NJ Fishing Season Off To a Striking Start

CALIFON, N.J.- The banks of the Califon River were crowded in this small New Jersey town on a quaint Saturday. It had only been a week since the opening day of trout season, and anglers from all over came to try their hand at catching dinner, or just for the thrill of the fight.

Califon is known for fly fishing, with many anglers flocking to the Ken Lockwood Gorge, a fly fishing only park, to stalk trout. However, other anglers could be found along the banks of the Califon River leading up to the gorge, where spinning rods are allowed, and catch-and-release is not enforced.

Casey Futterman lifts a rainbow trout out of the water. Photo: Ryan Corbett

Local angler Casey Futterman, 22 of Long Valley was casting his fly right at a small bend before the entrance to the gorge where he can keep the fish in hopes of bringing home a trout to eat tonight. “The stocked trout are raised to be eaten. They don’t have a purpose other than to be caught and cooked,” he said. “If I can get two to three 6 plus inchers, that’s a day well spent.”

Watching Futterman cast back and forth a small fly smaller than a penny was everything one would expect it to be: an art. The careful rhythm of the back-cast paired with the delicate placement of the fly on the water is nothing short of a beautiful sight.

Once the fly hit the water, it would drift down river, mimicking the topwater insects that a trout would normally eat. “You watch the fly on top as it makes it’s drift, and when the fish strikes your gonna know it strikes,” Futterman said.

After multiple casts up and down river, not much was biting for Futterman, yet he was not discouraged. “Catching it on the fly is the hardest way to fish next to catching it with your hands,” he said. “A fly fisherman is happy if he gets one to two fish after being out for six hours.”

Futterman reeled in his line to change his fly, as he wasn’t having much luck with his original choice. He casted the new fly out, and on the second drift, a strike. Out of nowhere, a small splash of water right on top of the fly, and Futterman set the hook. “Got ‘em!” he exclaimed.

The river was seemingly empty, until out of the blue, a fish strikes the fly, and is reeled in by its hunter. The fish tries to fight the line, but is only dragged in further by Futterman. He grabs a net from the back of his vest and reaches down to make the final capture of a medium-sized rainbow trout. Now in the net, the fish surrenders and lays motionless as Futterman removes the fly from its lip with a pair of forceps.

The skin of the rainbow trout is just how it sounds, a rainbow. A pink stripe goes down its entire body, and golden spots cover the rest. “This one’s going on the stringer,” Futterman said referring to the device used to hold trout in place once caught. With one fish caught, Futterman knew there was room for more. “I got a feelin’ these trout are hungry,” he said as he cast out his fly in hopes for another strike.

March For Our Lives Rallies In Washington

WASHINGTON- Stepping out of a packed train car at the Metro Center transit hub, cheers could be heard from the crowd up on the street. Above on Pennsylvania Avenue from 12th to Third street, thousands gathered for the March For Our Lives, organized by students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

Protesters held signs high above the crowd to send their message. Photo: Ryan Corbett

Students, teachers, parents and their children took to the streets to rally for gun legislation in the wake of a mass shooting in Parkland where 17 students and teachers were killed in February. With the Capitol’s rotunda clear as day down the east end of Pennsylvania Avenue, the message was clearly aimed toward the congressmen and women who hold office, as well as those running for re-election this fall.

Students from Parkland, like David Hogg and Emma Gonzalez, spoke to the crowd of more than 200,000 on a large stage at Third street telling their stories of the shooting, as well as calling for stricter background checks and an assault-style weapons ban.

In the crowd, signs with messages to lawmakers and the NRA were commonplace. Many young students who were in attendance held signs reading ‘Am I Next?’ as Madeline Johanson, 17 of New Jersey did. “I go to school everyday not knowing whether I am going to come home alive,” she said as she held her sign high above the crowd.

Protesters rest on barriers as the march came to an end. Photo: Ryan Corbett

Students and teachers were the main demographic of the event, making a stand on mass school shootings. One teacher, Joanne Foster, 56, of Maryland, held a sign above her head reading “I should be doing lesson plans, not lockdown drills.” About the sign she said, “Our schools are trying to prepare us for something they think we can’t prevent, but we’re here in D.C to tell lawmakers we can prevent this with legislation.”

