Sycamores on The Little T
This trio of sycamores is situated in a pasture along the bank of Little Tonawanda Creek, barely visible behind the trees. I doubt I ever drive past without being reminded of my days as a bait fisherman. In the 60's and early 70's, while wading the stream with a 4x12 foot net attached to broom handles, I paid little attention to the sycamores. Baitfish flourished in the Little T in those years, and walking slowly against the current provided optimum results. Without fail our haul always included shiners, so many after one pass in fact, if the sun was shining, their silver scales created a minor glare. Catching minnows with a drag seine was like eating potato chips - it was fun and impossible to stop after just one pass.
While the bulk of the catch consisted of shiners in the 3-5 inch range, Creek chubs, suckers and horned dace often turned up in the net. These fish were put into a larger bait bucket and later, at a favored pike haunt, they would be swimming below a slip-bobber rig with an English hook sewn into their back. Seeing your float bob up and down once or twice before quickly disappearing below the surface, then waiting for what you felt was sufficient time for the pike to swallow such a large bait, was exciting stuff.
Seining minnows was every bit of a good time as the actual fishing and we never knew what to expect when we lifted the net clear of the water. Sunfish, fingerling smallmouth bass, crayfish and the like were no surprise. I once had a water snake bounce off my leg, and on numerous occassions after walking ashore found leeches attached to my ankles....this is was to be expected when your attire consists of cut-offs and old sneakers. I think the leeches may have had something to do with the purchase of my first pair of hip boots.
