With the summer season getting into high gear this holiday weekend, people will be spending more time outdoors. Whether it is our backyards, weekend fishing trips, camping or other vacation activities, most people will be enjoying the outdoors whenever weather and time permit. New technology or improvements in gadgets make the summer more enjoyable.
Although I am definitely not a ”techie,” I do appreciate the new products that make our outdoor experience easier or more enjoyable. If you are still using the same old gear from your first outing, you might want to consider an upgrade.
Thermacell Camp Lantern: Thermacell is introducing the new durable, water-resistant Repellent Camp Lantern that provides bright light and repels mosquitoes. With a heavy-duty rubberized base, 50 hours of light at its highest setting and the ability to keep mosquitoes, black flies and no-see-ums at bay, this lantern makes camping more enjoyable. The repellent creates a 15 foot x 15 foot zone of protection. Each butane cartridge lasts 12 hours.
This versatile lantern has a weighted bottom so it can’t easily be tipped, as well as a contoured bail for easy transport and storage. The base is accented with black rubber that protects the lantern if dropped or knocked over. A battery life indicator changes color showing remaining power. The lantern produces 300 lumens of light and operates on D cell batteries. With three light settings and SOS for emergency situations, the lantern globe can be detached to increase the intensity of the light for maximum brightness. The base hook also allows the lantern to be suspended in a tent or campsite from above for hands-free base camp operations.
The Thermacell Repellent Camp Lantern functions as both a lantern and highly effective mosquito repellent simultaneously or separately. It is available at most sporting or outdoor retailers. For more information visit Thermacell.com.
Costa sunglasses: With the coming of summer weather women who love the water are planning an escape to the beach, lake or river. Costa’s new sunglass styles, Boga and La Mar, offer a stylish look while Polarized lenses protect the eyes and the lens have exceptional clarity. Boga features a large, round-eye fit, with a stylish nylon frame design. They include Costa’s hypoallergenic rubberized no-slip nose pads and temple tips, and durable built-in optical spring hinges to provide a “forget-they’re-on” fit.
Both can be customized in a full array of Costa’s patented color enhancing polarized 580P(tm) lenses and frames. Costa’s 580 lens technology selectively filters out harsh yellow and harmful ultraviolet blue light. Filtering yellow light enhances reds, blues and greens and produces better contrast and definition while reducing glare and eye fatigue. Absorbing high-energy blue light cuts haze, producing greater visual clarity and sharpness. For more information visit costadelmar.com.
Stetson No Fly Zone Hats: Outdoorsmen know the importance of wearing head gear to protect from the sun’s harmful rays. There is also the added benefit of shielding the eyes and being able to see better. Stetson, the maker of some well-known hat brands, now has an added benefit to some of their specialty head gear. Their Stetson No fly Zone hat also keeps insect pests away in addition to the above benefits. It is EPA registered and environmentally friendly and contains permethrin fabric to repel insects such as mosquitoes. They come in many styles suitable for both men and women. The Khaki color and cool mesh provides protection in the hot summer sun. Visit Stetson.com for more information.
Secur Products 4 in 1 Light & Powerbank: Secur Products has been known for making innovative, useful and quality devices. I have several and have been very satisfied. One of the newest ones is the SP-1100, a 4 in 1 light and power bank. This has a built –in battery that is charged from your computer USB port. It can then be used to charge your mobile phone, iPad or similar device. With our reliance on electronics these days it is extremely convenient for campers, hunters, fishermen, hiker and others who are active in the outdoors. The light functions in various modes around the campsite or outdoor activities. It can serve as a flashlight, extends to serve as a lantern, or can be used as a flashing red emergency light. It is compact, powerful and dependable. For more information, visit Securproducts.com.
Crusta Smart Phone Case: Smart phones have become an integral part of life, even in the outdoors. The problem is that our outdoor activity subjects these phones to a lot of abuse like being dropped from tree stands, kicked around in boats and assorted dirt and grime. One of the newer and best cases for your smart phone is the Crusta which is made of tempered glass and offers four functional layers of protection. The tempered glass is unbreakable if dropped up to six feet and the screen protector shields your phone from mud, dirt, spills, dust and all the hazards of being outdoors. It has built in touch sensitivity and is stylish with 32 color combinations to choose from. Visit amzer.com/crusta for more information.
Dakota Silicone Sport Digital Watch: When we are involved in outdoor sports we often need a watch but typical activities are hard on most watches. Dakota watches provide convenient, dependable and stylish watches at an affordable price. One of their latest is the Silicone Sport Digital Watch. It is available in a variety of colors and has comfortable silicone straps. It is simple, stylish and functional and comes with the guarantee that includes the first battery free. It is water-resistant to a depth of 330 feet and tough enough to withstand the impact that hikers, climbers and fishermen typically inflict on it. More information can be found on  Dakotawatch.com.
Hillsound Freestyle 6 Crampons: Slipping and falling on ice, slippery banks, or treacherous river bottoms can be a serious concern for outdoor sports. Although we often think of crampons or similar devices when the Salmon River they can be helpful for other streams with strong currents like Fish Creek. Hillsound’s Freestyle6 crampons provides protection with convenient use at an affordable price. These easy on – easy off crampons fit over your boots or waders and offer secure footage on steep muddy banks, slick and slippery rocks in both still or moving water. They also give you extra protection against ice in winter conditions. Don’t worry about scratching the bottom of the boat or transporting invasive species on your felt wader soles because these are easy to pull off. Visit Hillsound.com for more information.
SHORT CASTS
T.I. Fishing Report: The cold winter and spring definitely set the fishing back on the St. Lawrence River because of cold water. We just returned from two weeks in the Thousand Islands and the bass fishing was about two weeks behind what it normally is there according to my friend Al Benas who is a long time guide and charter captain.
On the season opener, I fished with my friend Mike Seymour who is also a guide on the river. Water temperature was 58 to 60 degrees and bass had just spawned. We caught some male bass guarding the beds but we did not want to leave the beds unguarded from the depredations of gobies and others so we switched to deeper water trying to catch some females who had finished spawning. Most of them were uncooperative but we did manage to catch a few. Shortly the males will leave the nests and the females will be hungry so fishing should improve.
Local Fishing Report: After returning from our Thousand Islands vacation I had a chance to check with a few people on local fishing. Some bass fishermen on Oneida Lake had fair luck but found that the smallmouths were a bit deeper than they expected. Jigs and tubes or curly tails produced a number of bass although the action was not as fast as they expected. Others who were fishing the weedy shallows of Oneida Lake for largemouth were disappointed and had trouble locating bass although they picked up some nice walleye in the process.
Jim Clute had been fishing for walleye in the shallow water and did well using X-Raps. However Jim did say that a few feet shallower or deeper produced no fish. You had to have a consistent drift and target that particular depth that day.  Some anglers fishing deep water had very little luck in finding fish or getting them to bite very readily.
Gerald Fuller reported that his friend was fishing near bottom and accidentally caught a sturgeon that was over 50 inches long. The big fish put up a strong fight and was quickly released when it was brought to the boat. Remember that sturgeon are protected and you should not even remove them from the water, and especially should not hold them vertically.