oil portrait of the late outdoor guide Walter B. Boname titled ‘Captain,’ painted by Sina March of Colorado.

Tryon said.

As a youth, Mr. Since the guide’s association started its “Kids to Camp” program, Boname spent his summers on the St. Lawrence River, exploring it has provided financial support for 29 youth to attend DEC sumthe many islands and natural environments with his father and mer camps, he said. The guide’s association sponsors a maximum of grandfather. three youth each year.

In 2013, Mr. Boname passed away unexpectedly at the age of 56 NYSOGA had initially funded two campers per summer, and had while visiting the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas, where he was DEC select the campers from a list of those applying for financial respected as a fisherman and free diver. Mr. Boname had earned a support. Several years later, the association began recruiting youth reputation as an environmental conservationist in both the United themselves, Mr. Tryon said.

States and the Bahamas.

The potential campers are identified and assisted through the Upon his death, the fund was established with the New York State application process by NYSOGA regional directors, he said. Those Outdoor Guides Association, an organization which represents prointerested in applying can contact a committee member residing in fessional guides throughout the state. The fund helps to support the the closest proximity to their home. association’s “Kids to Camp” program, giving youth an opportunity Other sources of sponsorships for those interested in attending to explore the wilderness and learn about environmental conservaDEC Environmental Education Summer Camps include sporting tion.

14

NNY OUTDOORS

>>

SPRING / SUMMER 2017

NNY OUTDOORS doors,” she said. clubs, environmental groups, and civic Mr. Boname had worked on the St. Laworganizations. rence River, throughout Northern New York The “Kids to Camp” Program has and the Thousand Islands Region, and also been funded annually by donations to the in the Adirondacks, she said. In some cases, NYSOGA Quilt Project, along with memoMr. Boname took groups on hunting and rial donations. In addition to the fund set up in memory of Mr. Boname, a second fund was also established in memory of Captain Tim Hallock, another past NYSOGA member.

“Both of these men eagerly shared their knowledge of the outdoors with adults and especially kids anytime they could,” Mr. Tryon said.

In his obituary, the late Mr. Boname was recalled as being “happiest out in the woods, out on the boat, or with his family.”

Mr. Boname had resided on the St. Lawrence River, and was “the definition of a true river rat. One of his greatest joys was the hours spent gardening at home; with a garden of the highest caliber, his green thumb will never be forgotten,” his obituary stated.

Mr. Boname had been an active member of the NYS AMANDA MORRISON n NNY OUTDOORS Guides Association for many fishing trips to isolated areas that could only years prior to his death. His family debe reached by plane. cided that establishing a fund to support “Being outside in the woods and on the youth who wanted to learn more about the river, it was like his church,” Mrs. Boname outdoors would be an ideal way to honor said. “He could talk to anyone, and befriend his memory, said his wife, Audrey Boname, anyone. He could adapt the trips depending Cape Vincent. on the parties.”

“This was the perfect tribute to Walter,” Mr. Boname had established LindaVue said Mrs. Boname. “He loved the outdoors, Adventures, through which he operated and loved teaching people about nature and guided hunting and fishing trips. His busihunting.” ness expanded as he attended many sporting The summer camp program “provides a shows with NYSOGA. great opportunity to show kids the out-

A Liverpool-based organization, Tulip Travel, had worked with Mr. Boname for several years to organize guided outdoor trips for developmentally disabled and special-needs clients. The agency provided experienced teachers, residential counselors and recreation specialists as escorts to a group of clients who would spend a day fishing on the St. Lawrence River.

“Walter had a great profession, and he loved every minute of it,” Mrs. Boname said.

He was able to share a wealth of knowledge with others, including identifying different edible plants in the wild, such as mushrooms, she added.

“Our kids were raised on venison and rabbit,” Mrs. Boname said, referring to the couple’s two daughters, Julia and Holly. “Walter could make a meal out of anything.”

He also devoted much of his time and energy to teaching people of all ages about the importance of natural resource conservation, she said.

For more information on the NYSOGA “Kids to Camp” program, visit www. nysoga.org and click on “programs.” To find out more about the DEC Summer Camps, check out www.dec.ny.gov/education. ~The late Captain Walter Bruce Boname is the father of Holly Boname, associate magazine editor of NNY Outdoors.

We’ve got you covered ARE Truck Caps & Covers Window Tinting Seat Upholstery

MOSER’S CUSTOM TRIM

Convertible Tops Motorcycle Seats ATV Seats

The Top Line For Your Truck

(315) 769-5529

Rt. 56 Massena, NY 13662 SPRING / SUMMER 2017

>>

N N Y O UT D O O R S

15

LIFE ALONG

mighty Stthe . Lawrence STORY BY SCOTT SMITH | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JUSTIN SORENSEN

Scott Smith, Liam Smith, 7, Gavin Smith, 4, take a ride in his “John Rude� outboard motorboat using a combination of Johnson and Evinrude parts pieced together over a 20 year span.

NNY OUTDOOR FEATURE

Scott Smith, Liam Smith, 7, Gavin Smith, 4, launch the “John Rude� outboard motorboat.

18

NNY OUTDOORS

>>

SPRING / SUMMER 2017

water skis, a couple of tow ropes, paddles, oars, mismatched boat cushions and a large tow tube in need of air.

