Category Archives: Hunting

Bass, Fishing Lodges, Fly Tying, Hunting, Ice Fishing, The Big Flat Brook, The Paulinskill River

Knot Just Flies

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Blairstown, NJ is a bucolic small town in a bustling state, surrounded by first class fishing and hunting opportunities. The working farms, hunting clubs, preserved land and overgrown bush combine to make this town and northern Warren County a sportsmen’s paradise. Even so, there has not been a sporting goods store in this town since Red Hawk Outfitters closed more than a decade ago.

The sales counter at Knot Just Flies
The sales counter at Knot Just Flies

Thanks to local business owner Valentino Mota, this has all changed, for the better. Val has opened Knot Just Flies at the Valero on Route 94. Conveniently located in front of the Paulinskill River as it meanders through Blairstown. Val has opened his store as an authentic general store of Fly Fishing, angling and hunting supplies. In the modern world of ecommerce, something that he has experience in, brick and mortar retail stores need to carry the items you need on the spot before a day of sporting adventures. This is what Val will provide to our community.

Flies geared to your local waters.
Flies geared to your local waters.

Knot Just Flies caters to a wide market of sportsmen or woman and the equipment they need. By stopping here you will be able to spend more time fishing or hunting and less time driving to far away outfitters. He is conveniently opened 7AM to 7PM Tuesday through Saturday and 7AM to 5PM on Sunday. Mondays the store is closed.

Deer corn and shooting clays are in stock.
Deer corn and shooting clays are in stock.

Knot Just Flies is a full service Fly Shop right in the heart of Warren County Fly Fishing country. Located less than half an hour from every major Trout stream in the area including the Paulinskill, Flat Brook, Pequest and the Musconetcong. Not to mention the Delware River Smallmouth and Shad fishery. Val spends a great deal of time cultivating the new entrants into the sport and creating the next generation of Fly Fishing. As such, he offers daily rental packages and you can arrange a Fly Fishing lesson through the store.

Fly tying supplies, enough to get started on most local patterns.
Fly tying supplies, enough to get started on most local patterns.

The location literally has a little bit of everything you need to pursue your hobby. It is a general store of outdoor sports, preventing you from ruining your day by forgetting gloves in the cold or sinkers for cat fishing. Freshwater angling supplies, wingshooting necessities, archery supplies, Bass baits, live baits, catfish baits, ice fishing supplies and some saltwater tackle are all here. To make it even more convenient for people in the area, Val is stocking some Salmon and Steelhead supplies at reasonable prices to prevent you from getting price gouged in upstate New York this fall.

Angling supplies for Bass and Catfish.
Angling supplies for Bass and Catfish.

Val got into fishing at a young age with his father introducing him to the sport. It has been his dream to open up a fly and tackle shop, when the opportunity presented itself he seized it! He has extensive experience selling products through ecommerce; therefore, you will find reasonable prices throughout the store. According to Val, “This shop is geared to the community, products I sell are effective in this community. Whatever is on the wall is here for our local anglers.”

We have famous Thomas Trout lures.
They have famous Thomas Trout lures.

Some name brands available at the store include, but are not limited to, Redington, Rio, CP Swings and Thomas Lures. Any item you could purchase at Bass Pro shops can be ordered right in Blairstown! We hope to see you in the store soon.

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MKFF Thanksgiving Edition

Hunting a Turkey Through Hurricane Sandy

Is the Pet Cemetery behind that dead fall?

New Jersey Fall Turkey Season was open from Saturday October 27th through November 3rd2012. Unfortunately, Hurricane Sandy also known as “Superstorm” Sandy, reared its ugly head and made landfall in perfect synchronicity. Sandy destroyed countless homes, farms and businesses in New Jersey, New York and Connecticut. Fortunately, in Frelinghuysen Township, adverse impacts were limited to downed trees, closed roads, roof damage and two weeks without power.

Telephone pole just laying there.
Gas lines were the post Sandy topic.

Enough about the return of the dark ages, to the most populated urbanized area on Earth. I am going to tell you a story of how despite narrowly missing entire flocks of Turkey with my truck all summer, NOT a single of these giant flying birds exist. At least that is, on the Moose Knuckle Proving Grounds. Up in Vermont during October, they were everywhere on the Post Mills’ Airport runway.

Flock crosses the runway in Post Mills, Vermont.

The Turkey is North America’s largest ground nesting bird. Experts estimate, when the Pilgrims arrived here, there may have been as many as ten million gobblers waddling around. The colonists, market hunters, settlers and immigrants rapidly populating the United States, brought the large and tasty bird to near extinction. The species’ nadir occurred around 1920, with roughly thirty thousand birds left ranging the continent. Aggressive conservation efforts, led by state fish and game departments, have now resulted in the Turkey expanding beyond its native range. There now are more than 5.5 million Turkey’s roaming North America’s forests, farm fields and suburbs. Facts and figures for this paragraph from Jim Sterba’s book, “Nature Wars,” we will be reviewing in a later blog entry.

The Maersk patio Tom Turkey.

Oftentimes, Fly Fishing is about getting out there in Gods Country. The same applies for Hunting.  When Turkey hunting, the hunter attempts to call in the turkey, becoming one with his/her quarry. In the fall season, the sportsman is focused on ambushing the Turkey. They will be called in, although it is not mating season and the bird is less susceptible to courtship. Mark and I were quickly overcome by the cold, sitting and waiting, you need to dress as if its at least 40 degrees colder than it actually is. The hunter has to appear invisible and keep silent when pursuing the elusive gobbler. The animal has keen sight and exceptional hearing.

Mark pretends he sees a gobbler.

Reviewing my words, I break out into a laugh, I once had an altercation with a Tom Turkey on route to Montclair State University. The vicious creature was blocking the Valley Road entrance after an exceptionally long commute on 46. No matter what we did, this cantankerous avian critter just jutted out its left wing and menacingly danced across the street. Finally, commencing a violent pecking on another student’s car. I drove straight at it, Tom yielded and the battle was won, the war continues.

Giralda Farms has a large and aggressive population of suburban Turkeys.

Unfortunately, after hours of sitting, propped against one of Sandy’s numerous deadfalls on the Proving Grounds, Mark and I were unable to score a Turkey for Thanksgiving. This being 2012, the solution was a short trip to the ShopRite. In the spring, I will purchase more appropriate gear and make my way back in the woods for another round.

Turkey Box Call made in Newton, NJ.

The next weekend, while Bow Hunting, Zombo had a Turkey resting under the treestand for over an hour.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving and be thankful that America is so great you don’t have to hunt a Turkey to eat one today!