Six Mile Waterworks is home to a variety of freshwater fish species including: large-mouth bass, sunfish, yellow perch, chain pickerel, brown bullhead and most recently, rainbow trout.

When stocking is complete, anyone can fish without a fishing license from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Participants must comply with current fishing regulations. DEC Fisheries staff will be available to provide casting instruction and other fishing education as needed. Fishing equipment and bait will be available for people to use. LL Bean will also be present to provide fly casting demonstrations.

Directions: City of Albany’s Six Mile Waterworks located off of Fuller Road between Washington and Central Avenues. Click here for a Google Map.

If you have questions about this great seasonal kickoff event contact Rick Georgeson, 518-357-2075 at the DEC.

Good luck and happy fishing!

“Governor Cuomo recognizes all the benefits the sporting community brings to

New York’s economy and commends sportsmen and women for setting a record in hunting safety,” said Commissioner Martens. “The Governor and DEC are working to expand hunting opportunities in New York state and hunter safety is part and parcel to these efforts. These declining statistics prove that New York does have a safety-conscious generation of hunters, in great thanks to the committed efforts of more than 2,500 volunteer Sportsman Education Instructors.”

DEC Environmental Conservation Officers conduct professional investigations of each hunting-related shooting incident. The 2012 season included 24 personal incidents with just over half being self-inflicted. Most unfortunate were two fatalities that occurred during the deer season where the individuals were shot by members of their own hunting group. Incidents involving two or more individuals stress the importance of one of hunting’s basic tenets: identifying your target and what lies beyond. There were no hunting-related shooting incidents reported during the first youth hunt for deer that took place this past Columbus Day weekend.

Though the number of hunters is declining in the state, the hunting incident rate (incidents per 100,000 hunters) is falling much faster. Since the 1960s, the number of hunters has declined about 20 percent, while the incident rate has plunged more than 70 percent. The past five-year average is 5.3 incidents per 100,000 hunters, compared to 19 per 100,000 in the 1960s.

Trained instructors certified by DEC teach safe, responsible and ethical outdoors practices and the important role of hunters and trappers in conservation. New York has an extremely safety-conscious generation of hunters, thanks largely to more than 60 years of dedicated efforts of more than 2,500 volunteer Sportsman Education Instructors. All first-time hunters and bowhunters must successfully complete a hunter safety course and pass the final exam before being eligible to purchase a hunting license. All courses are offered free of charge.

While hunting is safer than ever, accidents happen and it is important to remember that every hunting related shooting incident is preventable. Many, if not all of these incidents could have been prevented, if only the shooter and/or victim had followed the primary rules of hunter safety.

• Treat every firearm as if it were loaded
• Keep your muzzle pointed in a safe direction
• Identify your target and what lies beyond
• Keep finger off the trigger until ready to fire
• Wear hunter orange

For more information, including the 2012 Hunting Safety Statistics, visit the Sportsman Education Program section on the DEC website www.dec.ny.gov.

* Photo credit “Hunting Inside Blinds” by flickr user: USACEpublicaffairs

Yeah, so, here’s a phenomenon that has always been something of a mystery to us: diving into freezing waters in the middle of the Adirondack winter…for fun!?!?  Seriously folks, what’s up what that?

Organizers are quick to point out that this – admittedly odd – compulsion does have its purpose.  Most polar bear events raise quite a lot of money for charity.  It’s our understanding that the late Charles “Papa Bear” Albert, according to the Troy Record, founded the Polar Bear tradition, in the early 1970s.

Last year alone around 900 people participated in the annual New Year’s Day tradition – or should we say craziness – plunging themselves into the bone-chilling 38-degree waters of Lake George. This year it’s back, taking place on January 1st 2013 at Shepard Park Beach at 1:00pm!  Which begs the question: was this a winter sporting event or a mass suicide attempt?

The “sport” is definitely gaining popularity – Long Lake has also added a Polar Bear Plunge, scheduled for Saturday, December 29th at 1:00pm., to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project. Plunge registration is from noon until 1pm at the Adirondack Hotel at 1245 Main Street in Long Lake. More information can be found on the Town of Long Lake’s website at mylonglake.com.

Head up to Caroga Lake to the Caroga Lake Marina (2279 State Highway 10) this year for their New Year’s Day Polar Plunge. Fun starts at 1pm with a tug of war and the polar plunge takes place at 2pm, food and drink will be available for purchase.

Mayfield has also added some polar bear fun, with their polar dip on Jan 19th, more details to come as we gather the information.

So, we wanted to know, how many of you, our readers, have participated, or plan to participate, in this crazy frolic?