The door of a small white cabinet on the wall at the end of the boathouse opens to reveal several fish-shaped pencil outlines that loosely resemble northern pike. They are signed and dated by my Uncle Robert and Uncle Hollis, along with size information and lures used. The cabinet was originally in the long-gone boathouse that used to occupy the slip next door. Now owned by my aunt and uncle, the boathouse that originally went with their cottage succumbed to ice and rot over

40 years ago now. We saved a few things from it, among them this cabinet, with its family fishing history intact. I like to think it still has some of that old place's boathouse smell retained in the grain of the old wood.

My trip down memory lane is interrupted by my 7-year-old, asking where his stick boat is. I made several of these for my kids and friends' kids, based on a design my Dad made for my brothers and I when I was about that age. We wrestle the boat and its tangled string and stick out of a pile of planter boxes on the bench. He runs off to zip the boat up and down the dock, while I return to my task.

Family members over many years of fishing along the river document their biggest catch by tracing the actual fish.

A

s the door is unlocked and light arcs into the boathouse, a certain something makes its way into your olfactory senses. A musty, damp and entirely wonderful smell of old life jackets, hemp rope, fishing gear, motor oil and stale gasoline.

Throw in the high probability of mouse mess in the cabinets, and you get the picture. And, I love it! That first opening of the boathouse in the springtime is always pretty special. It marks a new beginning, new projects, new adventures and memories of summers past.

What we call the dry boathouse was built about 1880 and was originally a skiff house.

The end facing the River had a shallow dock and a ramp on which the then-ubiquitous St. Lawrence Skiff would reside. Along one wall is a well-worn work bench with various well-worn tools lined up on the wall behind it. A line-up of old outboard motors fills the gap between the end of the bench and the far end of the boathouse. My Dad called these the 'runners', the ones he liked to get out on a regular basis. He collected old outboards, maybe as many as 300 at one point, but he had his favorites and several of them wound up down here. I still drag a couple out every summer and make some smoke with them, knowing he'd appreciate it if he was still here.

An assortment of water toys are piled into our own St. Lawrence rowing skiff, tucked along the west wall of the boathouse. The toys include a couple of plastic kayaks, an old set of

NNY OUTDOOR FEATURE Yes, my task - the reason I've opened up the boathouse and entered the time warp within.

Gas tank. Oars. Cushions. And Johnny Cash.

Johnny Cash is a pieced together outboard motor, the core of which my wife picked up for me when she took a load of junk to the scrappers a few years ago. I assembled a complete motor using up some odds and ends I had squirreled away, resulting in a motor that runs great, but is as ugly looking as they come. It has parts from Evinrude and Johnson outboards ranging from 1958 to 1982, hence the name, inspired by his song "One Piece at a Time" about building a Cadillac with pieces smuggled out of the factory in his lunch box.

I carry these items out into the daylight, brisk but clear for an early April Saturday, and lay them on the dock. The old Starcraft aluminum 14-footer, also known as "The Tinny," still lays half-rolled up against a rock wall a few feet from shore. With a bit of effort, I roll the boat onto its bottom, and half slide, half drag it into the water and tie it up to the dock. I then set about assembling the various items into the boat, with clamping Johnny Cash onto the transom saved for last.

There's something about going through this process that is comforting, in a way. More so now, with children of my own. At seven, he may not yet be aware of what the process

means. He lives a different life than I did. I was a summer resident – he's growing up here.

I was away from the River for more than half the year – it's always right there for him. But the process, the ritual, if you will, is still there, even if it has changed to some degree.

I remember helping my Dad get things opened up in the spring, back when the place was more of a cottage than a home. Those first weekend visits involved getting the water on, hoping there weren't any cracked pipes. Back then the water pump was in the boathouse and I tried to be there when Dad opened it up so I could get that first whiff of the summer to come. I know, I know, work now, play later. But couldn't we just get the little aluminum boat out with that one motor we tuned up over the winter? More often than not, we did manage to do just that. A father and his son, out for their first ride on the River, welcoming in a new season.

I hook up the fuel

line, give the bulb a few good squeezes, set the throttle, pull the choke, and three pulls later a cloud of blue smoke wafts from the back of the motor. The motor coughs and sputters a bit before settling into a smooth idle. By this time, my 7-year- old has bored of the stick boat and wandered over to see what I'm doing. A big grin takes over his face as I motion for him to untie the bow line, as I undo the loop at the stern. He clambers aboard and we're off for our first ride of the season. A father and his son, a cycle renewed.

10% OFF

Pontoon Covers and Pontoon Seat Covers SPRING / SUMMER 2017

>>

N N Y O UT D O O R S

19

FROM SHIP TO SHORE THE TRADITIONAL ART OF SHORE DINNERS

PHOTO COURTESY OF JEFF GARNSEY

By NICOLE CALDWELL | NNY OUTDOORS

20

NNY OUTDOORS

>>

SPRING / SUMMER 2017

COVER STORY JEFF GARNSEY STUDIED THE CULINARY ARTS AND FOOD SERVICE MANAGEMENT AT JOHNSON & WALES UNIVERSITY FOR FIVE YEARS BEFORE SERVING IN THE NAVY FOR 26 YEARS ABOARD SUBMARINES, RUNNING ALL THE FOOD SERVICE ON HIS FLEET. NOW RETIRED, GARNSEY, 53, WORKS AS A FISHING GUIDE FOR CHARTERED TOURS ON THE ST. LAWRENCE RIVER. THE CENTERPIECE OF THESE EXCURSIONS IS THE TRADITIONAL NORTH COUNTRY SHORE DINNER, WHICH GARNSEY DOES TO A “T” IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE MEAL’S ORIGINS. BUT ASK GARNSEY HOW HE LEARNED TO PERFECT A SHORE DINNER (WHICH, ASK ANY OF HIS CLIENTS, HE’S DEFINITELY PERFECTED), AND YOU’RE NOT GOING TO HEAR HIM RATTLE OFF THE NAMES OF UNIVERSITY PROFESSORS OR CHEFS. “MY GRANDFATHER, OF COURSE,” HE SAYS. “THE FOOD SERVICE BACKGROUND JUST ALLOWS ME TO DO IT ON A LARGE SCALE.”

