WHEN NATURE CALLS : Going fishing was spectacular even if the fishing wasn’t
Posted on Sunday, March 16, 2008
The sights. The smells.
There's nothing quite like embarking on the year's first fishing trip. Yep, knocking the rust off and being on the water again brings a sense of normalcy to those of us turned on by open skies, blue waters and fish sizzling in a hot skillet. I basked in Thursday afternoon's sunny skies, complete with puffy, Charmin-esque clouds. It didn't matter if I caught a fish. It didn't matter if I got a bite. All that mattered right here, right now was the simple notion that I was doing what I loved. Well, I'm glad that's what mattered because Lake Sequoyah was a tough nut to crack. My boat has a stubborn, cold-natured streak but before long it purred like a lazy tomcat as oil-induced fog wafted across the water. Stout, southwesterly winds made my destination choice an easy one: just go with the flow and enjoy the ride.
The rhythmic sound of choppy water hitting aluminum entranced as I side-armed a spinnerbait. Man, after deer hunting for months and waiting out a crazy winter, the fishing rod felt a bit foreign but it didn't take but a cast or two to feel like an old veteran once more. With breezy conditions and water temps in the mid-50 s, the tried-and-true War Eagle blade bait seemed to be the logical choice.
I tried chartreuse. I tried black. I tried white. Holy cow ! My usual honey holes were as barren as a midwinter maple tree. I even tried to toss a crappie jig from time to time but the wind was just too strong for that kind of nonsense. Since the spinnerbait bite was nonexistent, I decided to head for calmer water.
If you don't like to fish in southerly winds, Lake Sequoyah isn't for you. The lake offers little protection from these breezes but a little seclusion can be found if you look hard enough. By now, I was quite harried and although warm winds are an angler's friend this time of year, a little break was needed from all the rocking and rolling.
With more control of the boat, I switched to a black jig with a blue Zoom trailer. The clouds thickened but sunshine continued its brilliance and my jeans, T-shirt and bare feet were the perfect ensemble. I worked the jig around stumps, trees, channels, and drop-offs until finally, I felt the telltale tap-tap-tap vibrate through the Team Diawa rod.
Generally speaking, I like a good hook-set and this situation was no different. With a mighty sweep of the fishing rod, hook met jaw and the fight was on. I'd like to say we went toe-to-fin in an epic battle. I'd like to say it was picture-taking time. I'd like to say my first fish of the year was something to behold. Alas, I can't. The 10-inch monster largemouth's only redeeming value was putting a check in the Icaught-a-fish-and-didn'tget-skunked category.
For a while I thought I was on to something but the little bass turned into fool's gold as another bite eluded me. I tried a Carolina-rigged lizard. I tried a Model-A Bomber crankbait. I even went back to a spinnerbait but to no avail. The fish just didn't want to bite on this day, at least for me. I did notice one gentleman troll up a crappie or two. Sure, the fishing could've been better but then I remembered that just a week ago, our area was cloaked in cold temps and on the outskirts of two snowstorms. Thankfully, I think we've seen the last of Mother Nature's March trickery. The daffodils on the hillside told me so.
• • • The time for outdoor grilling is fast approaching and along with steaks, burgers and dogs, venison is an excellent option for a little change of pace. If you got your deer this past season, you likely have sacks of deer meat in the freezer. Usually I make jerky, stew or batter and fry backstrap but grilling has officially made my how-toprepare-deer list. I threw some on the grill last week and it was awesome !
I cut off big chunks of thawed backstrap, drizzled it with olive oil and gave generous shakes of Cavender's seasoning. I was almost out of BBQ sauce so I mixed in some salsa and brushed it over the meat once it was on the grill. I set the grill on its lowest setting to avoid burning.
The taste was akin to a good steak but due to the lean nature of deer meat, it wasn't quite as moist. My family really enjoyed it. Give it a try if you get tired of the usual fare. Of course, the usual fare is pretty good in its own right.
Bobby Hill is the outdoors columnist for the Times and lives in Fayetteville.
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