Chapter 11- The River
Whitesboro To Utica
Discovery: Not Always Fun and Games
June 26(?), 2000, Sunny, Hot, Humid
I'm not making this up . . . just because I was accused of having too
much fun discovering the Mohawk Valley.
We had hoped to catch fish and see wildlife on the Mohawk River
near the mouth of Sauquoit
Creek. This pile of logs and trees opposite the mouth of the
creek should provide habitat for both.
John Pitarresi and I were looking forward to this
canoe run from Whitesboro to Utica. After all he had caught numerous bass
here before and part of the run passed through the much-heralded, wildlife-rich
Utica Marsh.
Our outing almost ended in disaster before it started.
The takeout was on the north side of the river, west of the Genesee Street
Bridge, so we had to cross traffic to get to the parking area. Both the
Jeep and John's truck were flashing directional lights as we waited for
oncoming traffic to subside. John noted in his rearview mirror that the
driver of the car coming up behind him wasn't slowing one iota. John laid
on the horn, scaring the hell out of me and waking up the driver of the
approaching vehicle in time for him to pass on the right.
With John and his gear loaded in the Jeep, I drove
back to the Mohawk Street Bridge in Whitesboro. On the way, John emphasized
just how close we came to a three-car pileup. To perpetuate our dismal
mood, a horde of hungry mosquitoes followed us through grass and brush
while we carried the canoe to the river. Even without the biting bugs this
is not an easy launch. Maybe we should have stayed home.
When we finally launched the canoe at 9:45 a.m.,
the temperature in the shade was approaching 80 degrees and we could almost
cut the air with our fishing rods.
After we paddled out of sight of the bridge, a great
blue heron took off and flew down the middle of the river between the trees.
Perhaps this was going to be a good trip after all. Besides it was less
than a mile to Sauquoit Creek. Surely we'd see wildlife and catch fish
there.
At a sharp bend in the river, across from the mouth
of Sauquoit Creek, was a pile of trees and logs, against an island with
a narrow run on the left and the main channel on the right. We beached
the canoe and fished both sides of the log pile. No hits, no follows, no
fish . . . and no wildlife.
After stretching our legs, checking out the deer
trails and feeding a few mosquitoes in the tall grass on the north side
of the river, we launched the canoe and crossed over to the mouth of the
creek. By pushing and pulling through brush and branches, we managed to
cover about a half-mile of stream before turning back at a barrier of fallen
trees. .
Sauquoit Creek was once the center of civilization
in this area, predating Utica in settlement and development. Judge White
settled here right after the Revolutionary War, building mills on the creek
and attracting hundreds of settlers from New England.
By 11 o'clock the sun was high and hot. If there
was a breeze, it didn't get to us. The riverbanks were too high and vegetation
too thick. Except for an old building and smokestack, which, I guessed,
were
the remnants of a power plant, we didn't see anything interesting or catch
any fish for over an hour.
Around noon, as we came around another big bend
in the river, two gaggles of Canada geese swam ahead of the canoe, a couple
of wood ducks jumped off the water and two turkeys flew over the river
right behind the canoe. Wow! Things were looking up.
The thrill didn't last long because when we passed
under the Barnes Avenue Bridge, I jotted in my notebook, "12:10, It's hot,
hot!"
Ten minutes later at the Utica Marsh "Landing",
we stepped out of the canoe into shallow muddy water and started sliding
under the canoe. Fortunately, we checked our slide before the river came
over the tops of our hip boots or over our heads.
The mosquitoes found us sitting on a large stone
(or concrete) slab eating lunch and enjoying a cold drink. Back to the
canoe. Watch out for the mudslide.
We fished under the Arterial (Route 8/12) Bridge
and the Railroad Bridge. Fifteen minutes later we were casting plugs and
jigs to the dam and walls at the Barge (Erie) Canal entrance to Utica Harbor.
Even at these normally productive fish havens, no hits, no follows, no
fish.
At exactly 1:25 this discovery trip from hell, or
was it in hell was over. The brief encounter with geese, ducks and turkeys,
and the END were the highlights of this outing. But they didn't compare
to the large glasses of ice cold lemonade we gulped down while driving
back to Whitesboro.
Post Script: My notes on this trip
lacked a date, and there was no reference to it in my daily appointment
book or calendar. When I told John about it, he said, "No problem. I have
a fishing log and an appointment book." Guess what? They were
blank. Fortunately, we each had dates for activities before and after
that fateful day, so by the process of elimination we selected June 26
... or was it 27.
For some encouraging information about Utica Marsh, take a look at:
http://academics.hamilton.edu/biology/ewilliam/utica_marsh.html
Follow the path of this discovery trip by clicking on Mohawk Valley Maps: by Maptech.
Type Whitesboro, select New York, press GO!
Click on the right margin arrows to follow the path of the Mohawk River from Whitesboro to Utica.