N

NY fishing guides share a history—and passion.

Garnsey’s not alone in having grown up with the river in his bones. If you’ve ever heard local fishing guides like Clayton Ferguson, David Gascon, Larry Kernehan, Matt Heath, John Evans, or the late Walter Boname talk about why they decided to become guides, then you already know: It’s just how they were built.

Sixty-one-year-old David Gascon of Hammond has been a fishing guide for 32 years— “Time flies!” he says.

“My father owned an island in Chippewa Bay when I was a kid,” Gascon says. “Every chance I got, I’d hop on my bicycle and spend my days on the river in my little wooden boat. I always wanted to become a fishing guide. So I did.”

Gascon’s favorite part of being a guide is meeting people from all over the world. “I’m a people person,” he says, “and you meet a lot of people in the guide business.” But Gascon and his fellow guides agree that one of the most special parts of these trips is the shore dinner.

THE HISTORY OF SHORE DINNERS GOES BACK MORE THAN 150 YEARS. The shore dinner had already been around for several years when President Ulysses S. Grant first visited the St. Lawrence River in 1872. He came to this area for a week’s stay at Pullman Island just outside Alexandria Bay, where he planned to spend his time fishing with his host, railroad magnate and island namesake George M. Pullman.

The excursion came at the onset of the Gilded Age for the area, and during Grant’s second-term election campaign. Sixteen years after Grant’s visit, Pullman would rip down the cottage he hosted Grant in—colloquially called “Camp Charming”—and install a giant castle on the river rock known as Castle Rest. Following suit would be George C. Boldt (Heart Island), Frederick Bourne (Dark Island), Charles Emery (Calumet Island), and William Wyckoff (Carleton Island).

The days Grant and Pullman spent rowing around on the river fishing during that week in 1872 were well attended (and documented) by the paparazzi. And when the two men enjoyed their shore dinners (already considered traditional fare) with

their catches of the day, pictures were taken and distributed. The shore dinner was on the map, and would stay there for at least the next century and a half.

Today, fishing guides along the St. Lawrence continue to prepare their clients these meals, which are simple in their ingredients list but extravagant in their flavors. Whether prepared with the traditional items or featuring new details, the shore dinner has become an integral part of the culture up here.

And while many traditions get lost to history, one thing is very clear: The shore dinner is going nowhere anytime soon.

THE TRADITIONALIST Jeff Garnsey grew up on the river.

The third-generation fishing guide was raised in Flynn Bay on Grindstone Island, the seventh generation of his family to settle along the St. Lawrence.

“My grandfather had been a fisherman his whole life,” Garnsey says. “When I turned 10, he got me my first Barlow knife and showed me how to clean fish. He told me that anything I ever wanted, I could earn it a buck at a time with that knife, and by knowing about boating and fishing. That was what I learned from the time I was a little sprite. It was almost like the path of least resistance—it was just what I was supposed to do.”

And Garnsey did just that. After getting his knife, he started work as a deckhand. When he turned 18, Garnsey got his sixpassenger license as a fishing guide. “I ran charters for two years after that,” he says. “Then I went into the Navy and was gone for 26 years.”

His reason for leaving, Garnsey says, was to be able to come right back home and work as a fishing guide for chartered boat rides without having to struggle to make a living.

His commitment to tradition is apparent in his boats: One is a 28-foot, 1953 Chris-Craft called “The Muskie” that’s exactly like the boats Garnsey’s father and grandfather had; and of which there are only two left (the other resides at the Antique Boat Museum in Clayton).

“It’s a stunner,” he says.

The other, called “The Fin and Feather,” is a 37-foot, 1962 Chris-Craft sea skiff that used to be owned by Louis Wehle of SPRING / SUMMER 2017

>>

N N Y O UT D O O R S

21

COVER STORY

CHRISTOPHER LENNEY n NNY OUTDOORS From left, David Gascan breads his crappie fillets using a fish and chip batter mix. The fillets are then placed in a ziplock bag to be coated, followed by being cooked in bacon fat and butter.

the Genesee Brewing Company, and was originally captained by none other than Garnsey’s father. The Fin and Feather also carries the distinction of being the only boat on the river with a black walnut deck. The wood came from a 150-year-old tree in Annapolis, Md., that was knocked down in 2012 by Hurricane Sandy. Garnsey retrieved it, had it milled, and put it in the boat’s deck last year.

“She is now one of the prettiest cabin cruisers on the river,” he says.

FIRST COURSE “Everything is about the details and why you use certain things,” Garnsey says. For him, that starts with building a fire over which you rest a Frink pan, built at Frink’s Snowplow in Clayton, to cook everything in.

Then, in come the ingredients. First up: salt pork.

“We use real salt pork,” Garnsey says.

“Some folks in the Bay and Cape use bacon because people are familiar with things like BLTs. But with cured salt pork, it cooks down 70 percent. You get a deep

pool to cook in and the salt in there carries heat better without the splashing. It’s a more stable base to cook in. And between courses when you cool the grease, any odor settles into the salt. The odor is gone when you heat it back up, so there’s no scent of fish when you get to the Canadian French toast.

