The phone has been ringing, my emails increasing and the fishing catalogs seem to be in the mailbox most everyday. Patterns do not change much.

I just returned from a skiing clinic in the Adirondacks and with moguls and snow still on my mind I am destined to start thinking about getting the boat ready for spring and setting up my May calender for the Hudson striper season. I could never live in a climate where there is no change of seasons; it adds a meaning to my life.

Running a charter business has many facets. There is the boat to make ready, fishing gear to work on, new equipment to consider buying for the upcoming season and marketing the business. I have been in business for over twelve years now and I can see a pattern in my customer base. Aboute fifty percent of my business are return customers. Some may skip a season or two, but they come back to the Hudson to fish with me.

And, so it is with the season on the river. I hear comments about an "early season"; a mild winter, little snow cover and perhaps an early rise in the river temperature bringing the fish in earlier than usual. Or, perhaps, a later season; colder weather later in the early spring, some snow in April slowing the warming of the water. These may very well impact the fishing but, my experience over the years is they really have little effect. May is the month. Some small males may be caught in late April and there are fish to be had in early June, but, May is the month!

As of today, April 2nd, I have five open dates for charters. All the rest are filled. I get a flurry of calls in February, more in March; all from those that know how limited the charter business is in the mid-Hudson region. Anyone looking to book a charter in late April or May is most likely out of luck. I do know of other charter boats that may have openings later in the spring and often refer calls to them. We tend to work together and frequently there are parties of more than six that would like to fish with each other. It may take some work but it is possible to put together two or three boats on the same day.

So, if you are thinking about spring fishing for striped bass on the Hudson give us a call - sooner rather than later!