The northern lights glittered over Patch Mountain as we sat in the north Yaak, tending a dying campfire. My 7-year-old daughter, Shasta, pulled the tip of her poking stick away from the embers, and said, “Daddy, take me fishing.”
All tagged Fishing
Wildlife Watching Wednesday: The Delicious Yellowtail Snapper
There are plenty of fish in the sea. They come in all shapes, sizes and colors, too. One very handsome species of fish is the Yellowtail Snapper. These brightly colored fish are common in the western Atlantic Ocean, from North Carolina south to Florida and into the Gulf of Mexico.
Wildlife Watching Wednesday: The Multi-Colored Striped Shiner
Minnows are interesting fish that most people never think about. When people do think of minnows, they usually think about them as being used as bait to catch bigger fish.
Wildlife Watching Wednesday: The Beautiful Rainbow Trout
Trout are coldwater fish. The rainbow trout prefers water temperatures ranging between 45-65 degrees Fahrenheit, and they need cold, clean water with good oxygen levels to thrive. Although they can endure warmer water temperatures into the mid-70s, they will always seek out cooler water if it is present.
Wildlife Watching Wednesday: The Colorful Brook Darter
In the United States there is an obscure group of very small freshwater fish that most people have never heard of – and certainly never seen. These fish are called darters, and they are in the perch family. There are at least 225 species of darters in North America, and most of them sport dazzling colors during the spring spawning season.
Wildlife Watching Wednesday: The Common Field Cricket
The melodious chirping of crickets on a quiet summer night is a familiar sound to most people. The crickets we hear are one of several species of common field crickets, and they can be pretty hard to tell apart. Crickets can be found throughout most of the United States and even parts of Canada and Mexico.
Wildlife Watching Wednesday: Bluegills, The Ever-Popular Panfish
The bluegill is one of the most popular species of fish in the Midwest, if not the entire country. Bluegills are part of the sunfish family, and they are often called panfish. This is because they have a relatively tall, flat-sided shape and they fit well in a frying pan when it is time to cook them for dinner!
Wildlife Watching Wednesday: Smallmouth Bass are Feisty Fighters
The smallmouth bass is a much sought-after gamefish. Pound for pound, many anglers believe they fight harder than any other freshwater fish. They also have a habit of leaping completely out of the water when hooked in an attempt to get away, making them very exciting to catch.
Wildlife Watching Wednesday: The Croaking American Bullfrog
American bullfrogs are the largest frog in North America, and they are one of the symbols of spring and summer around our lakes, ponds and marshes. Their distinctive croaking calls blend with the crickets and other night-time sounds.
Wildlife Watching Wednesday: Warmouth, the Ever-Hungry Sunfish
Have you ever caught a warmouth while fishing for bluegills or other panfish? Warmouth are found in the Great Lakes states and the Mississippi River basin, and they are common throughout most of the southeastern United States from central Texas east to Florida and the Carolinas.
Wildlife Watching Wednesday: The Whiskered Channel Catfish
The channel catfish is the most common catfish species in the United States. It inhabits lakes, rivers, streams and ponds. It is easy to identify because it has a fairly large head and has a total of eight whiskers (or barbels) located around its mouth.
On The Road Again: Visiting Friends and then Home Sweet Home
The next morning found us in the van, leaving Massachusetts, heading to East Hampton, Connecticut. Bill and Heather Embacher, old friends from Alaska, live there. The last time I saw them, they were childless. Now they have a beautiful nine-year old daughter. It had certainly been too long.