“It’s definitely worth listening to your arteries harden,” Garnsey says.

Next up, a very dense bread. Garnsey gets his from Watertown, and covers it with the salt pork rinds, purple onion, and—you guessed it—a splash of Thousand Islands dressing. “I just fold it up like a taco,” Garnsey says. “And it’s like, how is it that I’ve never tasted this amazing thing before?”

SECOND COURSE With the next-level BLT out of the way, it’s time for the fish (which you just caught fresh, directly out of the river), corn on the cob, salad and salt potatoes.

“Of course, even the potatoes have

PHOTO COURTESY OF JEFF GARNSEY

THE MAIN EVENT Fishing captains who serve shore dinners all have their own special way of doing things, and places where they do them.

Many Alexandria Bay guides such as Gascon use Morgan Island off Kring Point to set up shore dinners (Gascon also uses his Chippewa Bay Island); while Clayton guides might use the Antique Boat Museum or a private area at Grindstone for the meal.

Just about every guide strives to incorporate local ingredients (Garnsey gets his maple syrup from the Parliament family on Grindstone, Gascon gets his from Dale Felder in Redwood), and many also go the extra mile to stay as true to history and tradition as possible. Here’s a shore dinner laid out from start to finish and prepared the traditional way that President Grant enjoyed it.

22

NNY OUTDOORS

>>

SPRING / SUMMER 2017

CHRISTOPHER LENNEY n NNY OUTDOORS David Gascon and his wife Chris prepare a shore dinner at a specially constructed pavillion on Morgan Island.

COVER STORY

CHRISTOPHER LENNEY n NNY OUTDOORS A traditional shore dinner; salad, bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich, fried pan fish fillets, and salt potatoes with French toast for dessert.

their own story,” Garnsey says. That story is this: 19th-century salt mines in Syracuse overwhelmingly employed Irish workers. Each morning, these men would arrive with burlap sacks of potatoes, traditional Irish fare. They’d drop the bags in the free-flowing, boiling salt brines, where salt caked the potatoes and cooked them more deeply to produce a creamy result.

The fish, corn and potatoes are served with salad, which is also topped with Thousand Islands dressing.

“Once you’ve eaten yourself into almost a food coma,” Garnsey says, “the guide cools down the oil. He’s also been drying the bread for an hour to open the pores.”

Yup—we’re on to the French toast.

THIRD COURSE For each piece of bread, Garnsey adds one egg, heavy cream, a little cinnamon and vanilla, and just enough sugar to brown the French toast. “Traditionally, you’d also add a small capful of Canadian whiskey,” he says. “But because I’ve got so many families, I PG’ed it out. So I use homemade maple syrup from the Parliaments just up the road from me.”

Whether he’s cooking for two or 200 people, Garnsey says they get the exact same thing. He’s committed to ensuring nothing by way of flavor or deliberation is lost, no matter how big the crowd.

Chalk that last part up to his Navy training.

To schedule a guided fishing excursion with Jeff Garnsey, call (315) 955-9166 or visit www.classicislandcruises.com.

David Gascon can be reached at (315) 771-2699.

The Finest Pontoon Boats Manufactured in the U.S.A.!

2017 25’ GT Center Console Fish Pontoon

115 HP Yamaha Motor

BRV Center levins

Potsdam-Norwood Rd.,

1-800-BLEVINS www.blevinsmotors.net

Jim Harmer

Terry Weller

SPRING / SUMMER 2017

>>

N N Y O UT D O O R S

23

AMANDA MORRISON n NNY OUTDOORS Eric B. Scordo’s record-breaking catfish weighed in at 35 pounds, 2.5 ounces during a weigh-in at Chaumont Hardware, and about 40 inches in length.

NNY CATCH OF THE YEAR

Reeling in

a Record Catch

By GORDON BLOCK | NNY OUTDOORS

24

NNY OUTDOORS

>>

SPRING / SUMMER 2017

A

Watertown charter fishing captain made the catch of a lifetime on Friday, reeling in a channel catfish that has smashed a state record.

Eric B. Scordo’s catch weighed in at 35 pounds, 3 ounces during a weigh-in at Chaumont Hardware, and measured 38 1/2 inches in length.

“It’s a dream for me; it’s what I’ve always wanted,” he said.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation confirmed the record May 5.

The catch easily surpasses the state channel catfish record of 32 pounds, 12 ounces, set in June 2002 by Chris Dixon at Warren County’s Brant Lake.

“Mr. Scordo’s record-breaking channel catfish is a prime example of the outstanding fishing opportunities in New York for a variety of species, not just popular gamefish,” said DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos.

Mr. Scordo said he caught the catfish while on Lake Ontario, near Chaumont, using a rod and reel and nightcrawler bait.

Seeing the rod’s bend, Mr. Scordo said he could tell the fish was different.

“I could tell it was a monster,” he said.

NNY CATCH OF THE YEAR Mr. Scordo said he was able to pull in the catfish with steady pressure on the line, until he could get it into his boat.

“When they get a sense that they’re going to be caught or put in a boat, they’ll take right off and run. They are strong, they’re like sharks, they’ll rip your drag right off your reel,” he said. “Until you tire them out, they’re a hell of a fish to get in the net” On his own scale, Mr. Scordo measured it at about 34 pounds, leading him to call it in to DEC officials.

Bringing the fish to shore, he learned that the DEC would not be able to send someone to verify the catch until Monday.

