End of the season.

[schoolie monster]

There are usually signs that tell us that Summer is over, Fall is well under way and our season is dwindling.

Sunday while out on the harbor, I saw several large flocks of geese in their familar V-formation headed south. I usually wrap up my season with a late october fishing trip to Ontario for freshwater bass. The lake is deserted and we always see alot of geese headed south. The loons are gone except for a few juveniles. The leaves are mostly down. You definitely feel the season ending.

That trip fell thru this year, but I've seen alot the same signs around here. Yesterday, on my way to drop off my daughter at playschool and to head in to work, I drove along Wollaston Beach. Right at Black's Creek I saw a massive flock of Cormorants that stretched for hundreds of yards. Thousands of 'em. It was an incredible sight.

Today... not one. Not sure if they just relocated or if they vacated the area. Either way, it was a staunch reminder that winter is coming.

I know we still have some good fishing left and I plan to get down to Rhode Island a couple times before its over. And I hope to hit the Thames River a few times over the winter...

...But, I had a fantastic season and I hate to see it end. The fishing wasn't nearly as good as the last few years, but I had a blast. The highlights included my first 30lber., a 33lb. 4oz'er caught out of the surf, and getting my dad into a great bass blitz out on the harbor when I had been skunked my past two trips out... I was really worried we were doomed. I also got to see my daughter catch her first sunfish and my wife's first keeper bass.

Things were crazy for me at times this summer and I didn't always get to do what I wanted. I only fished with my best fishing partner (your administrator) a handful of times and my wife and I only got out a couple of times. I must have only seen Bill and Julie maybe twice. I'd like to change that a bit next year, but when I think back, I'm smiling, so it must have fun.

Hope you all have a good stretch run and I hope everyone can look back over the season and smile just like I am.