Big Fish and an Ailing Pup

  Mark has a knack for finding fish out in the Bay even when no one else does.  He will always have a nice catch when he comes home.  Right now, however, the fish are plentiful.  Menhaden and shrimp have moved into the area so fish follow.  It makes for some fun times when you are out on the water and makes for good eating for us back home.  The other evening, he stayed late.  While he was much later than normal, I knew he was ok and just catching fish.  I was right.

  Fishing with menhaden is a bit different than fishing with lures.  The line is rigged with nothing but a hook, sinker and swivel.  That is all that is needed.  The minnow is hooked and will wiggle about under the water.  Fish will snatch the easy target, in turn, making themselves the easy target.  Mark told me that just before dark, he saw his line starting to move out a bit.  Thinking he had a trout, he picked up the pole and was ready.  When he jerked back, the large swell in the water told him that this was a red drum and not a trout.  Alrighty then!  Mark played the thing until after dark.  Finally, the redfish was tuckered out so Mark just had to pull him toward the boat.  Grabbing the scoop net was a futile effort.  Mark managed to scoop the fish but it was so large that the handle on the net broke!  Instead of losing his fish after this battle, Mark just reached in and grabbed the fish! 

  The three foot long fish was cleaned and cut into pieces.  We called our niece, Eva, and asked if she wanted some red fish.  "Sure!"  So the fish went to her house.  Mark had the fun of catching the huge fish and Eva received five pounds of fresh fish! It is a good feeling to share with those you love and we adore this girl and her little family!

  *For any who are interested, Ms. Ez, the old Bayou Dog, made it through the night and seems some brighter today.  She is still weak and has a slight bit of bleeding from even the smallest of  wounds. We are still not sure just what caused her malady but have been investigating all ends.  Neighbors have been asked about their usage of poisons such as rat poison, sprays and even engine fluids.  All can cause internal bleeding and discombobulated blood levels.  Both from which Ms. Ez is suffering.  We do not wish to lay blame on anyone even if they have used any of the poisons but would like to know what we are battling.  She is still one sick pup and will be for a while. Folks, do be careful with any toxic substances.  While we (usually) are smart enough to avoid partaking of the substances, our furry friends are not.  To them, if something smells yummy, it must taste yummy!  And if it tastes yummy, then surely it is good for the tummy.  Not always...not always.  Sometimes it is deadly.