Mr. Scordo said he received help from the Chaumont Bay Marina, which offered him the use of its bait tank to hold the fish until the final measurements could be taken. The fish was estimated to be about 25 to 30 years old.

“The last thing I wanted it to do was die,” Mr. Scordo said.

Mr. Scordo, who operates NNY Catfish Hunter Charters, said he began fishing for catfish after he first caught one at 12 years old.

“I woke my parents up and had them come out and take pictures,” he said.

When a reporter visited the marina on Monday, Mr. Scordo was returning the fish to the lake’s waters. The catfish could be seen moving and nipping at Mr. Scordo’s hand.

“They’re the hardiest fish there is,” Mr. Scordo said.

NEW YORK STATE RECORD FISH CAUGHT IN NORTH COUNTRY WATERS:

SPECIES

WEIGHT

Muskellunge

69lb. 15oz.

Chinook Salmon 47lb. 13oz.

LENGTH

DATE

64.5” 9/22/57 48”

9/07/91

Coho Salmon

33lb. 7oz.

41.9” 8/13/98

Brown Trout

33lb. 2oz.

Burbot

16lb. 12oz. 34.75” 2/14/91

38”

6/10/97

Kokanee Salmon 3lb. 6oz.

21.5” 6/14/02

Smallmouth Bass

8lb. 4oz.

20.5” 8/28/16

Shorthead Redhorse

11lb. 11oz.

n/a

5/26/96

AMANDA2017 MORRISON >> N NnY NNY SPRING / SUMMER O UTOUTDOORS D O O R S 25 Eric B. Scordo releases his 35 pound, 2.5 ounce record-breaking catfish back into Lake Onatario, after having the fish weighed and measured by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

CARTHAGE MARKET

BUCK-N-BEARS GUN SHOP BUY - SELL - TRADE GUNSMITHING

120 Riverside Dr., Carthage • (315) 493-2854

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK 5 A.M. - 10 P.M. SUNOCO GAS, NON-ETHANOL PREMIUM, DIESEL & CLEAR KEROSENE ~ Your Full Line Grocery Store ~

LUCKY LOTTERY STORE! $1,000,000 & $3,000,000 SCRATCH-OFF WINNERS! Check Out Our Everyday Low Fresh Meat Prices!

Daily Hot Food Specials In Our Deli!

Cappuccino, Hot Coffee & Breakfast Sandwiches

Also: hand loaded ammo, custom gunwork, fishing spinners & worms

(315) 963-8270 bucknbears.com

Hours: Tues.-Fri. 1-6 Sat. 10-5

Bill’s Feed Service

Rt. 3 & 26, Great Bend • 6 Days a Week • 493-9505

Hours: Monday-Friday 7 - 5 & Saturday 7 - Noon

LLC COLLISION - COMPLETE PAINT - MECHANICAL - FLEET WORK - UNDERCOATING BEDLINERS - SANDBLASTING - DETAILING - BOAT REPAIRS TOO

• Feed • Seeds • Fertilizer • Hardware • Farm Supplies • Live Bait • Sporting Goods • Hunting, Fishing & Muzzleloading • LP Gas • Mulch

SEE THE NEW LINE OF

2DR. & 4DR. MODELS AVAILABLE ~ STREET LEGAL

NORTZ & VIRKLER, INC. 7468 State Street, Lowville, NY 13367 • 315-376-6594 • 1-800-957-5748 Anytime by Appointment www.nortzandvirklerford.com

2013 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 4X4 LT EXT. CAB Stk# 10286. 5.3L V8, AUTO, 54,953 MILES

2013 GMC SIERRA 1500 4X4 SLE 4DR. EXT. CAB Stk# 10248. 5.3L V8, AUTO, 56,530 MILES

26

NNY OUTDOORS

>>

SPRING / SUMMER 2017

2014 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 LTZ 4X4 DOUBLE CAB Stk# 10289. 5.3L V8, AUTO, 24,381 MILES

2007 TOYOTA TACOMA V6 4DR. DOUBLE CAB 4WD Stk# 10303. 4.0L V6, AUTO, 120,441 MILES

2009 FORD F-150 4X4 STX 2DR. REG. CAB Stk# 10547. 4.6L V8. AUTOMATIC, 68,250 MILES

Outer Washington Street

WATERTOWN, NY • (315) 788-1913 www.widrickautosales.com

OUTDOOR ADVENTURES Adams Center

SATURDAY, AUG. 26

n Annual TaTa Run, 9 a.m., F.X. Caprara Harley-Davidson, 17890 Goodnough St. The Watertown Chrome Divas are hosting the 10th Annual TaTa Run to benefit local breast cancer agencies. Cost: Riders, $20; passengers, $15; $5 non-riders (meal only).

Information: 315-583-6177.

Alexandria Bay

FRIDAY, JUNE 23 — SUNDAY, JUNE 25 n Thousand Islands River Run, 2 p.m.

Friday to 5 p.m. Saturday, downtown Alexandria Bay. Includes musical performances, a motorcycle stunt group from Maine, a vendor area that shows off parts and custom bikes, and more. Cost: $20.

Information: tiriverrun.com.

FRIDAY, JUNE 17

n Family Fun Day, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.,

Boldt Castle. Boldt Castle in association with WPBS-TV, will host the 4th Annual Family Fun Day. Spend the day at various activity stations with your favorite PBS Kids characters like Clifford the Big Red Dog, Curious George, Nature Cat, Princess Presto, Bubbles, Daniel Tiger and Katerina Kittycat. Don’t miss the fun with Fire Magick and Stage Notes. Cost: Regular admission to the castle: Adults (13+ years) $ 9.50; Children (5-12 years) $6.50; Infants (4 years and under) Free. Transportation to the island is not included. Information: Julie Weston Development Associate 315782-3142 x216.

