Eric Hartmann’s Eagle Scout Project - The Floating Raft

The Salmon River Visitors Center & International Sport fishing Museum is pleased to announce the completion of Eric Hartmann’s Eagle Scout Project. On Saturday August 15, 2015 Eric and members of his West Monroe Boy Scout Troop 735 completed the raft he had designed for the Fishing Pond at the Museum.

At last year’s Celebrate Fishing event Eric watched an Osprey help himself to 3 of our newly purchased for fishing Large Mouth Bass. The museum has been in the process of developing the ½ acre pond for fishing. Mike Riordan, President of the Museum expressed his need to create a shelter for the fish to hide under. That’s when Eric stepped up and indicated that he was looking for an Eagle Scout project and he would see if he could get it approved.

Throughout the past 8 months he has been designing, getting approval, seeking donors and earning money for the project by making hand crafted wood pens. In May he had indicated that the project was approved and that they would be building it this summer. Eric had a business donate materials to the project: Whites Lumber of Pulaski donated wood, silicone, and screws. Bryan Rodrick donated the 4 barrels, others donated bottles and cans and purchased his custom Pens.

The museum is very appreciative to Scout Troop 735 and especially to Eric Hartmann project manager, John Hartmann, Kyle Hartmann, Chase Kaylor, assisting with the building, Bridgette Hartmann for taking photos and Aileen Hartmann his mom, who assisted Eric along the way.

Stop by and check out the new raft. Take a cast a catching and releasing one of the +/ - 40 largemouth bass in the pond. Thanks to Eric and his Troop using materials and for constructing it so that it will last for many years to come!

The Ray Bergman Collection

On March 16 th 2014 we will have a special presentation by Gus Aull 3 rd of Camillus NY. He will be sharing his childhood memories of Ray Bergman one of the greatest writers about the sport of fishing. Gus and his family were very close friends with Ray Bergman and his family. They spent vacations together, lived in the same neighborhood. Ray Bergman grew up in Nyack just down the street from Gustavus Aull, Gus’s Father. Gus considered Ray Bergman as Uncle Ray. Gus parents indicated that the Bergman’s were his Godparents.

Ray Bergman wrote thousands of articles for Outdoor Life Magazine as Fishing Editor from 1933 to 1959. Bergman never graduated from High School, yet became a prolific writer. Bergman wrote several books; “Trout” was the undisputed Bible for cold water fisherman in the 1940’s – 60’s and is still popular today.

When Ray Bergman died he left many mementos of his fishing and writing career to young Gus’s Father Gustavus A Aull, he in turn left them to his son Gus Aull 3 rd when he died in 2002.

Gus Aull will also be displaying the collection he inherited from his father when he passed away in 2002. This webpage hardly scratches the surface of what is on display at the museum.

The collection contains:

Original color plates of wet flies from “Trout” Signed by Bergman

Original feather and fur creations, including Fontinalis Fin

7 -Fly and Bait Casting Rods owned by Bergman.

Wicker Creels, Head and Shoulders photo of Bergman

Galley Proofs for “Freshwater Fishing”

Bound Volumes of Outdoor Life, Photo albums and letters.

Gus Aull intends to create “The Ray Bergman On-line Museum” so that the fishing community can learn and appreciate who Ray Bergman was and what he contributed to the fishing community.

Tom Kanalley's Presentation: The History of Fish Line

Tom Kanalley retired after 30 years with the Cortland Line Company

Photo contributed by Spider Rybaak