Animals in the United States

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fishing :: Article Creator

Fishing Like It Is 2006

Sunday reminded me of 2006.

That year, the final fishing trips on the cooling lakes and the final Sundays of the firearm deer seasons had to be planned around the time of the Bears game.

Not that Sunday started that way. At halftime, I started gathering my gear to take off and wander Mazonia State Fish and Wildlife Area, one of my favorite getaways near Wilmington.

But the second half grabbed me, holding me home to the end.

Even wandering some back roads at Mazonia didn't quell the mix of emotions and feelings after that game. It felt like sorting tacks and nails.

I really needed some bluegill fishing and maybe a random redear or crappie to soothe me.

People were out on a beautiful afternoon, but no one was at the area where I went.

A couple of gray catbirds mewed (Bears fans?) as I walked back, then outwalked the sounds of traffic and others.

The phragmites had gotten even worse than I remembered, obscuring one lake where I usually make a few casts. I didn't have a machete with me to hack a path, so I pushed on to my favorite little lake.

It took a minute or two to find the right depth to fish, then — bingo! — the first bluegill went on the stringer. I played with a couple of sizes and styles of jigs and found plain, white, black or chartreuse 1/16th-ounce jigheads with white or chartreuse Bluegill Chuck tails worked best.

I started like the Bears did in the first half, going 1-for-4, before I found my rhythm.

Bluegills rank up there for me for their aggressiveness, simple beauty and savage ounce-for-ounce fighting ability. I didn't even bring a bass rod with me, so I could stay focused on bluegills (though I hoped for a redear or a crappie to fatten the stringer). It didn't happen.

By the time I was against it to make it home for a late dinner, I said two more casts (no point in saying one cast when you know you'll do at least two more) and caught my final bluegill on the second.

It was time.

I kept the three biggest for a lunch of baked bluegill.

Reminder: The area around Ponderosa and Eagle lakes at the south unit of Mazonia closed, effective Monday, for extensive construction.

Otherwise, the final day of fishing at Mazonia (Monster Lake is open year-round) is Oct. 15.

Wild things

Rob Abouchar has been seeing nighthawks around Island Lake. I've blanked so far. . . . I am still stuck on one monarch butterfly for the year.

Illinois hunting

Early Canada goose season ends Sunday. . . . Waterfowl hunters may submit registrations for The Nature Conservancy's Emiquon Preserve, near Havana, through Sept. 23. Details are at

.Beer in the Woods

Friends of the Forest Preserves will hold its annual Beer in the Woods on Sept. 21 at LaBagh Woods on the Northwest Side. It's a highly enjoyable mix of craft tastings, guided walks and fundraising to help the Forest Preserves of Cook County. Information is at

Stray cast

Bluegills are the screen passes of fishing.


LA Times Today: The Fight To Save The Last Pieces Of The Historic Japanese Fishing Village On Terminal Island

Sept. 10, 2024 8 AM PT

San Pedro's Terminal Island was once home to a bustling Japanese-American fishing village. Japanese fishermen brought tuna fishing expertise which in turn revolutionized the canning industry on the Pacific coast. During World War II when Japanese citizens were incarcerated, the tight knit portside community was destroyed.

Colleen Shalby joined Lisa McRee with the story about fighting to preserve that history.


Fishing And Oil Industries Pause Due To Hurricane Francine

According to the National Hurricane Center, Tropical Storm Francine is expected to grow into a hurricane today, Tuesday, Sept. 10, and land as a hurricane on Wednesday over Louisiana, where Gov. Jeff Landry has declared a state of emergency. U.S. Oil and gas companies have paused production due to the storm, and sources have released notices to remind fishermen and boaters alike to plan to protect their boats and other assets.  

Francine began as a disturbance in the Gulf of Mexico and strengthened further into a tropical storm on Monday. Forecasters expect the storm to move ashore as a possible Category 2 hurricane as it has been slightly gaining speed and shifting eastward, causing weather alerts as far as the Florida border. According to BBC, residents along the upper Texas and Louisiana coastlines are being warned of life-threatening storm surges and have been urged to complete hurricane preparations by Tuesday evening.

The National Hurricane Center noted that Francine is marking the 19th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. It will further bring considerable flash and urban flooding to parts of Louisiana. Schools and colleges in the state have closed through Wednesday in preparation for the hurricane. Francine follows a lull in the Atlantic hurricane season, which left researchers stunned.

U.S. Oil and gas producers in the Gulf, including Exxon Mobil and Shell, have evacuated staff and, in some spots, paused drilling in anticipation of Hurricane Francine. The U.S. Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) estimates that about 23.55% of the current oil production and 26.56% of the current natural gas production in the Gulf has been temporarily shut down due to the storm.

Data from the offshore operator reported by BSEE as of 11:30 a.M. (CDT) On Sept. 10, personnel were evacuated from 130 production platforms, 35% of the 371 manned platforms in the Gulf of Mexico. Shell wrote in a statement, "Because of downstream impacts, we have shut in production at our Perdido, Auger, and Enchilada/ Salsa assets. At our Whale asset, which is not scheduled to begin operations until later this year, we have safely paused drilling operations."

According to Lafourche Parish officials, no unmanned vessels, including commercial fishing vessels, are to be left during the storm after a mandatory evacuation order for all residents was issued. All vessels in Port Fourchon are to be staffed. Gov. Landry said in his state of emergency declaration that the state "will allow parishes statewide to have resources to help protect the life, safety, and welfare of the citizens of Louisiana."





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