Prior to our region’s spring turkey hunting season’s implementation, May was THE month for angling. With just about all our most abundant and popular fish species’ seasons open (bass and purebred musky being the lone ones closed until June, although bass can be caught and immediately released), anglers could fish for everything from walleye to trout to assorted panfish. That list also included such popular fish as pickerel, pike, tiger musky, crappie, bullhead and sunfish. So other than perhaps woodchuck hunting, all-around sportsmen and women encountered little to conflict with their fishing.
But then came the introduction of spring turkey hunting, and as our density of wild turkeys increased and spread, gradually more and more local sportsmen became attracted to that, thereby choosing it over the dedicated days of fishing they’d done in the past. Although spring turkey hunting can only be done until noon, arising well before dawn meant many sportsmen opted not to “burn” themselves out by also spending their afternoons fishing. So, for some, it became a hunt or fish situation with the former winning out.
That said, this drift from May being such a popular and effective month for fishing is actually a benefit to sportsmen who choose to fish rather than hunt, and also to those who hunt but still spend an afternoon or periodic day fishing. After all the fishing is just as good, but there will be fewer anglers on the water than occurred before the turkey hunting craze pulled so many away.
Of all the May fishing seasons opening, one of the most popular locally is the walleye. Because our area tributaries of the Susquehanna system hold an excellent population of these tasty gamefish, and the fact they’re not overly difficult to catch during this initial month of angling for them, I’d rate them the top attraction right now.
Being over-sized members of the perch family, walleye feed on a wide variety of prey, including worms, night crawlers, minnows, crayfish and leeches. Most any artificial lure that imitates any of these will catch walleye. The walleye also tend to group in schools in the deeper pools, so if one is caught, there are usually more available.
Ever since northern pike showed up in the Chenango River back in the 1970s, the fascination of catching one of these large predator fish with the mouthful of sharp teeth has spread, attracting increasingly more anglers to fish for them with each passing year. With the sleek, and powerful torpedo-shaped bodies, a pike of even five pounds can put up an impressive fight when hooked. Not particularly valued as a food fish due to the abundant bones, the enjoyment is in the catching. Medium to large live minnows and lures that imitate them are the standard fare used by pike anglers.
Since most species of panfish spawn in the springtime, they’ll be found in the shallower waters of lakes and ponds now. Sunfish and, where available, crappie are favorite and plentiful targets for anglers this month. While sunfish nesting beds in the shallows are readily visible and the areas to fish now, crappie tend to seek out submerged cover such as sunken treetops, flodded timber areas and dense weedbeds. Worms and micro-size jigs will take the sunfish, but crappie prefer small minnows or tiny jigs suspended below a small float so it’s just off bottom in their spawning areas. Anglers may also catch yellow perch while fishing for either.
Before we had northern pike in our area, chain pickerel offered some exciting fishing in many ponds and lakes, and that’s still true today. While not as large as pike, a pickerel of 20 inches or so can put up a battle on lighter gear. Best of all, pickerel will strike at anything remotely resembling a bait or prey fish. Live shiners and minnows fished beneath a bobber and flashy lures in silver or copper will produce plenty of action in the better pickerel waters.
Although our area’s trout season opened on April 1, some of the best trout angling occurs this month and well into June. The one thing to keep in mind is that the water in streams is normally lower and clearer than it was earlier in the season, so the trout are much warier of approaching danger than they were then. Worms fished on light line and smaller spinners and spoons will take trout. For the avid fly casters, insect hatches get into full speed now, offering fly fishermen some wonderful top-water dry fly action when the imitation matches the naturals in size and color.
In addition to all the aforementioned opportunities, contemporary anglers may also fish for bass now, although any bass caught must be immediately returned to the water unharmed. And thinking “outside the box,” archers can bow-fish for spawning carp that will be turning the shallow water areas muddy with their spawning activities.
With so many great angling activities available to us this month, it’s tough to consider spending too much of our time trying to bag a wild turkey gobbler. But sometimes I almost envy those who’ve failed to be bitten by the spring gobbler hunting bug. They’re out catching fish while I’m hunting but some quiet mornings wishing I’d gone fishing instead.

Trailblazers FNRA Update
The Trailblazers Friends of the NRA banquet and auction on May 21 at Taylor’s Country House in Norwich is filling up fast. Those wanting to get in on this highly attractive and participant-friendly event should reserve ASAP by e-mailing coordinator George Franke georgefranke@hotmail.com