With so many young people showing up in force to the nationals capital, the parallels to the 60’s Vietnam, Richard Nixon, and civil rights movements were clear. “I think this is going to be driven by our youth, in the ‘60s, those protests were youth driven,” says Eryn Lowery, 34, of New York. “Today kids have the Internet and know how to manipulate everything for the greater good. They know how to use social media better than the president.”

Signs were left in front of the White House after the march concluded. Photo: Ryan Corbett

Like the protesters calling for stricter gun laws, a Gallup poll shows that now 60 percent of Americans are in favor of stricter gun control, a high not seen since 2004. The gun issue has been one to polarize both sides of the political spectrum and has pitted liberals against conservatives. A group of counter-protesters gathered with their “Don’t Tread on Me” Gadsden flags at the March to oppose the marche’s message of stricter gun laws.

“As a conservative I feel alienated at these events, but it’s a good way to get the message across,” said Duncan Crim, 19, of Pennsylvania. “I think guns should not be regulated by the government. I think it’s up to individuals to regulate their own firearms.”

It was hard to miss volunteers in bright green and orange shirts with signs asking people to register to vote, “It only takes a minute to register!” The 2018 midterm elections are quickly approaching, and with public opinion swaying, and nationwide movements from new young voters gaining traction, the race is about to get interesting.

Alfa Bagel: Randolph's Morning Routine

RANDOLPH, N.J.- Within the subtle valley between Dover Chester Road and Center Grove Road on Route 10 in Randolph lies a relatively unassuming building identified by their road sign as “Alfa Bagels Deli.” The parking lot is constantly full, with customers bustling in and out at all hours of the day. At the heart of it all is Jim Psaras, a Randolph resident who opened Alfa Bagel  in 1999, and ever since has changed Morris County’s idea of what a good bagel is.

Jim Psaras pulls out a fresh batch of bagels from the oven. Photo: Ryan Corbett

In 1984 Psaras moved from Greece to Dover where he joined his family in the diner business, owning restaurants such as the old Court Diner of Morristown’s past. Alfa bagels was then opened in ‘99 with a friend, who soon left, and put Psaras in control of creating the perfect bagel. “I worked hard to create something different,” Psaras said,  “A better recipe, a bigger bagel. I pretty much claimed that I was the first guy to ever make a big bagel.”

That bigger bagel and special recipe have been what has propelled Alfa Bagel to Randolph celebrity status. When asking County College of Morris students about their favorite spot to grab a bagel around campus, the overwhelming response was Alfa. “Hands down best bagel I’ve had.” said CCM student Alex Kenez as he hurries to his morning class.

So what makes these hand rolled bagels so good? The secret recipe was not easily given away, but Psaras admitted the recipe was self taught. “I did not learn; nobody taught me. I perfected what was out there. Through trial and error...everyone had a small bagel that didn’t taste right, so I created that recipe.”   

Psaras stands at the counter ready to greet customers. Photo: Ryan Corbett

It’s that self taught recipe that brings hungry customers back every morning, but it’s not only the bagels that make Alfa Bagel a Randolph staple. Despite commercialization in the surrounding area, Alfa has remained a true mom and pop restaurant, yet Psaras welcomes this new competition. “I believe that competition is good and I believe that the more stores the more people come this way. I like that wendy's came in. I like that the diner was redone. I like that there's a new supermarket coming in. I like that because that's what brings people this way,” Psaras said.

While new businesses come and go around Alfa, one thing has remained the same since 1999 when they first opened their doors: It’s a family business. “ I live in this town,” Psaras said, “I work in this town. My kids go to school in this town. My daughter goes to CCM. Most of my customers are my friends, and it’s not just a business; it’s like a big family.” Any given morning at Alfa the cashiers greet customers like old friends, and neighbors run into neighbors in the parking lot. It’s like meeting in the center of town, yet on the side of Route 10.

When asked about whether Psaras would pass the business on to his children, he had only this to say: “I have four kids. It's a tough business. I want all my kids to go to college. After that, you know, whatever happens happens.”