Unbelievable! A kayaker in North Carolina caught a 136-pound bluefin tuna. I once caught a 5-pound smallmouth while in a float tube and the bass pulled me all over the river. I can’t imagine catching a fish that huge from a 12-foot kayak. Stefan Turko was in Kitty Hawk and could see tuna boiling in the water just offshore. Several anglers had lost tuna while fishing on Jennette’s Pier, so Turko … [Read more...]
Dogwood Blossoms and Shad
If the dogwoods have begun to blossom, the shad are in our rivers. The blooms are there and so are the shad – one of the feistiest fish fighters on the planet. It is unclear if a shad snaps at a bait because he’s hungry, or if it’s just something that gets in the way. But twitch a shad dart in the path of an American or Hickory Shad and you’ll likely have a fight on your hands. The shad are … [Read more...]
Francis the Talking Mule
We watched a lot of silly movies, growing up in the 1950s, movies that would have no chance whatsoever if they were made today. We had zany Jerry Lewis movies, Abbot and Costello, The Marx Brothers, The Little Rascals, and even a movie about an invisible rabbit named Harvey. We also had a series of movies starring Francis the Talking Mule. They were funny and each of the seven flicks filmed … [Read more...]
It Was a Blue Grosbeak!
A week ago, I wrote about seeing a female blue grosbeak. I saw her on two straight days, but no male. I also said that I had never seen a male blue grosbeak in the yard. But I was mistaken. In April 2000, I wrote the article below “Jim, come quick. There’s a strange bird beneath the feeder.” Reluctantly putting down my morning paper, I went to the kitchen window and saw the blue bird … [Read more...]
Made in the Shade
“Made in the shade” was an expression from the 1950’s when the “cool cats” were cruising the drive-ins, combing their ducktails, and listening to rock and roll on the juke box. You still hear this phrase from time to time, but usually from those 50 and older. Made in the shade is also a gardening term, but mostly it’s “not made in the shade.” Very little seems to grow in shady areas, which is … [Read more...]
Half Gallon Ziplocs
Ziplocs are like a purgatory for leftover food. Case in point. There are eight carrot slices left over after a meal. If there were only three or four, you’d toss them. But eight? You got to save eight. So out comes a small Ziploc to house the eight slices which are then relegated to the lower shelf of the refrigerator and shoved to the back, only to be discovered 2 or 3 weeks later. … [Read more...]
Easy Shrimp and Grits
Shrimp and Grits is a Southern staple. Every seafood restaurant from Charleston, SC to Virginia Beach has this dish on the menu, and they go to elaborate extremes in preparing their sauces. This week, I decided to make Shrimp and Grits, but without all the to-do in making the sauce. I bought a small bag of frozen shrimp – the small size, peeled and deveined –and instead of stone ground grits, … [Read more...]
Early Garden Waiting for Rain
I finished sowing my early garden just in time for a predicted rain. Unfortunately, it rained about as much as a fat guy sweating at the gym, meaning my seeds didn’t get much water and were late sprouting. They need moisture, you know. But everything is finally beginning to peek out of the ground and head in the direction of the sunshine. Peas, potatoes, lettuce, spring onions and collards. I’m … [Read more...]
Red and Black Drum
There are reports of black drum caught from the Eastern Shore. Blacks typically show before the reds, but some big red drum are also starting to tug on lines. The trout bite has not yet fully kicked in because of cold water, but togs are biting hard on most any structure. Flounder are starting to show up in the inlets and coastal bays on the Eastern Shore. Some anglers have already caught … [Read more...]
Smith Mountain Monsters
At a fishing tournament at Smith Mountain Lake last week, two anglers weighed in their catch of 5 bass totaling 36.88 pounds. That’s an average of over 7 pounds per fish. The big one went 9.49 pounds. Wow! Crappie are biting everywhere as they move shallow to spawn. Buggs, Gaston, Anna, Smith Mountain, and the Chick are all hotspots. The shad run is improving daily with warming weather and … [Read more...]
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