Byline: Doyle Dietz Outdoors
Jan. 18--CAYUGA, N.Y. -- Clearly, licensed New York State fishing guide Capt. Glenn Quick has learned that not only can one return home and find satisfaction, but they can relive many of the joys from their formidable years through others. Growing up in the Finger Lakes Region of New York, Quick absorbed the region's rich hunting-and-fishing heritage like a Sham-Wow soaking up spills in one of those annoying television infomercials. In time, he became a full-scale 'fish head,' and like many others was lured to the big water and big fish to be had in Alaska. During Quick's years in Alaska he became a successful and sought-after fishing guide, and for a time even held an IGFA world record. As good as the fishing was, however, he longed to return home and dreamed of operating his own guide service. To say Quick has lived his dream is an understatement, as his Eagle Rock Charters is a full-service, nearly year-round guide service. From May-October, he fishes Cayuga Lake aboard 'Eagle Rock II,' a twin engine 27-foot Baha Cruiser with a nearly 10-foot beam that has seating for five anglers, and from November-April, he fishes various Lake Ontario and Cayuga Lake tributary streams in New York and Ohio. Rainbow, brown and lake trout can be caught from May-October on Cayuga Lake, with the largest rainbows, or steelhead, usually being taken in August. Atlantic salmon are usually caught in April and May, late August and September and October. About the only extended time Quick is not on the water during those months is when he visits sports and outdoors shows, including the Early Bird Sports Expo in Bloomsburg and the Eastern Sports and Outdoor Show in Harrisburg, with his wife Mary Kay. Over the last 20 years, they have developed a faithful client base in Pennsylvania comprised of anglers booking trips and others booking lodging at their bed and breakfast who bring their own boats to fish Cayuga Lake. 'As much as Alaska is a world-class fishery, the same is true about what we have right here in the Finger Lakes,' Quick said. 'On top of that, we have cleaner, purer water and, in addition to the trout, salmon and Northern pike, have one of the best bass fisheries in the Northeast.
'Pound for pound, these fish are every bit the fighters of those 3-4 times larger in the Great Lakes and are among the healthiest for eating that can be caught in the wild. In order to assure our clients have a truly sporting experience catching these fish, we use ultra-light tackle and line. 'In many ways, the fishing today is better than it was when I grew up in the area, and that's why we put such an emphasis on family trips. It's so important to expose youngsters to the outdoors, and of all the thrills I've had fishing, there is nothing that compares to seeing the excitement of a youngster boating a 6-pound steelhead on ultra-light tackle.' That excitement has become an annual experience for 12-year-old Jared Brizinski of Numidia, a student at the Southern Columbia Middle School. Last summer, he and his father Bob were among a party of anglers from Pennsylvania aboard 'Eagle Rock II,' and the young veteran more than held his own in the catching department.
Quick is a certified field tester and a member of the pro staff for brands such as Cortland Line, Loomis Rods, Flasher and G.P. Spoons, which assures him being able to provide the latest in quality tackle for his clients. In addition, he builds some of the rods that are used on Loomis and cherry blanks. Quick offers 5- and 8-hour charters for up to five anglers, and multi-day trips are also available. With the dock less than four miles from his bed and breakfast and all fish cleaning done on the water, the opportunities to catch fish are maximized.
And even the youngest anglers know that time spent fishing is time well spent. For more information about fishing on Cayuga Lake with Eagle Rock Charters, call Capt. Glenn Quick at (315) 889-5925, e-mail gquick@rochester.rr.com, access his Web site at www.eaglerockcharters.com or visit with him at the Early Bird Sports Expo, Thursday-Sunday, Jan. 22-25, at Bloomsburg Fairground, and the Eastern Sports and Outdoor Show, Saturday, Feb. 7, to Sunday, Feb. 15, at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex, Harrisburg.
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Copyright (c) 2009, Republican & Herald, Pottsville, Pa.
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