Thanksgiving Day Catfish Report...

A quick check of the blog/fishing log indicates we are usually fishing on Thanksgiving. I guess it's our way of giving thanks, of worship, of being together and doing the things we like. This Thanksgiving was no different. Out on the lake with Cathy and her brother Matt we boated 32 cats up to 4 pounds. 

Matt takes big fish honors. I noticed as I scanned past reports that there have been some times that we caught the fish slip corking in the shallows in late November. I forgot the backpack with the fish finder in it but probably about 25' deep yesterday. 

On the way in we spotted this bald eagle perched in a 40' tall dead tree standing along the old river channel that snakes through the lake. Good fishing along there I bet and I made this photo at about 75 to 100 yards and once on the computer zoomed it a bit more. This bird's mate could be seen perched a couple of hundred yards away on another tall tree. 

In the area where we caught the fish I recall back in the late 70s, a time when DDT, the main culprit in the decline of eagle populations had only been banned for a few years there was an eagles nest. It was protected by orange buoys signaling a no go area for boaters. Thankfully we don't need that anymore as eagles are apparently nesting and raising young easily on the lake. 

Eagles and nearly every bird pictured on this blog are protected by the Migratory Bird Act of 1918. The Trump Administration was blocked by judge rulings as recently as August 2020 attempting to end restrictions and punishments imposed by this Act that energy companies and other business oppose as too broad. Thankfully we won't have to worry about this kind of monkey business too much longer.

The eagle sighting was not the only bird encounter of the trip. In the boat ramp parking lot this chicken was wandering around. In our meat/blood frenzy a certain person that is very fond of Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce described how you can catch a chicken by throwing a blanket over it. This person had a blanket but was persuaded to step away from the chicken. 

Now I don't know what kind of chicken this is, and it's not a protected species, but I do know chicken. Take wings, leg quarters, or a whole chicken and marinate in Melinda's Creamy Wing Sauce. Before smoking or grilling sprinkle with dry BBQ season of your choice. Before it's done apply (it's not my fave but happy wife, happy life) Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ Sauce.        

On leaving the boat ramp park we saw a nice six point buck but he did not pose for a photo.