The camp is extremely fun every year, but this year I had no idea it would get me an unexpected lifer...
I'm in a biking group, and each session we do a vagabond, a 3-4 day biking trip carrying everything on our backs. We did about 70 miles this year in a 3 day trip. Last year, I brought fishing tackle for the lake at the camp, but forgot for vagabond. This year was similar. I brought only bass gear and a couple of panfish jigs for the lake, but completely forgot about vagabond.
The lake has an exceptional population of largemouths; I must have caught 50 during the two week session! (fishing is not something we do very often)
Above is an average bass for that lake. The bass there receive no pressure, and they grow quite large by NJ standards. I had the bass in my mind, and forgot about the Delaware River, which we took a break at and had a campsite on.
I still brought my gear however, and on the first day of vagabond, while stopping for lunch, we found ourselves at the boat launch at Dingman's Ferry. For those who don't know, it is a historic place situated on the Delaware River. Before eating, I decided to toss around a panfish jig. I stood on a gravel bar, casting the chartreuse tube, when I had a hit in shallow water.
The fish put up a nice fight on my light gear, and I was expecting a small smallmouth. When I lifted it up, I saw the silver flank, and immediately knew what it was.
A fallfish.
I had expected to encounter this beautiful cyprinid at some point or another, just never during camp! I took plenty of photos and sent that creature back to its watery home.
That's makes an unexpected lifer and species #52!
That was the only fish I caught on vagabond. I can't complain, though. We saw bears, herons, mauled deer,and even went to a diner in a small town!
Here are some assorted photos from camp and vagabond.
