Summer Update, August 6, 2007

The crunching sound of grass underfoot, the mini-dust storms as cars enter and exit, and the desperate eyes looking for a bottle of cool water tell the story of the summer of 2007. It's been a hot, dry one at Fletcher's Cove. But that has not stopped many patrons from making the passage through our own little "time-tunnel" to this oasis on the Potomac.

Yes, you could fry an egg on the hull of a canoe many days of late. Burnt knee-caps and scorched hands are a job hazard down this way. Yet while the Nation's River trickles along before us, flowing lazily to the sea, a flood of customers washes into the cove for some fun in the sun. Not to worry, we have plenty of sun-screen and water for sale at a fair price!

As this is written, precious rain drops fall at dawn. It sure would be nice to have a day of rain to refresh the earth, but I'm not holding my breath. In D.C., be careful what you wish for - we could go from arid to awash in short order. While this semi-tropical summer still lingers, why not come visit with us? The return to school and fall schedules is just around the corner.

While this is the season to rent boats, canoes, kayaks and bikes, truth-be-told, fishing is slow in conditions like this. The flow of the river is practically nil and some days the breeze blows you upstream! As I remind our dedicated summer fishers, this time of year it's all about the relaxation - anything you catch in this weather is a bonus. Happy-faced kids have been popping bluegills out of the C&O Canal with our cane pole outfits. Remember the thrill? It often does not take much to put a smile on a kid's face. Some hefty Blue Cats were caught last week also. Blues seem to bite well in the fall too, so keep that in mind, you bait soakers.

Star fishermen of the 2007 summer are the "Bass Brothers of Palisades" Alex and Derek Binsted. Their father's training in patience and focus serves them well as they now appear to be junior masters of soft plastic bass fishing. Finesse and placement are the keys with this skill, and they've got both. Alex and Derek have caught and released many Largemouth, Smallmouth and Striped Bass this Summer in spite of the tough conditions. That's Alex above with the Largemouth and Derek with two healthy schoolie stripers. Nice, guys!

As the dog-days of August plod on, come out of the air conditioning into a world of sweat and sunshine. Your return to the cool will be that much sweeter when the day is done.

Dan