Gafftopsail Dad!

   Finally, the fish have returned to the Bay.  The waters are teeming with mullet and menhaden which in turn attracts the larger fish.  This is all fine and dandy except for the fact that those larger fish are mostly catfish.  Both the hardhead catfish and the gafftopsails are following the smaller fish as they come into the Bay to spawn.  Every spring, thousands of these large fish enter the Bay.  Most of the ones we are catching are females and are full of eggs. Soon, the female will spawn (lay the eggs).  The male fertilizes the eggs after the laying and then scoops up the orange, marble-sized eggs.  He  will carry the eggs in his mouth until they hatch which can take up to 65 days.  During this time, the male does not eat.  His whole existence is to protect those eggs until they hatch.  Once hatched, the babies (called fry) still stay with dear, old Dad until they can feed on their own.  Male catfish make good daddies!

  The gafftopsail catfish is named because its dorsal fin resembles a sail of a ship.  This fin rises tall on the back of the fish but can be laid flat.  Both the dorsal fin and the pectoral fins are supported by a sharp spine that can quickly injure an unsuspecting predator (or angler).  It is best to be careful when unhooking one!  While both the hardhead catfish and the gafftopsail are edible, not many folks around here use them for anything other than crab bait. Personally, I unhook and release them unless I am in dire need of bait.  Live and let live is always a good mantra.

Fun in the "Pool"!

  I have finally taken the time to fetch the wicker chairs from the greenhouse where they were stored for the winter months.  After arranging them in the front yard to take full advantage of the Back Bay breezes, I plopped down to "test" them.  After all, we sure do not want "non-working" chairs!  From this point on, these chairs will be my resting spot after doing the daily chores.  It is too hot to stay inside and the breezes are too inviting.  It is also from this spot that I can view a multitude of wildlife that comes to the yard to feed or get fresh water from the birdbath.  The camera will always be by my side to take advantage of the steady flow of photo opportunities that cross the yard.

  During my first sitting, I was fully entertained by a male cardinal that came to enjoy the cool waters of the birdbath.  I keep an old jug filled with water propped in the bath so that the bowl is not emptied too soon.  With the spout of the jug under water, it does not drain quickly.   Only as the water is emptied from the bowl of the bath does the water slowly feed from the spout to refill.  It is sort of a "fill on demand" method that seems to work well at keeping a two day supply of fresh water for the critters.  Today, the male cardinal took full advantage of that bath.  At first, he splashed happily about in the water but, then, I noticed an unusual behavior.  The cardinal would fluff out its belly feathers, soak them and then take off to where Mama Cardinal was setting on the nest.  After a moment or two, Papa Cardinal would come back to the birdbath to repeat the process.  Both to and from, he was careful to not let on where the nest was located just in case a crow or hawk was watching.  The male cardinal followed this routine 6 times.  

  It seems that birds can indeed carry water in their feathers.  They do this so their mate or offspring can get life-giving water during the heat of the day.  In areas where water is scarce, a bird can carry the water great distances to provide for his family.  My little cardinal friend only had about a hundred feet to fly before he was home.  Mama Cardinal could sip the water from his feathers and he could shake his feathers to sprinkle the nest.  He is such a good daddy! Later, he will teach his little ones that fresh water can be found at the birdbath and my entertainment will continue.

The "REALLY BIG FISH!"

    I started to write tonight about happenings on the Bayou but then I was told a story that just needed to be told.  I so wish I had been there to witness this first hand but, since that was impossible, I have to revel in the story told by my son.  It seems that he and my sweet daughter-in-law bought a Disney Princess fishing rod and reel for my granddaughter.  She is all of two years old and I can only imagine she loved it merely because of the Disney logo or perhaps because it was pink.  She is at that age where she is attracted to bright pretty things without really knowing what they are.  Still, Daddy being an avid fisherman and with both grandfathers being avid fishermen, she would soon learn the finer points of using her new tool.  

  Being the good daddy that he is, Mark took his little girl fishing in the pond behind their house.  He carefully cast the tiny line out into the water and handed the pole to his baby girl.  He said that she immediately started reeling the line back in when he realized that there was a fish tugging on the end of the line!  First cast and this baby girl already had a fish!  With a little help from Dad to set the hook, Mary Ruth was catching her first fish.  She reeled and reeled on that little contraption and just when the fish was getting near, it made a turn a reedy area.  The fish was smart enough to get the line entangled but Dad was determined that his little girl was going to land this fish! He told me that he thought "Oh, we got this far! You are not getting away now!"   He allowed a bit of line to loosen from the reel before handing it back to Mary Ruth.  This gave the fish just enough leeway to break free from the grass and the fight was on again!  He kept telling her "Reel, reel, reel!"  She did!  She turned that wee handle as fast as she could! When the fish was close enough to shore, Daddy reached down and pulled it ashore! Mary Ruth had her fish!  AND WHAT A FISH!  It weighed almost four pounds!  

  Mark said that if you ask her what type fish she caught she answers with "A REALLY BIG FISH!"  So there you have it, Folks...a teeny, little girl caught a REALLY BIG FISH!  Yep, this little girl is a great fisherman just like her daddy and two grandfathers!  (I would just like to see them catch something that is this large on a Disney Princess Rod and Reel! In comparison of this fish to her size, that would be like one of them landing a forty pound  or larger fish! Hmmmm?  I think this wee tot could teach them a thing or two!  Way to go, Mary Ruth!)