Walk, 7 a.m., 101 Public Works Drive. Benefits Michael J. Cerroni Memorial Scholarship. Post-race festivities include food, live music, raffles and awards. Race day registration and packet pickup 7 to 8:30 a.m.; race start, 9 a.m.; awards ceremony, 10 a.m.; start of door prizes, 10:30 a.m. Cost: preregistered, $25; race day, $30. Information: racedirector@michaelcerroni5k.com or michaelcerroni5k.com.

Cape Vincent SUNDAY, JULY 16

n Tibbetts Point Run, 10 a.m., Town of Cape Vincent Recreation Park, 602 S. James St. Includes 10K, 5K and 1K races following the St. Lawrence River. Cost: Contact for prices. Information: Cape Vincent Chamber of Commerce, 315-654-241 or capevincent.org

FRIDAY, AUG. 18 — SUNDAY, AUG. 20

n Celeste Letendre Memorial Tennis Tournament, All Weekend, Cape Vincent Recreation Park, 602 S. James St. Tournament events include men’s and women’s open,

men’s and women’s doubles, men’s and women’s 45 and over and mixed doubles.

Cost: Singles, $10; doubles, $12. Information: Jerry LeTendre, 315- 654-2512.

Carthage

SATURDAY, JULY 29

n Annual Shootin’ Trap for Trips, 8 a.m., Carthage Rod and Gun Club, 4500 Cold Spring Park Road. The annual 50-bird shoot will benefit Lewis County programs offered by the Volunteer Transportation Center. Cost: Individual, $25; team, $30.

Information: 315-788-0422, extension 223.

Chaumont

SUNDAY, AUG. 6

n Lyme Sprint Triathlon, 7 to 11:30 a.m., Chaumont Fire Hall, state Route 12E. Includes 600-meter swim or 3-mile kayak/ canoe, 17.6-mile bike, and 4-mile run.

Preregistration 6 to 8 p.m. Aug. 1. Race day schedule: registration 7 to 8 a.m.; pre-race meeting, 8 a.m.; canoe/kayak start, 8:30 a.m.; swim start, 9 a.m.; kids fun run, 11 a.m.; awards ceremony, 11:30

Black River

SUNDAY, JUNE 25

n Michael J. Cerroni Memorial 5K Run/

19000 County Rte 3 Clayton, NY 13624

(315) 686-1888

GRAVEL PIT - FOUNDATIONS - CUSTOM CONCRETE COUNTERTOPS STAMPCRETE INSTALLER - SPECIALIZED STONE WORK FIREPLACES AND CHIMNEYS SPRING / SUMMER 2017

>>

N N Y O UT D O O R S

27

OUTDOOR ADVENTURES a.m. Cost: before July 25: individual, $40; teams, active military and younger than 20 years old, $30 per person; after July 25: individual, $50; teams, active military and younger than 20 years old, $40 per person.

Checks payable to Lyme Parks and Recreation Committee, 27267 Three Mile Point, Chaumont, N.Y. 13622. Information: Lyme Parks and Recreation Committee, 315-7830995 or 315-649-2929; chaumontny.org/ triathlon.htm.

Clayton

WEDNESDAY, JULY 5

n Hike to the Rookery, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.,

Carleton Island. Join TILT and Ecologist Michael Parkes for an extraordinary adventure to an active heron rookery. This trek will begin with a short presentation given

by Mr. Parkes with refreshments provided before the group begins the trek inland to the rookery. Information: This trek is reserved for TILT supporters and has limited space. If you’d like to become a member and join the trek, call 315-686-5345.

TUESDAY, JULY 11

n De-Stress in Nature: Yoga on Potters Beach, 8 a.m., Potters Beach, Grindstone Island (Meet at TILT office for boat transportation). Dig your toes in the sand and enjoy the scenic vistas of the popular Potters Beach with TILT and River Yoga instructor Liz Price-Kellogg during a fun, challenging yoga class, surrounded by the beauty of nature. Cost/Information: This trek is reserved for TILT supporters and has limited space. If you’d like to become a member and join us on the trek, call the office at 315-686-5345.

SATURDAY, JULY 15

n Annual Loon Census, 8 to 9 a.m., various locations. The Adirondack Loon Conservation Program (ALCP) collects data from throughout northern New York in order to study trends in the population and implement management efforts if indicated.

When you sign up to participate, you’ll tell us where you want to count loons. (It may be a region of the St. Lawrence or one

of the Indian River Lakes or other body of water.) Participants are asked to stay still and count all the loons you see in that place from 8 to 9 a.m. Report your findings on forms we provide and send them directly to the ALCP. Information/register: Please register to volunteer in advance with the TILT office so that they may send the necessary forms for reporting. Register by emailing volunteer@tilandtrust.org, by calling the TILT office at 315-686-5345.

SATURDAY, JULY 29

n Run for the River 5K/10K, 9 a.m., Frink

Park, downtown. Registration at 7:30 a.m. Register online, by mail or in person.

Awards for top male and female in each age category. Cost: 5K, $30; 10K, $35; Save the River members, $5 discount. Information: Save the River, savetheriver.org, 315686-2010 or info@savetheriver.org.