Leave us your comments and tell us about your experiences taking the Polar Bear plunge!  Who knows, if there is such an interest in freezing your butt off, maybe we should organize our own Sacandaga Lake Polar Bear Plunge!

Over 225 boats attended the event, making it the largest Dam Tie-Up to date! Scott Price provided the music, you can see a few pictures of him below.

If you have any photos that you would like to share with us, please email them to photos@sacandagalife.com!

Panorama from Shore

Photo by Brian Evans

Group of Boats Tied Up

Photo by Brian Evans

Party on the Lake!

Photo by Brian Evans

Scott Price

Photo by Brian Evans

Scott Rockin’ Out

Photo by Brian Evans

Panorama from Over the Dam

Photo by Brian Evans

Another Hilltop View

Photo by Caitlin Abbott

Panorama From Shore

Photo by Caitlin Abbott

View from the Lake

Photo by Agnes Romeyn

Teamwork!

Photo by Mary Jane Davis

Overlook

Photo by Amanda Wheaton

Scott Price

Photo by Debbie Flansburg (I think! Please let me know)

Great Sacandaga Lake Dam Tie up 2012

Photos and video by Emily Ann

More Photos of the Dam Tie-Up

Photos by Caitlin Abbott

If you have any photos that you would like to share with us, please email them to photos@sacandagalife.com!

Jetskiing with Skyler, Mieleigh & Ruby

Photos by Gladys Gail

Jumping In!

Waterskiing on the Great Sacandaga

Photo by Joe Pawloski

Dock Sunset

Photo by Kathleen Hinkaty

Summer Solstice on Sacandaga

Photo by Daniel Combs

South Shore Evening

Photo by Gladys Gail

Sunset Shore

Photo by Christie Harding

Bright Pink Sunset

Photo by Christie Harding

Golden Sunset

Photo by Daniel Combs

Peaceful

Photo by Gladys Gail

Lake Algonquin (Wells, NY)

Photo by Melissa Dwyer

Golden Evening on the Great Sacandaga Lake

Photo by Agnes Romeyn

October Sunset

Photo by Barbara Doyle Hennessey

Crescent

Photo by Holly Legault

Lakeside Swing

Photo by Tina Phillips Rischbieter

Reflection

Photo by Kevin Clark

Relaxing Evening

Photo by Pure Adirondacks

Sacandaga Sunset Cruise

Photo by Tina Phillips Rischbieter

Last Light

Photo by Charles Henry Eldridge

Great Sacandaga Lake from North Shore in Hadley

Photo by Joe Kennedy

Perfect Evening on the Lake

Photo by Janson Capron

As the Sun Begins to Fall

Photo by Gladys Gail

Do you have a beautiful sunset photo that you would like to share with us? Email your photos to photos@sacandagalife.com!

The Prize

The winner will receive one free case (12 bottles) of summer wines! There are 6 unique wines included, two bottles of each make up the free case.

Wines included:

• Clean Slate Riesling
• Gazela Vinho Verde
• Root 1 Cabernet Sauvignon
• Pepperwood Grove Pinot Noir
• Menage A Trois California Red
• Santa Rita 120 Sauvignon Blanc

Sweepstakes Rules & Restrictions

1. Must be 21 or older to enter.
2. Participants may enter once per day.
3. Winner must present a valid drivers’ license in order to claim prize.
4. Winner must respond by phone or email within 48 hours of sweepstakes end to claim prize.
5. Prize must be picked up at Route 30 Wine and Liquor Depot within 2 weeks of sweepstakes end.
6. Participants may earn extra entries by sharing the sweepstakes with friends!

How to Enter

1. Fill out the entry form
2. Earn bonus entries by sharing the sweepstakes with your Facebook friends.

Skip down to:

1. Northville DOIN’s
2. Northville Parade
3. Speculator Parade

Northville DOIN’s

Northville 4th of July Parade 2012

Speculator 4th of July Parade

Photo taken on July 19, 2012 by Sarah McDaniel-Austin

Looking North from the Batchellerville Bridge, Edinburg. Photo taken April 2011.

Looking South from the Batchellerville Bridge, Edinburg. Photo taken April 2011.

Overlooking the Conklingville Dam – Hadley, NY. Photo taken April 2011

Peaceful View From Day

Northern Pike, May 2011

Photo by Matthew Miller

Smallmouth Bass – ‎19 1/4″ 2 lb. 13 oz.

Photo by Luke Olson

Trout – ‎24in 5lbs

Photo by Michele Solmo

Northern Pike

Photo by Michele Solmo

The Day’s Haul

Photo by Sandi Alexander