34 degrees, cold, rain the night before and two desperate mother's dying to get away makes for great fishin' trip. Janae (6 1/2 months pregnant) and I went fishin on Saturday. I was going to give all the details, however Janae already gave them in the most wonderful form so I dare not try to re-create it. It was cold, the Hickory river (1 mile from my house ) was flowing, and God's wonderful creation and beauty was all around us. As you will notice, there are no pictures of me.....because I didn't catch anything but a clutter of twigs. So, therefore I got no braggin' rights, OR picture rights! Just the rights to take the pictures! We went through a whole lot of turkey liver and the only thing caught was her channel cat. It was big enough for her to cut off a 1/4 of a fillet for me, which is enough to make a great meal for two! Thanks Janae! Here's Nae's post of her account of our weekend. My favorite part (other than Nae sporting her pregnant belly while holding her 2 ft long territorial channel cat) was her description of our drive and hike down to the river. I wouldn't have had my Saturday any other way! I'm totally bummed b/c I can't find my plug to get the pictures off of my camera to the computer, so here's the pics I got from on Janae's camera...and like it says above THOSE WITH WEAK STOMACH'S SHOULD TURN BACK NOW!!
Nae's biggest catfish caught on a pole on the Hickory River on March 15th:
Nae's post:
Sunday, March 16, 2008
skinnin a cat
Okay, Iʼm warning you!!!! It is solely at your discretion. Iʼm in no way forcing you to read this.Do Not Scroll down if you are inclined to the citified way of thinking and living. The images may be disturbing to some viewers....especially you Karen!!!! :-)Me and a friend went fishing yesterday. When I pulled up in her long drive it was noon and 37 degrees out. While we were eating our packed sandwiches the sun thankfully came out! It however, did not raise the temperature. To get to this particular fishing spot on Hickory creek itʼs a short drive across two pastures, through three gates, and through the wooded area that is alongside the creek. After scouting out the creek for about an 1/8th mile, we decided on a little rock bar that jutted out slightly into the creek. On the bankside of this rock bar a giant tree had fallen out across the bar and into the creek. With the tree to our backs we had a nice windbreak. The sun was strong enough that I am still feeling the heat all over my face. I definitely got some color and on March 15th! So this rock bar and fallen tree created a nice small oxbow of calm water. We could easily cast against the bank on our side of the creek into the oxbow or using a heavy weight we could cast on the other side of the creek below the bank. We were hoping to land our liver in front of a catfish den in the side of the bank! After about 15 minutes of our bait hitting the water both of our livers were stripped from our hooks. So we reeled in and baited up again. Plunking the liver back in the water, mine up against the bank on the north, only about 15 feet in front of me, and hers up against the far bank in another small area of backwater. Within a minute I had a tug. Then a couple more. My drag was messed up so it made it a little tricky to pull in a mad fightinʼ son of a catfish, but letting her play it out a little I pulled in to the shallowest part of the pool, grabbed my leader and hauled her onto the bank! She was a nice one for a small creek and a pole with a messed up drag! Actually, the biggest cat Iʼve caught on a pole. This is small when compared with the ones we catch on the trot and limb lines. But she works for me!Lest you think I have put on some weight....You are right! 23 lbs to be exact! Thatʼs what 6 1/2 months of pregnancy will do to ya!!And hereʼs a picture with the exact place she sealed her fate at in the background except it was a little to the left.Now, sheʼs not huge by any means but there is enough meat on her to have a good little fish fry. So, sorry for all you city slickers, animal rights activists and vegans, but you gotta eat to live! And I choose MEAT!! Thatʼs right, whether it comes from saltwater, fresh water, pature or tundra, I LOVE meat. My last and final warning is now! If you are faint at heart, canʼt stand the sight, smell, or feel of hamburger meat, or even if your dogʼs breath makes you wanna hurl you better turn back NOW!!! FAST!!!There are many many different methods of getting the meat to your freezer so those of you that know what is going on and havenʼt ran to the toilet, just keep your comments to yourself okay? Iʼm not asking for culinary advice!! Geesh! Donʼt get your panties in a bunch b/c I didnʼt use the right cut! Itʼll all turn out okay in the end!! And youʼll be callinʼ me up wantinʼ to know when you can come over for the fry! Yeah, you will, b/c I think this is the first river trip of the season.....and itʼs eatinʼ at all of us to get on the river!In order to get to the meat you have to take the skin off! A rope, filet knife and a pair of vise grips will do the trick. Oh, and clothes that you donʼt mind being splattered with blood b/c I wouldnʼt hang there without squirming if someone was skinnin me alive either!!!Then youʼve got to make your initial cut Carefully now soʼs not to empty her contents even more, you can remove the stomach and entrails. After that, I locate the back bone and start cuttin the meat off. Rinse the meat in cool clean water (or whatever you have) and fry it up or put in a freezer bag and save it for another time! Nothin you buy in the store is as good and tasty, antibiotic/growth hormone-free as this is!!!