Henderson Harbor SATURDAY, JULY 8

n 2017 Henderson Harbor Triathlon, 8:30 a.m., Henderson Harbor Boat Launch, Route 178. An annual triathlon and aquabike race that benefits the Children’s Home of Jefferson County. Cost: Individual, $50; team, $80. Information: hendersonharbortriathlon.com.

Ogdensburg

SATURDAY, AUG. 5 n Maple City Triathlon, 8 a.m., Dobisky Center, 100 Riverside Drive. Includes 750-meter swim, 20K bike and 5K run. Cost: before May 31: individual, $65; teams, $100.

Information: cgswracing@gmail. com.

OUTER WASHINGTON ST. WATERTOWN NY 315-788-6022

WaiteToyota.com 28

NNY OUTDOORS

>>

SPRING / SUMMER 2017

Let's Go Places

OUTDOOR ADVENTURES Old Forge

WEDNESDAY, JULY 5

n Moss Lake Walking Tour, 9 a.m., Moss Lake Trail Head. Tour led by Geof Lonstaff. Reservations are required for the walking tour. Information: 315-369-3838.

FRIDAY, JULY 7

n A Walk in the Woods Gala, 5 to 11 p.m., View. Annual gala hosted by View, a fundraising event that celebrates the future of arts programming. Signature cocktails and a silent auction of unique items donated by local artists and businesses.

Signature cocktails and a silent auction of unique items donated by local artists will begin the event. After dinner, there will be music and dancing in View’s performance area, Gould Hall. There will also be an outdoor space for relaxing and conversing.

Music and entertainment will be ongoing throughout the night. Proceeds will go toward funding a year of programming in View’s state-of-the-art, 28,000 squarefoot building. Cost: $250 per guest; Patron tables are also available for groups and businesses. Information/Tickets: Call View, 315-369-6411.

THURSDAY, JULY 20

n Secret Garden Tour, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., View. The tour provides an opportunity to visit local pristine gardens at private residences in a ten-mile radius. Michele DeCamp, organizer, will meet guests at View and lead them to each garden by carpools.

Cost: $25; $20 for members. Information: Call, 315-369-6411.

SATURDAY, AUG. 5 – SUNDAY, AUG. 6

n Gun Show & Adirondack Expo, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Hiltebrant Recreation Center.

Hosted by NEACA Inc. of New York. All federal, state and local firearm ordinances and laws must be obeyed. Cost: $7, adults; $6, seniors; children under 14 free.

West Leyden

Great Lot Sportsman’s Club, 4277 Osceola Road. Riders can follow the guide or take a map and explore the many miles of dirt trails on their own. Afterwards riders will be treated to lunch and refreshments. The ride is free and open to all age groups.

All riders must wear a helmet. Cost: Free.

Information: Guy Case, 315-378-7592.

SATURDAY, JULY 22

Guided Mountain Biking Trip, 10 a.m.,

SharpShooters Gun Store Owners: 1164 County Route 28 Pulaski, NY 13142

315-298-5202

Closed: Sunday & Monday Open: Tuesday - Friday 12PM - 6PM Saturday 9AM - 2PM * Appointments Available* Buy-Sell-Trade Customize & Repair Personal Sales & Internet Transfers Handgun Storage

We strive to make your boating experience pleasurable!

MARINE STORE • PARTS • SALES & SERVICE • DOCKAGE • STORAGE Boats From...

“Clearance Pricing on Non-Current Inventory” Motors From...

If your boat is healthy and you’re motor is not

“We Do Repowers!”

9203 State Route 3, Sandy Creek, NY 13145 Phone: 315-387-3881 • Fax: 315-387-2411 website: www.reitersmarina.net

18014 GOODNOUGH ST., ADAMS CENTER, NY • 315-583-5680 MON.-WED. 8-5, THURS. & FRI. 8-6, SAT. 9-3 SPRING / SUMMER 2017

>>

N N Y O UT D O O R S

29

NNY OUTDOOR HEALTH

Study showing tick population on rise

A

collaborative effort by Paul Smith’s College and the New York State Department of Health has revealed the population of blacklegged ticks, also known as deer ticks, has increased in the north country region, according to the college.

Biology Professor Lee Ann Sporn said she is in her fourth year working with students and Adirondack Watershed Institute stewards conduct enhanced surveillance to help the Department of Health monitor tick density.

“This northern region of the state, the north country, which includes the Adirondack Park, is just a very difficult site for (the Department of Health) to do monitoring because it is a long way from Albany and a lot of the sites are difficult to get to because we don’t have a lot of roads and the population is low and the tick densities are still very low,” Ms. Sporn explained.

“What is important is that this is an emergent area of disease,” she continued.

“It is a place where the tick populations are still low, but there is a risk to humans and pets because what we found is that even though there aren’t that many ticks, they are still patchy, the infection rate is quite high with Lyme and now babesiosis.”

Babesiosis, a malaria-like illness historically encountered in southeastern New York and coastal New England, typically presents with fever, chills, sweats, fatigue, and anemia. The infection can be very serious in the elderly, people without a spleen, those with poor immune systems, and anyone in whom it is left untreated. Babesiosis is treated with standard antimalarial medications.

Ms. Sporn said while babesiosis is very different from Lyme disease, there is a high incidence of co-infection for those who encounter ticks. If someone is infected with

Lyme disease, they are likely to be infected with babesiosis as well, and vice versa.

“It is definitely something healthcare providers should be aware of, that it is now found in ticks in the north country,” she said.

Ms. Sporn also said the rate of Lyme disease found in ticks in the north country is high.

“All of the tick populations we have found, all throughout the region, even where the density is low, they have all been infected with Lyme,” she said. “If you encounter a tick in a new area, there is a high chance that it will be infected with Lyme.”

