Surf Fishing The Outer Banks of North Carolina
January 31, 2008
My first experience surf fishing was with my father on Wrightsville Beach, NC in the 60’s. He parked our shiny black Ford Fairlane in a gravel parking lot off the beach and we hiked over the dunes to the surf, carrying rods, buckets, tackle box and various other fishing paraphernalia. I remember him catching bluefish, croakers, puppy drum and flounder as I played in the tidal pools nearby. Later, my grandmother would fry the filleted fish to a golden brown and we would eat them with hushpuppies and coleslaw.
Years later, in the mid-eighties, I remember an early winter fishing expedition near Oregon Inlet, south of Nags Head, this time with my husband, 8-month old daughter and a Chesapeake Bay Retriever puppy. My husband had come in from duck hunting and had heard the big blues were hitting the beach! We parked our 4-wheel drive truck nearby on the hard sand and with the baby playing contentedly in her car seat and the puppy chewing on anything he could find, we lined up along the surf with a few dozen other fishermen, casting the heavy silver spoon lures into the churning waters of the big blue blitz. Cast after cast we were rewarded with huge bluefish, twelve to sixteen pounds, filling up a wheelbarrow in a pyramid of large fish. Later we filleted, boiled and ate the fish in casseroles made with mashed potatoes. Needless to say, we were eating bluefish casseroles all winter long.
Yellowstone Camping In The Fall
January 30, 2008
Soon, the busy summer tourist season will be over in Yellowstone National Park. If you are interested in enjoying one of the world’s most unique geological wonders without the traffic, and crowds, it is time to start planning a trip.
Fall in Yellowstone is a very special time with light frosts on chilly nights, and pleasant warm days where you can breathe in the earthy scents of the Park. Bugling Elk, roaming herds of Buffalo, and lazy days spent touring the spectacular thermal features make fall one of the best times to visit Yellowstone.
Normally, you have to make a reservation at one of the five major campgrounds well in advance of arrival. After Labor Day you probably will not need a reservation, but it is wise to call ahead.
There are five major reservation only campgrounds: Bridge Bay, Canyon, Fishing Bridge RV Park, Grant Village, and Madison campgrounds. The first-come, first served campgrounds will be far more accessible after Labor Day and include: Indian Creek, Lewis Lake, Mammoth, Norris, Pebble Creek, Slough Creek, and Tower Fall campsites.
Women and Fishing — Not Just A Mans Sport
January 30, 2008
More and more women are learning to enjoy fishing each and every day. And, why not? Fishing is a sport that doesn’t require exceptional strength, stamina or height ? quite the contrary, fishing is a sport of agility, finesse and patience, skills many women already possess. So why don’t more women fish?
Successful fishing requires knowledge of various types of fishing gear, tackle, and an understanding of the quarry. Fish have a variety of feeding habits, behavioral patterns, etc. and these characteristics influence how to go about fishing for them.
Traditionally, men learned how to fish when they were boys from fathers and grandfathers. Even if this training was lacking, it’s no big deal for a guy to hang out with other guys who enjoy fishing and learn the ropes from them.
For a woman, though, the process is apt to be somewhat more difficult. In my family of all girls, we learned the thrill of fishing as children from our father. Fortunately for us, our dad was an "equal-opportunity" fisherman…and he was a very patient man.
Trekking Poles And Walking Sticks
January 29, 2008
Are walking sticks longer than trekking poles? What about hiking staffs and hiking sticks? Whatever you call them, and whatever their differences, they are supposed to help your knees more than anything. This they do very well, at least when you’re going downhill.
What else are they good for? They help you keep your balance. You can use them as defense against wild animals as well. I use a walking stick to rest my head on from time to time, and I also use it as a monopod for steadying the camera.
Do You Need Trekking Poles?
What if you don’t have knee problems, and you are hiking on level ground? Then maybe there is no point to using trekking poles. They can be just more things to carry.
Do they save energy? They take weight off your joints, but logic says you’ll expend more energy by carrying them. I use a walking stick at times, when my knees insist, and it’s fun to poke at things, but it’s not a necessity. For what it’s worth, Ray Jardine, the “father” of ultralight backpacking, doesn’t recommend trekking poles.
Successful Fishing: The Mysterious e Factor…..
January 28, 2008
Successful Fishing: The mysterious “e” Factor.
There has always been a strange, and to this day, unsolved mysterious theory in the fishing world.
My wife knows of this theory and she thinks I am crazy, paranoid, and maybe even a little hard up.
The theory is based on secrets that have been held by a small but priveleged group of men, who have sworn secrecy and taken blood oaths, in order to keep the modern societies from crumbling.
I reveal this secret at great peril and with no apparent regard to the ramifications that may take place, out of an act of final frustration.