skinnin a cat
Okay, Iʼm warning you!!!! It is solely at your discretion. Iʼm in no way forcing you to read this.Do Not Scroll down if you are inclined to the citified way of thinking and living. The images may be disturbing to some viewers....especially you Karen!!!! :-)Me and a friend went fishing yesterday. When I pulled up in her long drive it was noon and 37 degrees out. While we were eating our packed sandwiches the sun thankfully came out! It however, did not raise the temperature. To get to this particular fishing spot on Hickory creek itʼs a short drive across two pastures, through three gates, and through the wooded area that is alongside the creek. After scouting out the creek for about an 1/8th mile, we decided on a little rock bar that jutted out slightly into the creek. On the bankside of this rock bar a giant tree had fallen out across the bar and into the creek. With the tree to our backs we had a nice windbreak. The sun was strong enough that I am still feeling the heat all over my face. I definitely got some color and on March 15th! So this rock bar and fallen tree created a nice small oxbow of calm water. We could easily cast against the bank on our side of the creek into the oxbow or using a heavy weight we could cast on the other side of the creek below the bank. We were hoping to land our liver in front of a catfish den in the side of the bank! After about 15 minutes of our bait hitting the water both of our livers were stripped from our hooks. So we reeled in and baited up again. Plunking the liver back in the water, mine up against the bank on the north, only about 15 feet in front of me, and hers up against the far bank in another small area of backwater. Within a minute I had a tug. Then a couple more. My drag was messed up so it made it a little tricky to pull in a mad fightinʼ son of a catfish, but letting her play it out a little I pulled in to the shallowest part of the pool, grabbed my leader and hauled her onto the bank! She was a nice one for a small creek and a pole with a messed up drag! Actually, the biggest cat Iʼve caught on a pole. This is small when compared with the ones we catch on the trot and limb lines. But she works for me!Lest you think I have put on some weight....You are right! 23 lbs to be exact! Thatʼs what 6 1/2 months of pregnancy will do to ya!!And hereʼs a picture with the exact place she sealed her fate at in the background except it was a little to the left.Now, sheʼs not huge by any means but there is enough meat on her to have a good little fish fry. So, sorry for all you city slickers, animal rights activists and vegans, but you gotta eat to live! And I choose MEAT!! Thatʼs right, whether it comes from saltwater, fresh water, pature or tundra, I LOVE meat. My last and final warning is now! If you are faint at heart, canʼt stand the sight, smell, or feel of hamburger meat, or even if your dogʼs breath makes you wanna hurl you better turn back NOW!!! FAST!!!There are many many different methods of getting the meat to your freezer so those of you that know what is going on and havenʼt ran to the toilet, just keep your comments to yourself okay? Iʼm not asking for culinary advice!! Geesh! Donʼt get your panties in a bunch b/c I didnʼt use the right cut! Itʼll all turn out okay in the end!! And youʼll be callinʼ me up wantinʼ to know when you can come over for the fry! Yeah, you will, b/c I think this is the first river trip of the season.....and itʼs eatinʼ at all of us to get on the river!In order to get to the meat you have to take the skin off! A rope, filet knife and a pair of vise grips will do the trick. Oh, and clothes that you donʼt mind being splattered with blood b/c I wouldnʼt hang there without squirming if someone was skinnin me alive either!!!Then youʼve got to make your initial cut Carefully now soʼs not to empty her contents even more, you can remove the stomach and entrails. After that, I locate the back bone and start cuttin the meat off. Rinse the meat in cool clean water (or whatever you have) and fry it up or put in a freezer bag and save it for another time! Nothin you buy in the store is as good and tasty, antibiotic/growth hormone-free as this is!!!
ALL FISH, ALL BELLY!!!
Look how thick that yummy fillet is!
And the finished product. (And this doesn't show the part she gave me. When a friend gives you a 1/4 fillet off her channel cat, you know she's a true friend!)
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