While research has concluded an increase in tick population, Ms. Sporn is unsure as to the cause of the growth.

“It is probably a combination of climate change; changes in land use, reforestation of old agricultural areas perhaps; maybe increases in small mammal and deer populations,” she said. “They might spread through the region on birds. Migratory birds might bring them north. So a tick can feed on a bird and the bird can fly north ... it is probably a combination of things.”

Ms. Sporn said although tick numbers are growing, she believes the sentiment should not be one of alarm, but rather of spreading awareness.

According to a release from Paul Smith’s, preventing a bite is as simple as wearing light-colored clothing, tucking pants into socks, wearing an insect repellent and remembering to check oneself “head-to-toe” at the end of the day for ticks. Ms. Sporn added that May is LymeDisease Awareness Month, a timely reminder for all New York residents to be vigilant for ticks and take actions to prevent tick-borne illness.

“It’s not hard to protect yourself from a tick bite if you’re aware the risk is there,” she said.

For All Your Hunting Needs...Come To Us! New & Used Shot Guns, Rifles & Hand Guns Full Line of Muzzle Loaders & Accessories

BOOTS Gun Safes

LICENSED GUNSMITHING ON prEMISES

Gray’s Gun Shop

73 Scott Road, Lisbon, Phone: 315-393-4968 M,T, Th, F: 9am-12:30pm, 1:30-5pm, 7-9pm Wed.: 9am-12:30pm, 1:30 - 5pm, Sat. 9am-12:30

LAYAWAY AVAILABLE•MAJOR CREDIT CARDS • GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE 30

NNY OUTDOORS

>>

SPRING / SUMMER 2017

NNY OUTDOOR HEALTH

T

Natural ways to reduce Lyme disease risk

he great outdoors can be a wonder to behold. Parks, nature preserves or even some time spent in the backyard can help men, women and children reconnect with nature.

While there is plenty to enjoy about the great outdoors, certain hazards are lurking.

Ticks can be both a nuisance and a danger, potentially contributing to illnesses like Lyme disease. Recognizing the dangers of ticks and how to avoid tick bites can help people reduce their risk for contracting Lyme disease.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention note that, after hatching from eggs, ticks must eat blood at every stage to survive. It can take up to three years for a tick to complete its full life cycle, meaning it needs quite a few hosts to feed on.

Ticks are part of the arachnid family, but unlike spiders, ticks attach to the skin of an animal and suck its blood. Ticks can be found just about anywhere, but they tend to gravitate toward wooded areas or tall grasses, which offer them protection and good vantage points to find an animal host.

Dog owners have no doubt encountered ticks in their lifetimes, as ticks are routine problems for dogs that are not properly protected. But ticks also prey on humans.

Ticks are and their bites are relatively painless, which can make it difficult for people to detect when they have been bitten. Many tick bites are harmless and do not require treatment. However, if bitten by a tick that is carrying Lyme disease or Rocky Mountain spotted fever, people may need to take an antibiotic to prevent any lasting health effects. As a result, people should always visit a doctor when bitten by a tick.

Pesticide repellants are some of the more effective and well-known methods to prevent tick bites and subsequent side effects. Many repellants can be used without negative side effects, but those who prefer to go a more natural route can take the following precautionary measures: n WATCH HABITATS. Steer clear of grassy, wooded and brushy areas. Ticks also prefer humid conditions. n STICK TO TRAILS. Stay on trails when hiking or walking to avoid brushing up against areas where ticks may be hiding out. n WEAR PROPER CLOTHING. Light-colored clothing makes it easier to spot ticks that may have made their way onto a person. Tuck pants into socks, as ticks tend to climb onto hosts from the

ground up. Bare ankles provide easy access. n PROTECT HAIR AND HEADS. Wear a hat and/or keep long hair contained so that it isn’t an attractive hiding spot for ticks. n SHOWER IMMEDIATELY. After coming in from areas known for ticks, shower and launder clothing immediately.

While showering, do a spot inspection looking for ticks on your body. Remember to look in hidden areas like under the arms, in and around the ears, inside the belly button, on the back of the knees, in and around the hair, between the legs, and around the waist. n CLEAN UP THE YARD. Make your yard less habitable to ticks by mowing the grass regularly and removing leaf litter and trim shrubs. Also, use wood chips or gravel to serve as a barrier between lawns and wooded areas of the property. n USE NATURAL OILS. Ticks may not like the smell of garlic, lemon, eucalyptus, lavender, and rosemary, among others.

Dotting your body with these infused oils may make you less attractive to ticks. ~MS

Mad River Club 3D Archery Shoot

40 Targets - Modified IBO Rules Saturday & Sunday, July 22 & 23

Sportsman’s Swap Meet Vendors Welcome

MAD River Club House, County Rte 15, Lacona FISH FRY: 5-7 p.m., FRIDAY, JULY 21

Largest Selection of Ammo in the North East!

Registration: 8 -10 a.m., Saturday, July 22 & Sunday, July 23 Shoot Both Days - Adults & Teens $20 - Cubs $5

OPEN TO PUBLIC

DRY CAMPING AVAILABLE ON SITE

Call Bill Killam, (315) 387-3350, to learn more.

SPRING / SUMMER 2017

>>

N N Y O UT D O O R S

31

Thousand Islands

l

Lake Ontario

260 Washington St. Watertown, NY 13601 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

l

Tug Hill

l

Adirondacks

PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID ITHACA, NY PERMIT #476