I am tired of getting outfished by my wife!!
I see you there, looking puzzled and confused–but let me explain.
I first started noticing, what I will call the “e” factor– back in 1976.
A Retired, Single RVer Travels
January 27, 2008
For some 30 years I practiced law in Mesa, Arizona. (Please don’t hold that against me. I really wasn’t a very good lawyer.) When I was about to turn 62 years old and collect social security I decided to quit my practice and go camping. I already owned a Coleman tent-camper and a small pick-up. My marriage had gone to hell and I had a bad case of the woe-is-mes. I decided that a few days or months on the road would be a treat.
I loved it immediately. I spent weeks and months in campgrounds around the Southwest. I fished in dozens of lakes and met dozens of people, most of whom were far finer persons than those I had associated with in my practice. I enjoyed them all but found that most were either married or seriously mated. I was still in a couples society. I was not really a part of any social group. I missed sitting around the fire and telling lies to people with my own lifestyle. I loved the RVing lifestyle but missed a closer social life. Then I discovered Loners on Wheels, Inc.
Why Water Skiing and Fishing Dont Mix
January 26, 2008
With the fourth of July weekend freshly behind us, I am reminded of one of the darker moments in a long and illustrious series of dark fishing moments….
Once upon a time, there was this young energetic outdoors type fella, who burned the recreational envelope to the bitter end. It was not uncommon for this naive- yet spunky- young man to participate in multiple outdoor activities on any given day.
Fishing in the morning would yield itself to mountain biking, or hiking, or berry picking and then followed by the evening fishing du jour. A little grub, a little quenching of the thirst, perhaps a spirited game of cribbage, a short nap and soon it was time again to repeat the previous days repetoire.
Those days are all but a memory now, and yet somehow- like fine wine- the memories ferment and settle, leaving a wonderful vintage of pleasant happenings. However, as afore mentioned, there are some rather embarrassing and somewhat painful times when in his zeal and zest for the outdoor experience, good judgement was cast aside or completely forgotten.
Bird Watching Journals ? Preserve Your Bird Watching Experiences
January 25, 2008
Bird Watching is a great way to escape the rat race and be one with nature. Alas, your bird watching experiences can fade with time. The best way to prevent this is to keep a bird watching journal for your sightings and trips.
Bird Watching Journals
Take a minute to give some consideration to your most recent bird watching experience. What sticks out in your mind? Now think about the first time you ever went bird watching. Undoubtedly, you remember few things about the geography, people you went with, every bird sighted and so on. The experiences you’ve forgotten are lost to time. If you had kept a bird watching journal, this wouldn’t be the case.
There are famous instances of people keeping journals throughout time. Of course, Anne Frank’s Diary is the best example. In her diary, Anne kept a running commentary of the two years her family spent hiding from the Nazis. While your bird watching experiences better be more lighthearted, keeping a journal will let you remember them as the years pass.
Backpacking Journals ? Preserve Your Backpacking Experiences
January 25, 2008
Backpacking is a great way to escape the rat race and be one with nature. Alas, your backpacking experiences can fade with time. The best way to prevent this is to keep a backpacking journal for your adventures.
Backpacking Journals
Take a minute to give some consideration to your most recent backpacking experience. What sticks out in your mind? Now think about the first time you ever went backpacking. Undoubtedly, you remember few things about the geography, people you went with, particular backpacking routes and spectacular views. The experiences you’ve forgotten are lost to time. If you had kept a backpacking journal, this won’t be the case.
There are famous instances of people keeping journals throughout time. Of course, Anne Frank’s Diary is the best example. In her diary, Anne kept a running commentary of the two years her family spent hiding from the Nazis. While your backpacking experiences better be more lighthearted, keeping a journal will let you remember them as the years pass.
Stories From the Heartland (Pt.1)
January 24, 2008
Every River Tells a Story
The next time you begin a journey or fishing expedition on one of your favorite rivers or streams, take the time to look at the surroundings (I mean REALLY look), and listen closely, as each one has it’s own unique story to tell.
As we begin our journey, we may see a typical farmer out in the field plying his trade, doing his best to put food on your table and eke out an existence that was handed down to him over generations.
Coming around the bend, we notice the billowing white smoke of a local power plant churning out electricity to make your life comfortable and secure. As we turn our head to look at something perhaps more aesthetically pleasing on the opposite bank, we notice that elusive red fox we’ve been hoping to see for the longest time on this particular waterway.
Watching the vixen run back and forth delivering food to the underground shelter of her cubs tells you that they are around 2 weeks old, and you can’t help but think to yourself that wildlife go about the business of living not much unlike that of each and every one of us on Earth. Every living thing needs to eat the food and drink the water that this planet provides in order to survive.
